PRESS CONFERENCE BY lebanon force commander

 

The expanded United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) had successfully deployed over 7,000 troops, including a maritime task force and might not need to increase its troop numbers to the maximum 15,000 troops, Major-General Alain Pellegrini, UNIFIL’s commander, said today at a New York Headquarters press conference.

“The rapid deployment of UNIFIL was essential for the withdrawal process to be completed without any major disruptions,” Major-General Pelligrini told correspondents, adding that the Force was “off to a good start”, but had a long way to go.  Troop size, though, might not have to be increased to the 15,000 initially requested, if the situation continued to improve, he said.

The Lebanese Armed Forces had been fully deployed down to the southern border, and Lebanon’s maritime border was now protected with a new UNIFIL maritime task force led by Germany, he said.  The maritime surveillance was a key element in the implementation of resolution 1701, which ended 34 days of fighting between Lebanon and Israel in August.  He also reported that a strategic military cell, headed by Italy and France, set up to provide guidance to UNIFIL, was now operational.

On a question as to whether the deployment territory of UNIFIL would be extended to the border with Syria, he noted that UNIFIL and police experts had recently completed an audit of the security situation along the Syrian border, but had not released the report with recommendations.  However, he said he did not foresee a deployment of UNIFIL beyond its current area of operations in the near future.

Responding to various questions from correspondents on reported violations of Lebanon’s airspace by Israeli jets, he said the flights “were a violation of resolution 1701”, and not acceptable.  But at the moment, he added, UNIFIL was dealing with these incidents diplomatically.  Under current procedures, when a violation occurred, UNIFIL reported it to the Secretary-General and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations took it up with Israeli authorities, he said.  However, he added, “if diplomatic means should not be enough, maybe we can consider other ways”.

In answer to another question, as to whether French UNIFIL commanders would open fire on Israeli warplanes if they continued to cross the airspace, he said that the French contingent had anti-aircraft weapons deployed, but only for self-defence.  He added that French contingents are systematically deployed with anti-aircraft systems ever since they suffered heavy losses in Côte d'Ivoire recently.  Any use of anti-aircraft facilities beyond self-defence would depend on new rules of engagement, he added.

To several questions about weapon smuggling operations and the use of tunnels for smuggling, he said that at the moment UNIFIL had not confiscated any illegal weapons in its area of operations, and that there were no tunnels.  About charges that weapons were being smuggled by Syria near the Bekaa Valley, he said that he had no new evidence about incidents in that area, which is outside UNIFIL’s area of operations.

Would Israeli flyovers be warranted and not in violation of 1701, if there were weapon smuggling incidents in those areas, he was asked.  He said that, if that was the case, UNIFIL would look at the evidence and work with the Lebanese Armed Forces to prevent the smuggling.  But UNIFIL had no recent evidence, he insisted.  Weapon smuggling across the border with Lebanon had stopped following weapon confiscations by the Lebanese Armed Forces shortly after the end of fighting. 

Discussions over the future of Al Ghajar were continuing between Israel, Lebanon and UNIFIL, he said.  The South Lebanon border town had become a flash point at the end of hostilities, because it is located on the border with the Golan Heights and had Lebanese, Syrian and Israeli citizens.  UNIFIL was trying to find a working arrangement to ensure the safety of all citizens, including residents with Israeli nationality, who lived in half of the village.  In ongoing negotiations, UNIFIL had reached some agreement that would enable the Lebanese Armed Forces to enter the village, escorted by UNIFIL, in order to affirm their authority on the Lebanese part of the village; and to enable Israeli social and medical support officials to enter, with UNIFIL personnel, areas where their citizens lived.

On the kidnapping of Lebanese citizens by Israeli Defence Forces, he said that all those persons had been released and handed over to UNIFIL and returned to Lebanese authorities.  Since Israeli troops were removed, however, there had been no Israeli ground incursions into Lebanese territory, he stated.

Responding to a question about the fighting capacity of the Lebanese Armed Forces, he said his mission was impressed by the professionalism and good will of the Lebanese units.  At the moment, he said, Lebanese officials were working directly with UNIFIL.  The most urgent need was to provide them with sophisticated equipment, he added. 

UNIFIL was originally created by the Security Council in 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area.  Following the July-August 2006 crisis, the Council enhanced the Force and decided that, in addition to the original mandate, it would, among other things, monitor the cessation of hostilities; accompany and support the Lebanese Armed Forces as they deploy throughout the south of Lebanon; and extend its assistance to help ensure humanitarian access to civilian populations and the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons.

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For information media • not an official record