United Nations

  NEW YORK, 17 April (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

 The Permanent Representative of Israel has delivered to the Secretary-General a letter from his Foreign Minister, dated 16 April, in which the Secretary-General is formally notified of the decision by the Government of Israel to withdraw its forces in Lebanon by July in full accordance with Security Council resolutions 425 and 426 (1978).  The Government of Israel indicates it will cooperate fully with the United Nations in the implementation of its decision.

 The Secretary-General is studying the implications of this decision by the Government of Israel.  He is notifying the Security Council of the contents of the letter and will be consulting with the parties and other concerned governments in the region and more widely.  Contingency planning in the Secretariat is already under way.