BEIRUT (AFP) – The United nations has given a positive assessment of the situation in south Lebanon almost three months after the israel – Hezbollah war except for continued Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace.

"Things in the south are looking very well, but we need an end to the overflights," Geir Pedersen, the Lebanon representative of UN chief Kofi Annan said after a meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Sallukh on Saturday.Israel has drawn intense international criticism by continuing the overflights despite the August 14 ceasefire that ended a month-long war between the Jewish state and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group during which the south was battered.

Last month, Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz said the overflights were necessary to monitor what he charged was continuing arms smuggling by Hezbollah.On Friday, a senior Israeli government official revealed on condition of anonymity that the United States had joined world governments in expressing discontent about continued Israeli flights over Beirut.