BEIRUT: U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly met Wednesday with Hezbollah official Ammar Musawi, who voiced displeasure over U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon's recent criticism of the resistance party’s arms.

In a statement released by Hezbollah’s press office after the meeting, Musawi, Hezbollah's official for international relations, criticized Ban’s latest semiannual report on the execution of U.N Security Council resolution 1559, which has as its aim the strengthening of Lebanon’s sovereignty.

In his report, issued on April 20, Ban said Hezbollah’s “sizeable sophisticated military capabilities” outside the control of the state “create an atmosphere of intimidation and represent a key challenge to the safety of Lebanese civilians.”

Renewing his calls for Hezbollah to disarm, Ban commented that, “In a democratic state, a political party cannot maintain its own militia.”

Ban also said that during the past six months Hezbollah publically acknowledged for the first time that Iran has provided the party with “political, moral, financial and logistical support” and that it has upgraded its military capabilities. Iran, Ban added, should encourage Hezbollah to disarm.

Musawi and Plumbly also discussed security-related matters as well as the situation on the border with Israel.