Roed-Larsen May Propose Shifting UNIFIL from Blue Line to Syrian Border
Special Envoy for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1559 Terje Roed-Larsen may propose during his upcoming visit to Lebanon with U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon deploying the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon along the border with Syria, reported the Kuwaiti al-Qabas newspaper on Saturday.
It explained that the Norwegian official considers such a move an attempt to further isolate the Syrian regime and limit the smuggling of arms across the Lebanese-Syrian border.
Larsen also believes that the deployment may also prevent Lebanon from becoming an open ground for terrorists to infiltrate Syria, in light of Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn’s remarks that the al-Qaida terrorist group had infiltrated Lebanon.
The official may make his suggestion before the March 8 forces, who adamantly reject the deployment of international troops along the Syrian border, added al-Qabas.
Ban is expected to arrive in Lebanon on January 13.
He is scheduled to hold talks with a number of officials, stressing the need to hold dialogue to resolve the possession of arms outside the authority of the Lebanese state.
Resolution 1559 calls for demarcating the Lebanese-Syrian border and limiting the possession arms in Lebanon to the official authorities.
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