The Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Major-General Paolo Serra, today chaired a regular tripartite meeting with senior officers from the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at the UN Position at Ras Al Naqoura crossing.

The participants discussed the implementation of relevant provisions of UN Security Council resolution 1701 under UNIFIL's mandate, including the situation along the Blue Line, air and ground violations, the ongoing visible marking of the Blue Line and the issue of withdrawal of Israeli forces from northern Ghajar.

Following the meeting, Major-General Serra said: "I noted the relative calm and stability that prevails along the Blue Line. In this context, I commended both parties for their effective use of UNIFIL's liaison and coordination arrangements, including the tripartite forum, that have proven to be vital in preventing tension and incidents, and an essential mechanism to de-conflict the situation at critical moments. I received assurances from the parties that they want to continue working closely with UNIFIL to maintain calm in the area."