UNIFIL Head of Mission meets Lebanese leaders in Beirut

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Luciano Portolano meets Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri.

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Luciano Portolano meets Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam.

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Luciano Portolano meets Lebanese Minister of interior affairs Nuhad Mashnouk.

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26 Jan 2016

UNIFIL Head of Mission meets Lebanese leaders in Beirut

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Luciano Portolano today called on the Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Tammam Salam and Minister of Interior Nouhad Machnouk in Beirut.

Major-General Portolano briefed his interlocutors on the situation in southern Lebanon, and the continued efforts of UNIFIL to maintain the calm that has returned along the Blue Line since the serious breach of the cessation of hostilities that occurred on 4 January.

Following the meetings, Major-General Portolano said: “Today I had very good meetings with the Lebanese leaders. I shared my concerns at the recent incidents along the Blue Line, where we witnessed two instances of grave violations of resolution 1701 on 20 December and 4 January. These incidents interrupted an extended period of calm and stability that had prevailed through most of 2015, and risked precipitating a larger conflict across the Blue Line, a situation we were able to avoid thanks to the confidence of both parties in UNIFIL and their willingness to engage in our efforts to quickly defuse the situation and restore the cessation of hostilities.”

“I thanked the leaders for their constant support to UNIFIL and called on their continued assistance in our endeavour to isolate the Blue Line from the destructive regional conflict. I also briefed about my discussions with the local authorities and religious leaders last week, and our wider engagement with the communities throughout the south, where the message to me has been loud and clear: no one wants any disruption in the safe and secure environment that has largely prevailed in the area since 2006.”

“I assured the Lebanese leaders of UNIFIL’s strong determination to continue the implementation of our mandated tasks, working closely with the Lebanese Armed Forces and other partners on the ground. I was encouraged by their positive appreciation of UNIFIL’s efforts and assurances of Lebanon’s firm commitment to UN Security Council resolution 1701 (2006).”