Annan Discusses Mideast Crisis with Council’s Permanent Members

“United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan met Tuesday with the five permanent members of the Security Council in informal talks focused on the crisis in the Middle East and how best to stop the bloodshed in a conflict that has killed hundreds of people and forced almost a million others to flee their homes across the region.Mr. Annan discussed with the ambassadors from China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States the cessation of hostilities, a ceasefire and political framework for a settlement, as well as the composition and deployment of a stabilization force for Lebanon and the humanitarian situation, a UN spokesman told reporters.” [More]