Miqati Meets Asarta: UNIFIL Attack Aimed at Harming Lebanese-French Ties
Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed on Wednesday that Lebanon abides by international law and is committed to its cooperation with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon in order to bolster security and stability.
He said after holding talks with UNIFIL Commander Major General Alberto Asarta: “The recent attack against the French unit in UNIFIL is aimed at harming Lebanese-French ties.”
France has always stood by Lebanon throughout the hardships it has endured, he added.
“The attack will not deter us from committing to the international force’s role in supporting Lebanon and its army in bolstering security,” continued Miqati.
He renewed his condemnation of Friday’s attack against French UNIFIL troops, which took place in the southern city of Tyre.
Seven people were wounded in the assault, including five soldiers.
The unit was attacked through a roadside bomb that was reportedly placed in a garbage bin.
France has accused Syria of being behind the attack, adding that it employed its ally Hizbullah to carry it out.
Both sides have denied the allegations.
Miqati reiterated his call on the international community and the United Nations to provide logistic support for the Lebanese army and pressure Israel to halt its ongoing and daily violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty.
For his part, Asarta said that the meeting focused on the situation in the South and ways to solve the problems in the area.
He added: “Recent violent actions were aimed at undermining the stability and peace that has prevailed in the last five years in southern Lebanon.”
“Such acts not only aim to cause harm to the peacekeepers but also endanger the safety of the local population and the security of the south. Those who carried out these attacks must not be allowed to achieve their goals,” he stressed.
Asarta called for an “an effective investigation into these incidents, so that the perpetrators of those attacks against the Mission and the security and stability of the south are identified and brought to justice.”
UNIFIL remains focused on its mission to fulfill the mandate under U.N. Security Council resolution 1701, together with the Lebanese Armed Forces, the Force Commander said.
In addition to its tasks, UNIFIL has the safety and well-being of the population as a top priority, he continued.
The UNIFIL commander discussed in his separate meetings with Miqati and Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday the way forward in preventing any further escalation in the South, praising the Lebanese Armed Forces for their excellent cooperation in that regard.
“As the host country, the Lebanese government has the primary responsibility for ensuring security of UNIFIL and we work closely with the Lebanese authorities in this regard,” he explained.
“There is clearly a need for further enhancing security control in the area to prevent further attempts at undermining peace and security in the South,” Asarta asserted.
“The recent incidents showed that despite all the efforts made by UNIFIL and LAF there continue to be weapons and hostile armed elements in the area of operations in violation of one of the most important provisions of resolution 1701,” he said.
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