Foreign Ministry says hasn't requested removal of 1559 from UNIFIL resolution

The Foreign Ministry on Wednesday noted that Lebanon has not requested the omission of U.N. resolutions 1559 and 1680 from a U.N. resolution that has extended UNIFIL’s mandate, denying media reports in this regard.

“Lebanon respects all U.N. Security Council resolutions and abides by them, and it is out of the question for it to request, and it has not requested, the omission of the mention of the aforementioned resolutions,” the Ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry, however, noted that the resolution “contained a text that does not conform with what was mentioned in the framework agreement signed by Lebanon with the U.N.,” adding that “Lebanon has objected against the introduction of this wording.”

“Accordingly, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants has requested to meet with the head of the UNIFIL mission to stress the importance of continuing permanent cooperation and coordination with the Lebanese Army in order to secure the success of the mission of U.N. forces in Lebanon,” the Ministry said.

The Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported Wednesday that President Michel Aoun’s camp has sought to “rid Hezbollah of the burden of U.N. resolutions prior to the end of Aoun’s term by pushing the Foreign Ministry to request the omission of the clause mentioning resolutions 1559 and 1680 in the resolution that extended UNIFIL’s mandate.”

“The Lebanese suggestion also included a request to remove two phrases mentioned in clauses 15 and 16 in the extension resolution, which stipulate UNIFIL’s freedom of movement and the condemnation of any restriction of this freedom in the area south of the Litani River,” Nidaa al-Watan claimed.