Security Council Hears Six Further Speakers in Debate on Southern Lebanon; All Call for End to Actions Against UNIFIL

The Security Council continued its debate regarding southern Lebanon, heard statements this morning by the representatives of Jamaica, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Niger, Portugal and Bangladesh. Comments were also made by the representatives of Lebanon and Israel. At the outset of the meeting, the Council received a further report by Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in which he states that although firing in the UNIFIL area of operations had been greatly reduced, ""the situation remains tense"". Threats and acts of harassment by the ""de facto"" forces against UNIFIL and UNTSO personnel in their observations posts continued.
Left to right: Brian Urquhart, Under-Secretary-General for Special Political Affairs, chats with Donald McHenry (United States) and Ghassan Tueni (Lebanon) prior to start of this morning's meeting.