From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Fri Aug 15 2008 - 10:53:09 EDT
Ethiopia / Eritrea / Press conference by force commanders of United
Nations missions In Lebanon, Ethiopia/Eritrea
15 August 2008
Also present at the press conference was Brigadier Patrick
Davidson-Houston, Acting Force Commander of the United Nations Mission
in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE). He and Major General Graziano were
among a group of Force Commanders and senior officers visiting New York
for talks at Headquarters. Several of them have been holding press
conferences throughout the week.
Brigadier Davidson-Houston said that following the Security Council's
termination of its mandate on 30 July, UNMEE was now in a phase of
"extremely rapid" drawdown and termination of activities. Its Jordanian
contingent had left on Monday, a small Kenyan contingent was scheduled
to leave tomorrow and most of the Indian contingent would leave around
21 August. The Uruguayan aviation contingent would leave at the
beginning of September, and the last uniformed member of UNMEE was
expected to be out of the region by the end of September.
Responding to several questions, he said the Mission's withdrawal
clearly meant that it would no longer have a foot on the ground in
either Ethiopia or Eritrea, and thus would no longer be able to report
and monitor the situation. No United Nations presence would be left in
either country, and all contingent-owned equipment was expected to be
withdrawn from the area by mid-September. The removal of United
Nations-owned equipment would take a little longer. Some of it was
beyond economic use and would be disposed of in-country. None of it had
any military use whatsoever.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, August 15, 2008/African Press Organization (APO)/
- The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) had been not only
successful, but vital to ensuring stability in its area of operation,
Major General Claudio Graziano, the Force Commander, said at a
Headquarters press conference today.
Outlining the mission's accomplishments since its expansion by the
Security Council in resolution 1701 (2006), Major General Graziano said
that UNIFIL, working with the Lebanese Army, had maintained the
ceasefire in southern Lebanon and accomplished the largest part of its
mandate under difficult conditions, which required consensus on the part
of the parties, which bore the primary responsibility for implementing
resolution 1701 (2006).
He stressed the need for the international community to support the
Lebanese Armed Forces as a key element in resolving the situation in
southern Lebanon, adding that they should be able to take over UNIFIL's
responsibility in the future. "We are a peacekeeping mission, a strong
peacekeeping mission; we are there to ensure stability and keep the
window of opportunity open for the political peace process."
Responding to several questions about the implications of the Lebanese
Government's new policy, by which resistance forces had the right to
fight against occupation, he said UNIFIL had a clear mandate, which
related to the area south of the Litani River and north of the Blue
Line. It was not up to the mission to interpret political comments.
What was important was that the Government statement reiterated its
support for resolution 1701 (2006), which meant that the mission had to
operate with the Lebanese Armed Forces to create an area free of weapons
of any kind, except for those belonging to the Lebanese Armed Forces and
UNIFIL. The mission intended to stick to its mandate, and as long as
the parties remained cooperative, the rules of engagement were
consistent with that mandate. In fact, the mission had received several
communications from the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defense
Forces, both of which had reiterated their satisfaction with UNIFIL's
work.
Asked about the failure to end Israeli violations, he said the mission
had not failed, emphasizing that the only possible way to implement
resolution 1701 (2006) was through the support of the parties. Of
course, the mission had no instrument against violations other than
protesting and formally inviting Israel to stop.
In reply to a related question, he said almost monthly tripartite
meetings were the only forum for the negotiations between Israel and
Lebanon, in which UNIFIL also participated. At those meetings, both
parties could present and discuss violations, including Israeli
overflights of Lebanese airspace and allegations of illegal crossings by
civilians.
On the Lebanese border village of Ghajar - the last position occupied by
Israeli forces since its troops left southern Lebanon - he said that
occupation was a "permanent violation of 1701?, but he hoped to come
back soon with a very positive outcome in that regard.
Asked to comment on media reports claiming that UNIFIL had brokered a
deal under which it would handle rescue efforts in the event that an
Israeli plane was shot down over southern Lebanon, he said the mission
had a clear mandate, rules of engagement and an agreement with the
Lebanese Armed Forces. Under those provisions, any persons detained by
UNIFIL would be handed over to the Lebanese Armed Forces, who, as the
representative of the legal Government, had the right to receive the
detainees.
Responding to a question about arms smuggling, he said that in its area
of operation, UNIFIL was working closely with the Lebanese Armed Forces
to prevent smuggling by running numerous patrols every day. While it
was difficult to ensure "100 per cent" that the area was impermeable,
the mission was in control of the situation. It investigated alleged
violations and reported suspicious activities.
Asked about the security of personnel, he said that, having been
attacked several times, UNIFIL took all threats very seriously, but was
not deterred by them. The mission was taking measures to ensure full
protection of all units, while also working closely with the Lebanese
Army to prevent any incidents. UNIFIL's relations with the local
population were also very positive.
To another question, he replied that the mission already had an office
in Beirut, and resolution 1701 (2006) required it to establish an office
in Tel Aviv as well. While some administrative issues remained to be
cleared, it was to be hoped that the office, once established, would
become a very useful tool. It was expected to be opened by the end of
2008.
Asked what UNIFIL would do if it uncovered concrete evidence of arms in
Hizbullah's possession, Major General Graziano replied that, while the
mission had arrested some people in possession of handguns, it had never
seen any evidence of weapons moving south of the Litani River.
Hizbullah was one of the parties that had agreed to resolution 1701
(2006), and it was in the group's political interest to support UNIFIL.
In response to several additional questions about arms smuggling, he
emphasized the big contribution of the Maritime Task Force in monitoring
the situation at sea, noting that the territory of southern Lebanon was
"not that huge". The mission covered it well through a mix of patrols,
checkpoints and observation points. It was also very important to
coordinate its efforts with the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Also present at the press conference was Brigadier Patrick
Davidson-Houston, Acting Force Commander of the United Nations Mission
in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE). He and Major General Graziano were
among a group of Force Commanders and senior officers visiting New York
for talks at Headquarters. Several of them have been holding press
conferences throughout the week.
Brigadier Davidson-Houston said that following the Security Council's
termination of its mandate on 30 July, UNMEE was now in a phase of
"extremely rapid" drawdown and termination of activities. Its Jordanian
contingent had left on Monday, a small Kenyan contingent was scheduled
to leave tomorrow and most of the Indian contingent would leave around
21 August. The Uruguayan aviation contingent would leave at the
beginning of September, and the last uniformed member of UNMEE was
expected to be out of the region by the end of September.
Responding to several questions, he said the Mission's withdrawal
clearly meant that it would no longer have a foot on the ground in
either Ethiopia or Eritrea, and thus would no longer be able to report
and monitor the situation. No United Nations presence would be left in
either country, and all contingent-owned equipment was expected to be
withdrawn from the area by mid-September. The removal of United
Nations-owned equipment would take a little longer. Some of it was
beyond economic use and would be disposed of in-country. None of it had
any military use whatsoever.
SOURCE : UNITED NATIONS
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