Press Elements from the Security Council Meeting on Resolution 1701 and Lebanon

Karen Pierce, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of November(UN Photo)

25 Nov 2019

Press Elements from the Security Council Meeting on Resolution 1701 and Lebanon

The Security Council received a briefing from the UN Special Coordinator Jan Kubis and Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiare. They briefed the Council on the situation in Lebanon and this was part of the regular meeting on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006).

The members of the Security Council commended the role of UNIFIL in maintaining calm along the Blue Line, its cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces with the aim of extending the control of the Government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory and they stressed the importance of UNIFIL being able to fulfill its mandate.

The members of the Security Council also noted that this is a critical time for Lebanon. They stressed the importance of the timely formation of a new government able to respond to the aspirations of the Lebanese people and to restore the stability of the country within the constitutional framework.

The members of the Security Council called on all actors to conduct intensive national dialogue and to maintain the peaceful character of the protests by avoiding violence and respecting the right to peaceful assembly and protests. They commended the role of the Lebanese Armed Forces and other State security institutions in protecting this right.

The members of the Security Council emphasized the need for the Lebanese authorities to implement meaningful economic reforms in timely fashion and under a Lebanon owned and led process and notably the commitments made at the International Support Group for Lebanon and the Rome 2 and CEDRE conferences. They called on the international community, including international organizations, to ensure continued support for Lebanon in addressing the security, economic and humanitarian challenges facing the country.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their strong support for the stability, security, territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions.

QUESTION: (on protecting the peaceful demonstrations?)

PRESIDENT OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL: There was a lot of concern about those but we heard from the Special Coordinator who was very clear that some good steps had been taken, including by the Lebanese Armed Forces, but it is also vital that all parties make sure that there is no violence as well as allow peaceful protests to continue.

QUESTION: Did you discuss the financial crisis in Lebanon?

PRESIDENT OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL: we discussed a wide range of security, humanitarian and economic challenges facing Lebanon at this precise moment and as I said in the statement, the members of the Security Council emphasized the need for the Lebanese authorities to implement the commitments made at the various international conferences.