Home | Business News | Browse by Publication | M | M2 Presswire

Security Council extends mandate of Interim Force in Lebanon until 31 January 2004.

Article Excerpt
M2 PRESSWIRE-31 July 2003-UN: Security Council extends mandate of Interim Force in Lebanon until 31 January 2004(C)1994-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:07312003

The Security Council this morning extended the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which was to expire today, until 31 January 2004.

Unanimously adopting resolution 1496 (2003), the Council urged the parties to end the serious breaches and the air, sea and land violations of the withdrawal line and to abide by their obligation to respect the safety of UNIFIL and other United Nations personnel.

Welcoming the steps taken by the Lebanese Government to ensure the return of its effective authority throughout the south of the country, the Council called on it to continue to extend those measures and to do its utmost to ensure a calm environment throughout the south.

Applauding the progress in demining efforts, the Council stressed the need to provide the Lebanese Government and UNIFIL with any additional maps and records on the location of mines.

Further, the Council stressed 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 resolution 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), and looked forward to the early fulfilment of UNIFIL's mandate.

The meeting started at 10:50 a.m. and adjourned at 10:53 a.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 1496 (2003) reads as follows:

"The Security Council,

"Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon, in particular resolutions 425 (1978) and...