Palestinian militants in Lebanon are getting more weapons from Syria, one reason why the Lebanese government has made no significant progress in disbanding and disarming militias that operate with impunity inside its borders, a U.N. report said Wednesday. The report said that despite some positive steps, Lebanon still has not achieved full "sovereignty and political independence" more than six months after Syria withdrew its troops and intelligence apparatus from its neighbor following a 29-year presence.In the report to the council, Secretary-General Kofi Annan highlighted the difficulties controlling the Lebanon-Syria border and reports of "an increasing influx of weaponry and personnel from Syria" to some militia groups in Lebanon. "The government of Syria has informed me that smuggling of arms and people across the Syrian-Lebanese border does indeed take place, albeit in both directions," he said.
The report, prepared by U.N. envoy Terje Roed-Larsen, was assessing the implementation of Security Council resolution 1559, which called for Syria to withdraw all military forces and intelligence operatives as well as the disarmament of all militias in Lebanon.