UNITED NATIONS: UN chief Antonio Guterres mentioned Monday (Jun 1) that it will likely be obligatory 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 practically 2,000 to greater than 5,500 UN personnel to observe 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 obligatory… in direction of the overarching goal of a long-term answer to the battle,” the report says.
Considerations over the exit of the United Nations Interim Drive 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.
