Beirut: The United Nations Security Council delegation concluded its visit to Lebanon, following meetings with Lebanese officials and a tour along the Blue Line in the South, by holding a press conference at the Movenpick Hotel for local and international media representatives.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, the Security Council's current president, Slovenian Ambassador Samuel led the delegation, which included representatives from Denmark, Algeria, France, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Korea. bogar expressed gratitude for the hospitality received and reaffirmed the Council's commitment to Lebanon's stability and regional peace.
‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦½bogar highlighted the delegation's discussions with key Lebanese figures, including the President, Speaker of Parliament, Prime Minister, and Foreign Affairs Minister. The delegation also received briefings from the Commander of the Lebanese Army, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and a US General involved in the cessation of hostilities mechanism.
The visit included a field tour of the Blue Line and UNIFIL headquarters. ‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦½bogar emphasized the importance of the discussions in understanding Lebanon's current political, economic, and security situation, particularly concerning the roles of UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces.
‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦½bogar stressed the Council's support for Lebanon's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political independence, reiterating the need for all parties to adhere to the cessation of hostilities agreement from November 26, 2024. He commended the progress made by Lebanon and praised UNIFIL and UNSCOM for their efforts in reducing tensions.
The delegation called for increased international support for the Lebanese Armed Forces and endorsed the government's decision to maintain state control over weapons. ‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦½bogar noted the visit aimed to explore options for implementing Resolution 1701 after UNIFIL's eventual departure, anticipating further discussions in 2026.
‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦½bogar concluded by emphasizing the Council's support for economic and institutional reforms in Lebanon to facilitate international assistance for recovery and reconstruction efforts, expressing a commitment to ongoing dialogue on these issues in New York.