Resolution 1701 Still Effective Pending New One by UN, Says UNIFIL Spokesman
(AWP) - A spokesman for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon on Friday said the mission is applying Resolution 1701 pending the issuance of a new expected resolution by the UN Security Council by the end of this month.
Amid watching in Beirut for the expected resolution and fears over a possible amendment allowing the UN force to move in patrols without escort by the Lebanese army, Andrea Tenenti referred to many speculations ahead of the day a resolution is released.
“There are too many speculations these days before Monday tranquil the discussion is ongoing in New York. We are here to implement the resolutions. This is up to the Security Council – to the 15 members of the Security Council – to decide how to move forward,” said Tenenti in an interview with the Arab World Press (AWP) in al-Naqoura city, southern Lebanon.
“As of now, and the last many years the security council has been always very supportive of the role of the mission, of 1701 so we maintain our role in ,first of all, the backbone of our mandates to support the army Lebanese, to assist the Lebanese army, to work in close coordination with the Lebanese army, to assist local communities, and of course to preserve stability in the south of Lebanon. This is what we have been doing, what we are doing now, what we will be doing to implement fully 1701 in relation again to the resolution that will expire at the end of the month and there will be a new resolution on the 31st of August. It is up to the security council,” he said.
The past few months have witnessed tensions between the Lebanese and Israelis sides on the borders as Lebanon accused Israel of having violated its territorial waters.
The UNIFIL spokesperson, however, insists that “the situation is volatile but calm,” underlining the importance of the tripartite meetings that bring together the Lebanese and Israeli armies with UNIFIL.
“We're always very optimistic about the future and I say if there is a will, there is a way. Force commander, the leadership, is very much in touch with the parties to discuss the way forward. We had more than 160 tripartite meetings. The parties have always been committed to 1701 and also the difference between rhetoric and reality. The reality on the ground is that there is no appetite for a conflict and the parties have been meeting even last week in tripartite meetings to ensure there is full implementation of 1701 or to discuss it,” said Tenenti.