Salam: "Contacts between UNIFIL and the Israeli enemy to be restricted"

Lebanon’s permanent representative at the UN, Nawaf Salam, said there are many misconceptions in the ongoing debate in Beirut over the renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate, which ends on August 31, 2008.

“These misconceptions include talk of the government’s approval of extending UNIFIL’s mandate or overlooking things that would allow Israel to violate UNSCR 1701,” Salam told the Lebanese daily As-Safir.

He also said that the Lebanese government did not sign any agreement with the UN peacekeeping force over the opening of a UNIFIL liaison bureau in Israel.

“The operational contacts with Israel that UNIFIL is suggesting follow from a decision taken by the UN secretary general. They do not depend on Lebanon’s approval,” Salam said.

“Yet Lebanon – through its membership in the UN General Assembly’s Fifth Committee, which discusses UNIFIL’s funding – stressed on the need for contacts between UNIFIL and the Israeli enemy to be restricted to the operational level, because it is Israel who is violating UNSCR 1701.” He added that UNIFIL must call on the Israeli press to make the issue public and push for an end to the violations.

Salam said that the UN has taken Lebanon’s point of view into consideration, even though the final decision is up to the UN General Secretariat.

“Israel is the party rejecting solidifying contacts with UNIFIL,” he added. (NowLebanon)

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