UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Paolo Serra today called on the Lebanese President Michel Sleiman in Beirut. 

Following the meeting Major-General Serra said: “It was a very positive meeting where issues related to the implementation of resolution 1701 were discussed. I briefed the President on the general situation and some of the recent incidents in our area of operations, and explained how we responded on the ground with the Lebanese Armed Forces while engaging the parties through bilateral and tripartite channels to prevent any escalation along the Blue Line. President Sleiman was highly encouraging in his appreciation of the critical role UNIFIL is playing in south Lebanon and he reiterated his full support for our operations in coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces."

The Force Commander added: "I expressed my appreciation for the strong commitment to resolution 1701 that Lebanon has demonstrated in the face of the multitude of challenges it has been dealing with. I assured the President of UNIFIL's keen sensitivity to the prevailing situation that underlines the importance of remaining focused on our mandated tasks so that the regional turbulence does not intrude on south Lebanon. I told him that our peacekeepers are determined to stay the course and to stand by Lebanon and its people, shoulder to shoulder with the Lebanese Armed Forces in our common effort to maintain stability in UNIFIL's area of operations. The continued commitment of both the parties to the cessation of hostilities and their willingness to work with UNIFIL in addressing any emerging concerns is most vital for sustaining the security architecture along the Blue Line that has so far endured very testing times.