Naharnet Newsdesk - Williams Says Israeli Overflights and Listening Devices Violation of 1701, U.S. Demands Immediate Israeli Pullout from Ghajar

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Williams Says Israeli Overflights and Listening Devices Violation of 1701, U.S. Demands Immediate Israeli Pullout from Ghajar

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams has said Israeli overflights and listening devices in southern Lebanon are in violation of Security Council resolution 1701.
All Israeli military flights over Lebanon break resolution 1701, Williams told the Security Council. "Every single Israeli overflight of Lebanon is a violation, your question gives me a welcome opportunity to repeat that," Williams told reporters.

"To the best of my knowledge… probably no other country in the world – probably, I may be wrong – is subject to such an intrusive regime of aerial surveillance (as Lebanon)," he noted. "Now we also have other events, the discovery of listening devices which almost certainly seem to have been left by the Israelis. Are these violations? Yes, of course they're violations of 1701."

Asked whether he would categorically say that there was no arms smuggling into Lebanon, he replied: "No I would not say that… it's an established fact that Lebanon does not have an active border control regime in the way that most countries have on their borders."

He cited U.N. missions in 2007 and 2008 that called the borders "very, very porous. Now that's an objective and scientific assessment of what pertains on the borders. What they were not in a position to say is what may or may not come across the borders," he added.

Williams called for more to be done to safeguard what has been achieved in the past three years. "While welcoming the parties' stated commitment to resolution 1701, which is critical, we also stress the need for more tangible steps to facilitate forward movement in the direction of a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution," he said.

"Lebanon, Israel and the international community must be vigilant and undertake greater efforts in the coming period to allow us to move forward."

During the session, Deputy U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Alejandro Wolff said Israel should immediately withdraw from the northern part of the village of Ghajar, limit its overflights and respect the Blue Line and Lebanon's sovereignty.

However, Wolff brought up the issue of Israeli claims that it seized Iranian arms bound for Hizbullah.

He said the alleged discovery of the arms shipment is in violation of resolution 1747.

Britain's deputy ambassador said he too had raised London's "very serious concern" about the issue. The UK was awaiting further information and could not yet confirm details of the Israeli allegations, envoy Philip Parham told reporters.

Meanwhile, the Security Council welcomed the formation of the new Lebanese government.

"The members welcomed the progress achieved by the formation of the new unity government of Lebanon and they expressed their continued support for the work of UNIFIL and special coordinator Williams," said Austrian envoy Thomas Mayr-Harting.

Beirut, 11 Nov 09, 08:42


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