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Hezbollah Chief Criticizes Blair Visit to Lebanon

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The leader of Hezbollah has criticized British Prime Minister Tony Blair's visit to Lebanon.

On Monday, Mr. Blair met with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora in Beirut as thousands of Lebanese demonstrators protested the meeting.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah called Mr. Blair a "partner in the killing" of Lebanese, referring to Israel's war against the militia which ended in August.

He called the Lebanese government insensitive for having invited Mr. Blair.

Nasrallah's comments were aired Tuesday, on al-Jazeera, the Arab television network.

Mr. Blair supported the U.S. position that a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah had to address underlying conditions.

A United Nations Security Council ceasefire resolution called for the deployment of a bolstered U.N. force to southern Lebanon alongside Lebanese troops.

Mr. Blair did not meet with representatives of Hezbollah during his visit to Beirut. He was supposed to meet with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is close to Hezbollah. But Berri's office said that the speaker was traveling abroad and could not make the meeting.

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