Good morning. I have just had the privilege of seeing Prime Minister Mikati to whom I conveyed the warm wishes of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Ban Ki-moon and of course the determination of the United Nations to continue towards the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701.

I think the whole international community is deeply attached to the preservation of the stability in Lebanon. This objective, again shared by everyone, is what UNIFIL has been about for many years and considerable work is being done towards securing the Blue Line, ensuring that South Lebanon remains a zone of stability, about working with the Lebanese Armed Forces towards strengthening our strategic dialogue.

I think in this regard it is worth mentioning that certain statements that were made regarding the future of UNIFIL I think are unfounded. The cooperation with the Lebanese government and armed forces is I think exemplary and I cannot imagine that any of the countries who have been contributing solidly to UNIFIL, especially the countries of the European Union, is even considering a change of posture.

On the contrary, in the present international circumstances in the region, which has been experiencing a lot of turmoil, more than ever, the preservation of the stability of Lebanon is absolutely essential. And the Prime Minister assured me that he himself was totally committed towards that cooperation with the United Nations. Thank you.

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