UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has urged the Lebanese authorities to take a lesson from the recent conflict between Israel and Hizbullah and quickly agree on a plan for disarming the guerilla group.
Hizbullah transformation into a purely political party "is a key element in ensuring a permanent end of hostilities and in the full restoration of Lebanon's sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence," Mr Annan said in a report to the UN Security Council.
"It is my deep hope that the opportunities borne from conflict will be seized upon and that Lebanon may once again rise from the ashes of destruction and war," he said.
Mr Annan's report also renewed pleas that Lebanon and Syria establish full diplomatic relations and work together to mark out their shared border.
He was reporting on progress in implementing a September 2004 council resolution that called on Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and for Lebanon to disarm all militias on its territory so the Beirut government could control all its territory.
There has been "considerable progress" over the past two years in fulfilling the resolution, Mr Annan said.
But the 34-day conflict that ended in an August-14th ceasefire has left Lebanon tense and facing huge challenges to rebuild itself and its shaken economy and political system, he said.
Damascus, which entered Lebanon in 1976 to put down a civil war, pulled its troops out in April 2005 after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, which triggered mass anti-Syrian demonstrations.
Many Lebanese blamed the killing on Syria but Damascus has denied any role and a UN investigation is continuing.