TOP UN ENVOY URGES RESTRAINT AFTER RECENT INCIDENTS IN SOUTHERN LEBANON

A top United Nations official has called for restraint following recent incidents in southern Lebanon, including the wounding of several of the world body's peacekeepers during an investigation into an explosion at an arms cache last week.

Fourteen soldiers serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were reportedly injured, and some UN vehicles damaged, on Saturday when protesters tried to stop the investigation in the area of Khirbat Silim.

"We really need now to lower the temperature, to try and address the issues and not see any escalation which would be bad for 1701 and for Lebanon," Michael Williams, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, said following his meeting yesterday with Prime Minister Fuad Siniora.

Security Council resolution 1701, which helped to end the 2006 war between Israel and Hizbollah, called for renewed respect for the Blue Line separating the Lebanese forces and Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), the disarming of militias and an end to arms smuggling, among other elements.

Last week UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters that the incident of the explosions constitutes a serious violation of resolution 1701, notably with regards to the provision that there should be no presence of unauthorized assets or weapons in the area of operation between the Litani River and the Blue Line.

"Clearly there were violations of 1701," said Mr. Williams, who discussed the incidents in a series of meetings over the past two days with senior Lebanese officials. In addition to Mr. Siniora, he also met with Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, and with Assembly Speaker Nabih Berri.

After his meeting with Mr. Hariri, the Special Coordinator stated, "Any resolution from time to time faces many tests and challenges. There have been some testing incidents in recent days.

"I take this opportunity to call on all parties to renew their commitment and to exercise the utmost restraint."

Mr. Williams also called again on Israel to put an end to its air violations of the Blue Line, which he said Lebanon is subject to "on a daily basis."
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LITTLE PROGRESS TOWARDS LASTING PEACE BETWEEN ISRAEL, LEBANON, SAYS UN OFFICIAL

LITTLE PROGRESS TOWARDS LASTING PEACE BETWEEN ISRAEL, LEBANON, SAYS UN OFFICIAL
New York, Mar 10 2009 7:00PM

Although the ceasefire is still in place, very little progress has been made on the Security Council resolution which helped end fighting between the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the armed group Hizbollah two years ago, the top United Nations representative to Lebanon said today.

"The past months have witnessed the most serious violations by both parties of their obligations under [resolution] 1701 since it was adopted [in August 2006], but despite these violations the cessation of hostilities continues to hold," Michael Williams, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, told reporters in New York after briefing the Council.

He highlighted the continued cessation of hostilities, the longest period of stability that southern Lebanon and northern Israel have known in decades, and the healthy internal political situation in Lebanon in the run up to general elections in June as positive signs for long-term peace between the countries.

In addition, he pointed to the establishment of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria and moves towards reconciliation in the wider Arab world as having an "enormously positive effect on the ground" in Lebanon.

"The long-standing issue of prisoners and captives held by Hizbollah and Israel was, as you know, resolved last year," he added.

"However, there also many other issues within 1701 where very little progress has been achieved," Mr. Williams said.

The 2006 resolution called for renewed respect for the Blue Line separating the Lebanese forces and IDF, the disarming of militias and an end to arms smuggling, among other measures.

The Special Coordinator noted that although the process of national dialogue in Lebanon, under President Michel Suleiman, has contributed towards national stability, the question of the disarmament of armed groups is only making slow progress.

"You as journalists and of observers of conflict in very many countries, not just in the Middle East, know how difficult it is to take the weapons out of politics," Mr. Williams said. "I think that needs to be done. It needs to be a Lebanese-led process."

With regard to border control and border management, he said there had been some improvement with the establishment of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria and much closer coordination between the relevant authorities.

Although Lebanon had appointed a representative to the Joint Border Committee established between the two countries and sent an ambassador to Damascus, Syria had not done either yet, the Special Coordinator said.

Another issue Mr. Williams highlighted was the IDF's occupation of the northern part of the village of Ghajar, situated on Lebanon's border with the Golan.

He expressed hope that the formation of a new Israeli government following elections in February would lead to another IDF withdrawal from the village and progress on the issue of cluster bombs and munitions.
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GAZA CRISIS MOST SERIOUS TEST OF UN AGREEMENT ON ISRAEL, LEBANON

GAZA CRISIS MOST SERIOUS TEST OF UN AGREEMENT ON ISRAEL, LEBANON
New York, Mar 9 2009 9:00PM

The recent hostilities in Gaza have posed the most serious challenge since the adoption of a resolution which helped end the war between Israel and Hizbollah in the summer of 2006, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a new report.

Rockets fired into Israel from south Lebanon and return fire led to heightened tensions along the so-called Blue Line that separates Israeli and Lebanese sides and "endangered the cessation of hostilities agreement," Mr. Ban wrote in his latest report to the Security Council on resolution 1701.

The 2006 resolution called for renewed respect for the Blue Line, the disarming of militias and an end to arms smuggling, among other measures.

"The firing of rockets from southern Lebanon towards Israel, which I condemn in all instances, constituted a serious violation" of the resolution, he said. The attacks were launched from sites close to populated areas, including a school in session at the time, "putting innocent civilians at risk."

The Secretary-General added that "the fact that the Israel Defense Forces returned fire with artillery shells into Lebanese territory on 8 and 14 January without providing prior warning to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is also a cause for serious concern," noting that these acts endangered civilians, as well as UN blue helmets and soldiers of the Lebanese Armed Forces.

"At the same time, I was encouraged by the measures that were taken by all parties to avoid an escalation," he wrote, with the resolution's mechanisms having served as an "effective deterrent and prevented an escalation of the situation in southern Lebanon."

But he cautioned that these incidents "also highlight the precarious nature of the current cessation of hostilities and the necessity for both parties to take further steps to address a number of unresolved issues," including disarming militant groups.

Mr. Ban said that he is pleased that the parties have made strides to visibly mark the Blue Line, encouraging Lebanon and Israel to stay the course and build on existing momentum to curb inadvertent violations and boost confidence.

He reiterated his call on Israel to immediately end all over-flights of Lebanese territory which violate Lebanon's sovereignty and resolution 1701.

The report also called on all Lebanese leaders to exercise restraint ahead of the 7 June parliamentary elections, which "will bring added challenges that may test the country's frail domestic stability."

The Security Council will be briefed on the report by Michael Williams, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, in a closed meeting tomorrow.
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