BEIRUT, Sept 22 (NNN-NNA) – Chief of the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL), Aroldo Lazaro Saenz, said yesterday that, UNIFIL works in close cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces, to help the government extend its authority all over Lebanon.
“We coordinate closely with the Lebanese Armed Forces, conducting patrols with them and on our own, to help the government someday exercise its authority over the entirety of this beautiful country,” a UNIFIL statement quoted Lazaro Saenz as saying.
His remarks came, during a ceremony held at the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura, southern Lebanon, to mark the International Day of Peace.
He also emphasised UNIFIL’s role in decreasing tensions, the shared responsibility among parties for full implementation of UN Resolution 1701, and the parties’ commitment necessary to advance towards a long-term solution.
During the ceremony, the UNIFIL chief and Lebanese army representative, Brigadier General Mounir Shehade, laid wreaths at the cenotaph in memory of the over 300 UNIFIL peacekeepers who have lost their lives while serving in south Lebanon since 1978.
The International Day of Peace, observed around the world on Sept 21 (yesterday), was established by the UN General Assembly in 1981. It is dedicated to cease-fire and non-violence, and is an occasion to promote tolerance, justice, and human rights.– NNN-NNA
