Security Council approves six-month extension of UN force in Lebanon

Condemning all acts of violence and voicing "great concern" about the serious violations of the withdrawal line between Lebanon and Israel, the Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), until 31 July.

The unanimously adopted resolution also urged the parties to put an end to those violations and respect the safety of UNIFIL personnel. It supported the continued efforts of the Force to maintain the ceasefire along the withdrawal line and to correct violations, resolve incidents and prevent their escalation.

In a related provision, the Council asked Secretary-General Kofi Annan to take the necessary measures to implement the reconfiguration of UNIFIL - as outlined in his report earlier this month - in consultation with the Lebanese Government and the troop-contributing countries.

In that report, the Secretary-General called for a phased reduction of the Force to 2,000 troops by the end of the year, from a strength of over 5,700 as of 31 March 2001.

The Council also called on the Lebanese Government to continue to ensure the return of its effective control throughout the south, including the deployment of Lebanese armed forces, and encouraged the authorities to ensure a calm environment in that part of the country.