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UN / LEBANON
STORY: UN / LEBANON
SOURCE: UNTV
TRT: 2.06
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS
DATELINE: 12 MARCH 2010, NEW YORK CITY/ FILE
FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior UN building
12 MARCH 2010, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Williams’ arrival
FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
3. Close up, reporter’s note pad
12 MARCH 2010, NEW YORK CITY
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Williams, Special Coordinator of the Secretary-General for Lebanon:
“My briefing today focused on the recent rise in rhetoric and public threat between Israel and Lebanon and in the wider region, which have generated concerns over renewed confrontation. This rhetoric and brinkmanship contravenes the very spirit of resolution 1701 and is utterly unhelpful.”
FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
5. Close up, reporter’s note pad
12 MARCH 2010, NEW YORK CITY
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Williams, Special Coordinator of the Secretary-General for Lebanon:
“I expressed to the Council our serious concern regarding continued violations of Lebanese airspace by Israel, which has continued unabated and which must stop immediately. These violations raise tensions and may trigger an incident that I remain convinced the parties do not want. Israel is also still to withdraw from the northern part of Ghajar. Despite continuing negotiations, an agreement has been elusive.”
FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
7. Close up, reporter’s note pad
12 MARCH 2010, NEW YORK CITY
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Williams, Special Coordinator of the Secretary-General for Lebanon:
“The Government of Lebanon for its part must pursue efforts to address one of the main concerns under resolution 1701, namely potential violations of the arms embargo across its borders.”
9. Med shot, Williams walks away
FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
10. Close up, reporter’s note pad
12 MARCH 2010, NEW YORK CITY
11. Pan left Salam walks to the microphone
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Nawaf Salam, Permanent Representative of Lebanon: to the United Nations:
“Mr. Barak in Washington on the 26th of February did not hesitate to identify the Lebanese infrastructure as a next target, for example. We also expressed concern about the continued violations of Lebanese airspace, land and maritime sovereignty.”
13. Med shot, Williams walks away
Michael Williams, Special Coordinator of the Secretary-General for Lebanon expressed concern today (12 March) over the recent “rhetoric and brinkmanship” between Israel and Lebanon, which he says contravenes the spirit of Resolution 1701 and could lead to renewed confrontation.
Resolution 1701, adopted by the Council in August 2006, called for an end to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, respect for the so-called Blue Line separating the Israeli and Lebanese sides, disarming of militias and an end to arms smuggling.
Williams said that he communicated his concerns to the Security Council regarding violations of Lebanese airspace by Israel, “which has continued unabated and which must stop immediately” as they “raise tensions and may trigger an incident”. He also chastised Israel over its occupation of the north part of the village of Ghajar, north of the Blue Line, from where it should have withdrawn in compliance with resolution 1701.
The Special Coordinator noted that the Government of Lebanon for its part “must pursue efforts to address one of the main concerns under resolution 1701, namely potential violations of the arms embargo across its borders.”
The latest report by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also finds that the presence of armed groups in Lebanon, operating outside the State’s control, challenges its ability to exercise its full sovereignty and control over its territory in accordance with resolution 1701.
Also speaking to reporters outside the Security Council, Lebanese Ambassador Nawaf Salam complained about Israeli Defence Minister, Ehud Barak’s recent visit to Washington DC, where, Salam said, he “did not hesitate to identify the Lebanese infrastructure as a next target”.
The new report notes that the foundation for a permanent ceasefire has been laid by the new strategic environment and the relative stability in southern Lebanon, which the UN peacekeeping operation in the country (UNIFIL) and the Lebanese Armed Forces help establish. But the opportunity created by UNIFIL’s presence cannot be maintained indefinitely, it warns. “It is the responsibility of the parties to focus on all outstanding issues in order to reach a permanent ceasefire and long-term solution as envisaged” in the resolution.
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