Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, today paid a visit to the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) at Naqoura in southern Lebanon. UNIFIL Force Commander Major-General Paolo Serra welcomed the President and his delegation that included the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Samir Mokbel.

Major-General Serra expressed appreciation for the visit: "Your presence here today Mr. President, speaks yet again of the strong support that we in UNIFIL continue to enjoy from the Lebanese State and from you personally. I take this opportunity, two years into my stint as UNIFIL Force Commander, to reaffirm my own personal commitment, and that of all our peacekeepers, to serving the cause of peace in southern Lebanon under UN Security Council resolution 1701."

On his arrival, President Sleiman inspected a UNIFIL Guard of Honour. He was briefed by the Force Commander on issues related to the implementation of UNIFIL's mandate under resolution 1701 and the Mission's joint efforts with the Lebanese Armed Forces to this end.

Following the visit, Major-General Serra said: "I was very encouraged by the President's gesture in visiting us today. There is a strong message here for all of us: the message that Lebanon stands firm in its commitment to resolution 1701 and to our mission, notwithstanding the grim challenges the country faces today."

He added: "I assured the President that our peacekeepers are determined to stay the course and to work shoulder to shoulder with the Lebanese Armed Forces in our common effort to maintain stability in southern Lebanon."

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Video Editor: Suzane Badereddine
Video Camera: Mohamad Hamze
Photo: Pascual Gorriz Marcos

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