Lebanese seek UN help in tracing relatives feared held in Syria

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2005

BEIRUT (AFP) — A lobby group for families of around 440 Lebanese believed to be still held in Syria despite its troop withdrawal from its smaller neighbour sought help from UN chief Kofi Annan in establishing their fate.

"We call upon you ... to take any measures necessary for the appropriate resolution of the longstanding plight of enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention of Lebanese," said Ghazi Aad, head of Support of Lebanese in Detention and Exile (SOLIDE).

Aad called on Annan to ask his special envoy, Terje Roed-Larsen, to raise the issue during his next trip to the region as part of his mission to verify the completion of Syria's withdrawal, officially declared on April 26.

"We hold that no withdrawal of the Syrian army is complete without...