Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh said Friday that Hezbollah (Party of God) is a security-keeping force in the south of the country. "Hezbollah is not a militia group but a military force against foreign occupation," the minister told Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV channel.

It is a force that joins the government troops in safeguarding Lebanon and maintaining the country's security, so it is supplementary to the government forces, he said. As for UN Security Council Resolution 1559 which urges Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah and Palestinian militant groups in the country, Salloukh said it is necessary to hold an inter-Lebanese dialogue among various factions on the issue so as to reach consensus about the implementation of the resolution.

 BEIRUT, Nov 7 (KUNA) -- US Deputy Assistant Secretary Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Elizabeth Dibble held talks here with Lebanese officials Monday regarding preparations of the upcoming international conference to support Lebanon.

Diplomatic sources told KUNA that Dibble is to hold talks with Prime Minister Fouad Al-Siniora and Minister of Finance Jihad Azour, in addition to Minister of Justice Charles Rizk and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fawzi Salloukh. Dibble is to discuss current developments with Lebanese officials in light of Security Council resolution 1636 and the extension of the mission of the UN Independent Investigation Commission probing the assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafiq Al-Hariri to December 15.