Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoLEBANON / GUTERRES PRESSER
STORY: LEBANON / GUTERRES PRESSER
TRT: 07:21
SOURCE: UNIFIL
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS
DATELINE: 18 JANUARY 2025, BEIRUT. LEBANON
1. Wide shot, press room dais
2. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“After one of the most difficult years in generations, Lebanon is on the cusp of a more hopeful future A window has opened paving the way for a new era of institutional stability, a State fully able to protect its citizens, and a system that would allow the tremendous potential of the Lebanese people to flourish.”
3. Med shot, dais
4. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Of course, big challenges lie ahead. During my visit in the South yesterday, I saw firsthand the dramatic human impact and the utter level of destruction caused by the conflict. Hundreds of thousands of displaced residents have returned to southern Lebanon, southern Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and elsewhere. And many have found their homes and communities in ruin.”
5. Med shot, dais
6. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The cessation of hostilities is fragile, but it is holding. I call on both parties, and all those with influence, to ensure commitments are realized. The newly established mechanism should be used to address outstanding issues. I note that the Israel Defence Forces have commenced their phased withdrawal from Lebanese territory, while the Lebanese Armed Forces are deploying in greater numbers south of the Litani River.”
7. Med shot, dais
8. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“It is now essential to see the withdrawal of the Israel Defence forces from Lebanese territory and the simultaneous deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces across southern Lebanon in the agreed timeframe.
Moreover, Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, and the Lebanese state must have full control of weapons throughout Lebanese territory.”
9. Wide shot, journalist asking question
10. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“UNRWA will, in all circumstances, continue to operate in Lebanon, in Jordan, and in Syria. And it is not yet entirely clear what is the interpretation of the legislation that was adopted. For the moment, UNRWA is still operating in Gaza and in the West Bank, and we do not intend to stop our operations unless they are stopped by Israel.”
11. Wide shot, Guterres passing by guard of honour at the Presidential Palace
12. Wide shot, Guterres walking down the red carpet
13. Med shot, Guterres shaking hands with President Joseph Aoun
14. Close up, handshake
15. Wide shot, Guterres and President Aoun along with delegation in meeting room
16. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“I had the opportunity to express our solidarity with the people of Lebanon that have suffered so much and our total support to the President, to the future government, knowing that now it will be possible to consolidate the Lebanese institutions, and it will be possible to create the conditions for the Lebanese State to fully protect its citizens. And it will be possible with the withdrawal of the Israeli forces and with the presence of the Lebanese army in the whole of the Lebanese territory, it will be possible to open a new chapter of peace.”
17. Med shot, Guterres walking to sign the book of honour
18. Med shot, Guterres signing the book of honour
19. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“I want to express our total support and our will to mobilize, to fully mobilize, the international community in order to provide Lebanon with all the support for what we believe it will be a speedy recovery of this country, making it again the centre of the Middle East.”
20. Med shot, Guterres leaving the Presidential Palace
21. Med shot, Guterres in conversation with Prime Minister-Designate Nawaf Salam
22. Wide shot, Guterres in conversation with Prime Minister-Designate Nawaf Salam
23. Med shot, Guterres in conversation with Prime Minister-Designate Nawaf Salam.
24. Wide shot, Guterres in conversation with Prime Minister-Designate Nawaf Salam and part of delegation.
25. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“With a new president, with a new prime minister that is forming a government, and opportunities created for Lebanon with also the completion of the ceasefire agreement with withdrawal of the Israeli forces and the full assumption of responsibilities by the Lebanese Armed Forces. We are absolutely convinced that this will represent an extraordinary development for Lebanon.”
26. Wide shot, Guterres seated next to Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri
27. Med shot, Guterres
28. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We are totally confident that Lebanon will have soon a government in which all areas of the Lebanese population will feel represented, that Lebanon will be able to guarantee the security to its citizens. And at the same time, UNIFIL is working very closely with the Lebanese Armed Forces in the south, with a very clear objective that the Israeli presence in the south must end in the way that is defined in the agreement and that the Lebanese Armed Forces will be able to be present in the totality of the territory of Lebanon.”
29. Med shot, Guterres greeting representatives of the UN Country Team
30. Wide shot, Guterres addressing representatives of the UN Country Team
31. Pan left, Guterres addressing representatives of the UN Country Team
32. Wide shot, Guterres talking to representatives of the UN Country Tea
33. Various shots, Guterres with UN Women
34. Wide shot, family portrait with UN Women
Wrapping up his visit to Lebanon, today (18 Jan) United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said the cessation of hostilities in southern Lebanon “is fragile, but it is holding,” and stressed that it was now “essential to see the withdrawal of the Israel Defence forces from Lebanese territory and the simultaneous deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces across southern Lebanon in the agreed timeframe.”
Talking to reporters in Beirut, Guterres said, “after one of the most difficult years in generations, Lebanon is on the cusp of a more hopeful future,” adding that “a window has opened paving the way for a new era of institutional stability, a State fully able to protect its citizens, and a system that would allow the tremendous potential of the Lebanese people to flourish.”
The Secretary-General cautioned that “big challenges lie ahead,” and spoke about seeing “firsthand the dramatic human impact and the utter level of destruction caused by the conflict.”
He called on both parties “to ensure commitments are realized” and noted that “the Israel Defence Forces have commenced their phased withdrawal from Lebanese territory, while the Lebanese Armed Forces are deploying in greater numbers south of the Litani River.”
Guterres stressed that “Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, and the Lebanese state must have full control of weapons throughout Lebanese territory.”
Responding a journalists question about the status of UNRWA following the imminent start of the implementation of Israel’s new law banning the Palestine Refugee Agency from operating in its territory, he said, “UNRWA will, in all circumstances, continue to operate in Lebanon, in Jordan, and in Syria. And it is not yet entirely clear what is the interpretation of the legislation that was adopted. For the moment, UNRWA is still operating in Gaza and in the West Bank, and we do not intend to stop our operations unless they are stopped by Israel.”
Earlier, throughout the day, the Secretary-General met with President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Designate Nawaf Salam and the Speaker of the Parliament, Nabih Berri.
After meeting Aoun, he expressed “solidarity with the people of Lebanon that have suffered so much and our total support to the President, to the future government, knowing that now it will be possible to consolidate the Lebanese institutions, and it will be possible to create the conditions for the Lebanese State to fully protect its citizens.”
After his meeting with Salam, Guterres said, “with a new president, with a new prime minister that is forming a government, and opportunities created for Lebanon with also the completion of the ceasefire agreement with withdrawal of the Israeli forces and the full assumption of responsibilities by the Lebanese Armed Forces. We are absolutely convinced that this will represent an extraordinary development for Lebanon.”
After meeting Berri, he said, “we are totally confident that Lebanon will have soon a government in which all areas of the Lebanese population will feel represented, that Lebanon will be able to guarantee the security to its citizens. And at the same time, UNIFIL is working very closely with the Lebanese Armed Forces in the south, with a very clear objective that the Israeli presence in the south must end in the way that is defined in the agreement and that the Lebanese Armed Forces will be able to be present in the totality of the territory of Lebanon.”
The Secretary-General, while in Beirut, also met with the UN Country Team and with staff from UN Women.
Download
There is no media available to download.
