UNITED NATIONS: UN chief Antonio Guterres stated Monday (Jun 1) that it is going to be needed to keep up peacekeepers in Lebanon after the mandate of the present mission expires at year-end.
In a report back to the Safety Council seen by AFP, Guterres proposes three choices starting from almost 2,000 to greater than 5,500 UN personnel to watch the ceasefire and help the Lebanese armed forces.
“Underneath all proposed choices, a uniformed United Nations presence working to facilitate de-escalation, dialogue, liaison and coordination, and help for the Lebanese Armed Forces, could be needed… in direction of the overarching goal of a long-term resolution to the battle,” the report says.
Considerations over the exit of the United Nations Interim Pressure in Lebanon (UNIFIL) include Israeli troops occupying south Lebanon’s border areas, and as Israel and Lebanon hold direct negotiations seeking to end decades of hostilities.
