UN resolution 1614 on Extending
UNIFIL's manadate in Lebanon
Security Council, 5241st Meeting, July 29, 2005
The UN Security Council, on July 29, 2005, extended
manadate the madate of Lebanon Force until 31 January 2006, unanimously adopting
resolution 1614. Following is the full text of the resolution:
Gravely concerned at the persistence of tension and
violence along the Blue Line in Lebanon, the Security Council today extended the mandate
of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which was to expire on 31 July, until
31 January 2006.
Unanimously adopting resolution 1614 (2005), the Council
called upon the Government of Lebanon to fully extend its “sole and effective”
authority throughout the south, including through the deployment of sufficient numbers of
armed and security forces and to exert “control and monopoly over the use of
force” on its entire territory. In that connection, the Council welcomed the
Secretary-General’s intention to discuss with the Lebanese Government the next steps
in preparing for an expansion of its authority in the south.
The Council took note of the Secretary-General’s
opinion, in his report S/2005/460, that the situation did not support a change in
UNIFIL’s mandate or another reconfiguration of the Force at the current stage. [In
its latest mandate extension (resolution 1583 (2005) of 28 January, Press Release
SC/8299), the Council had expressed its intention to review the Force’s mandate and
structure in view of the activities actually performed by the Force.] However, the Council
expressed its intention to keep the mandate and structures of UNIFIL under regular review.
The Council requested the Secretary-General to continue to
take all necessary action to implement in the Force his zero-tolerance policy on sexual
exploitation and abuse and to ensure full compliance of its personnel with the United
Nations code of conduct. The Council urged troop-contributing countries to take
appropriate preventive action, including predeployment awareness training, and to take
disciplinary and other action to ensure full accountability in cases of such conduct
involving their personnel.
The meeting started at 10:12 a.m. and was adjourned at
10:14 a.m.
The full text of resolution 1614 (2005) reads as follows:
“The Security Council,
“Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon,
including resolutions 425 (1978) and 426 (1978) of 19 March 1978 and 1583 (2005) of 28
January 2005, as well as the statements of its President on the situation in Lebanon, in
particular the statement of 18 June 2000 (S/PRST/2000/21),
“Recalling further the letter from its President to
the Secretary-General of 18 May 2001 (S/2001/500),
“Recalling also the Secretary-General’s
conclusion that, as of 16 June 2000, Israel had withdrawn its forces from Lebanon in
accordance with resolution 425 (1978) and met the requirements defined in the
Secretary-General’s report of 22 May 2000 (S/2000/460), as well as the
Secretary-General’s conclusion that the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL) had essentially completed two of the three parts of its mandate, focusing now on
the remaining task of restoring international peace and security,
“Reaffirming that the Council has recognized the Blue
Line as valid for the purpose of confirming Israel’s withdrawal pursuant to
resolution 425 (1978) and that the Blue Line must be respected in its entirety,
“Gravely concerned at the persistence of tension and
violence along the Blue Line, in particular the hostilities that took place in May and the
grave incident on 29 June, which demonstrated once more that the situation remains
volatile and fragile, as outlined in the Secretary-General’s report of 21 July 2005
(S/2005/460),
“Emphasizing once again the interim nature of UNIFIL,
“Recalling its resolution 1308 (2000) of 17 July 2000,
“Recalling also its resolution 1325 (2000) of 31
October 2000,
“Recalling further the relevant principles contained
in the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, adopted on 9
December 1994,
“Responding to the request of the Government of
Lebanon to extend the mandate of UNIFIL for a new period of six months presented in the
letter from its Chargé d’Affaires to the United Nations of 11 July 2005 to the
Secretary-General (S/2005/444),
“Taking note of the Secretary-General’s opinion
that the situation does not support a change in UNIFIL’s mandate or another
reconfiguration of the Force at this stage, and his recommendation that its mandate be
extended with no changes to the strength and composition of the Force,
“1. Endorses the report of the Secretary-General on
UNIFIL of 21 July 2005 (S/2005/460);
“2. Decides to extend the present mandate until 31
January 2006;
“3. Reiterates its strong support for the territorial
integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally
recognized boundaries and under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of
Lebanon;
“4. Condemns all acts of violence, including the
recent incidents across the Blue Line that have resulted in deaths and injuries on both
sides, expresses great concern about the serious breaches and the sea, land and continuing
air violations of the withdrawal line, and urges the parties to put an end to these
violations, to refrain from any act or provocation that could further escalate the tension
and to abide scrupulously by their obligation to respect the safety of the UNIFIL and
other United Nations personnel, including by avoiding any course of action which endangers
United Nations personnel;
“5. Reiterates its call on the parties to continue to
fulfil the commitments they have given to respect fully the entire withdrawal line
identified by the United Nations, as set out in the Secretary-General’s report of 16
June 2000 (S/2000/590), and to exercise utmost restraint;
“6. Calls upon the Government of Lebanon to fully
extend and exercise its sole and effective authority throughout the south, including
through the deployment of sufficient numbers of Lebanese armed and security forces, to
ensure a calm environment throughout the area, including along the Blue Line, and to exert
control and monopoly over the use of force on its entire territory and to prevent attacks
from Lebanon across the Blue Line;
“7. Welcomes the Secretary-General’s intention to
discuss with the Lebanese Government the next steps in preparing for an expansion of its
authority in the south;
“8. Supports the continued efforts of UNIFIL to
maintain the ceasefire along the withdrawal line through mobile land and air patrols and
observation from fixed positions and through close contacts with the parties to correct
violations, resolve incidents and prevent their escalation, while stressing the primary
responsibility of the parties in this regard;
“9. Welcomes the continued contribution of UNIFIL to
operational mine clearance, encourages further assistance in mine action by the United
Nations to the Government of Lebanon in support of both the continued development of its
national mine action capacity and clearance of the remaining mine/UXO threat in the south,
commends donor countries for supporting these efforts through financial and in-kind
contributions and encourages further international contributions, and stresses the
necessity for provision to the Government of Lebanon and UNIFIL any additional existing
maps and minefield records;
“10. Calls on the parties to ensure UNIFIL is accorded
full freedom of movement throughout its area of operation as outlined in the
Secretary-General’s report, requests UNIFIL to report any obstruction it may face in
the discharge of its mandate, and reiterates its call on the parties to cooperate fully
with the United Nations and UNIFIL;
“11. Welcomes the efforts being undertaken by UNIFIL
to implement the Secretary-General’s zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and
abuse and to ensure full compliance of its personnel with the United Nations code of
conduct, requests the Secretary-General to continue to take all necessary action in this
regard and to keep the Security Council informed, and urges troop-contributing countries
to take appropriate preventive action including the conduct of predeployment awareness
training, and to take disciplinary action and other action to ensure full accountability
in cases of such conduct involving their personnel;
“12. Requests the Secretary-General to continue
consultations with the Government of Lebanon and other parties directly concerned on the
implementation of this resolution and to report thereon to the Council before the end of
the present mandate, as well as on the activities of UNIFIL and the tasks presently
carried out by the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO);
“13. Expresses its intention to keep the mandate and
structures of UNIFIL under regular review, taking into account the prevailing situation on
the ground, the activities actually performed by the Force in its area of operation, its
contribution towards the remaining task of restoring international peace and security, the
views of the Lebanese Government and the implications for the Force of an increased
presence of the Lebanese army in the south;
“14. Looks forward to the early fulfilment of the
mandate of UNIFIL;
“15. Stresses the importance of, and the need to
achieve, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on all its
relevant resolutions including its resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967 and 338
(1973) of 22 October 1973.”
Background
The report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) (document S/2005/460) covers developments since January
2005. The report also contains recommendations on UNIFIL’s mandate, which expires on
31 July, and structures based on an assessment mission by the Department of Peacekeeping
Operations (DPKO) to Lebanon from 8 to 10 May.
A fragile quiet prevailed in the UNIFIL area of operation
during most of the period under review, although the situation was often marked by
tension, the report says. Violations of the Blue Line continued, most often in the form of
recurring air violations by Israeli jets, helicopters and drones, as well as ground
violations from the Lebanese side, primarily by Lebanese shepherds. Hostilities in the
area escalated in May with armed exchanges between Hezbollah and the Israeli Defence
Forces (IDF) with rocket firing by unidentified armed elements. The situation deteriorated
significantly on 29 June, when Hezbollah and the IDF engaged in a heavy exchange of fire
in the Shab’a farms area, resulting in the death of one IDF soldier and the wounding
of four others and the death of two Hezbollah fighters.
The hostilities that occurred in May and the grave incident
on 29 June demonstrated, once more, that the situation remains volatile, with the
potential for a deterioration of conditions, the Secretary-General states. Both Israel and
Lebanon regularly declare their desire to avoid confrontation and destabilization of the
area. The Secretary-General encourages the parties to do their utmost to avoid all
violations of the Blue Line and to promote calm. The rocket firing incident across the
Blue Line into Israel in May, perpetrated by unidentified armed elements, carried
significant potential for military escalation. The IDF acted with restraint, and did not
respond militarily to the attack. The Lebanese authorities have taken an official position
against such attacks emanating from their territory and expressed a commitment to halting
the infringements. It remains a matter of deep concern, the Secretary-General states, that
Israel continues to use air incursions to violate Lebanese sovereignty and territorial
integrity, as the air incursions elevate tension and disrupt the fragile calm along the
Blue Line. There should be no air violation from either side of the line.
Economic development of the south is inextricably linked to
peace and security, the report continues. The Secretary-General calls on the Government,
international donors, United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations to
increase their efforts towards the economic rehabilitation and development of southern
Lebanon.
The report goes on to say that since the assassination of
former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri on 14 February, Lebanon has undergone a period of
increased political instability, manifested by large-scale demonstrations in the capital,
the resignation of the Government, several bomb attacks in various areas of Beirut, the
assassinations of journalist Samir Kassir and politician George Hawi, and most recently,
the attack on the envoy of Defence Minister Elias Murr. The withdrawal of Syrian forces
from Lebanon by the end of April made possible the holding of free and fair parliamentary
elections over a four-week period in May and June. Lebanese armed forces now have to show
that they can maintain effective security throughout the country, at a time when the size
of the Lebanese Army is being reduced significantly.
While stability in the area depends largely on
Lebanon’s Government exercising its authority over all of its territory, that level
of authority and control remains limited, the report states. The Lebanese army is deployed
in areas at a distance to the Blue Line and the Joint Security Forces and Gendarmerie
units conduct some mobile patrols and maintain some checkpoints in the area of operation.
These circumstances make it possible for Hezbollah forces to be visible close to the Blue
Line, to maintain posts that are sometimes immediately adjacent to IDF and UNIFIL
positions and, at times, to carry out attacks across the Blue Line. The Secretary-General
hopes that the newly formed Government will seize the opportunities that the changed
political situation in Lebanon presents and heed the Council’s call to make return
its full authority throughout the south, including the deployment of Lebanese armed
forces, and to do its utmost to ensure calm.
Turning to the assessment carried out by the Department of
Peacekeeping Operations, the Secretary-General concurs with its view that in the existing
political and security situation in southern Lebanon, a combination of armed infantry and
unarmed observers remains necessary for UNIFIL to carry out its mandated tasks. The
current level of forces is required to maintain the critical positions in the areas of
operation that monitor the Blue Line and its approaches and to provide appropriate
protection for the personnel and assets of both UNIFIL and the Observer Group Lebanon.
Without exception, Lebanese authorities and diplomats confirmed that, in the currently
prevailing uncertain political and security conditions, UNIFIL continues to play a crucial
role in implementing its mandate in accordance with Council resolution 425 (1978).
The present situation in Lebanon and the wider region does
not support a change in the UNIFIL mandate or another reconfiguration of the Force at the
current stage, the Secretary-General concludes, recommending that the Force continue its
work contributing to the restoration of international peace and security through
observing, monitoring and reporting on developments in its area of operation and liaising
with the parties to maintain calm. In light of prevailing conditions, he recommends that
the Council extend the mandate until 31 January 2006 with no changes to the Force’s
strength and composition. |
