BEIRUT: U.N. interim Special Coordinator for Lebanon Robert Watkins praised Tuesday the role played by Lebanese officials in ensuring Lebanon’s stability in the face of regional turmoil.
“I praised the role that [Parliament] Speaker [Nabih] Berri and other Lebanese officials have played during the past months to safeguard Lebanon’s stability and security during a time of dramatic regional developments,” Watkins was quoted by his press office as saying after
his meeting with Berri at Ain al-Tineh.
He added that stability in Lebanon also ensures the smooth implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.
Watkins said that he also met with Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn and Lebanese army commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi and felt reassured that the situation in Lebanon was under control and that the army was doing its utmost to sustain a stable environment.
“I also praised the strong cooperation between the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL, which is behind much of the success in the implementation of resolution 1701 in south Lebanon and the relative stability that has prevailed in that area,” he added.
UNSCR 1701 called for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon during the July-August 2006 war. The U.N. secretary-general submits a report on the implementation of the resolution every four months. The latest report was submitted in November.
“I told Speaker Berri that preparations were underway for the next report on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, which is due to be sent to the Security Council by the end of February,” Watkins said.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s latest report drew negative reactions from Hezbollah, which described the document as biased and rife with fallacies.
In the U.N. report, Ban criticized Hezbollah as a threat to Lebanon’s stability, and called on the government to hold a national dialogue and to work toward formulating a national defense strategy.