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Lebanon: Annan hails 'imminent' deployment of naval force as interim patrols begin

8 September 2006 – Following yesterday’s lifting of the Israeli blockade against Lebanon, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today announced the “imminent” deployment of a UN naval task force off the Lebanese coast to assist in securing the maritime border, saying that in the meantime an interim maritime force has begun patrols alongside the Lebanese navy.

Following discussions with the Government of Lebanon as well as the Governments of France, Greece, Italy and the United Kingdom, “the Secretary-General welcomes the imminent deployment of an interim naval task force off the Lebanese coast,” his spokesman said in a statement issued in New York.

“The interim maritime task force will remain in place until the maritime component of UNIFIL (the UN Interim Force in Lebanon) is fully assembled and deployed in the coming weeks.”

UNIFIL has set up a Naval Operations Centre at its headquarters in Naqoura in southern Lebanon to coordinate all operational details of this interim maritime task force that is led by Italian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Giuseppe De Giorgi.

“The Force is now operational and I understand that the naval blockade is lifted,” said UNIFIL commander Major-General Alain Pellegrini. “The blockade has seriously undermined the Lebanese economy and it is high time for it to end so as to allow the people to get back to their businesses.”

In a related development, a team of UN police, border and military security experts will deploy in Lebanon tomorrow at the request of the Lebanese Government to help monitor coastal entry points, Beirut International Airport and the land border, as well as to identify areas in which the UN might provide technical assistance.

Regarding the situation on the ground in the south, UNIFIL said that Lebanese troops started deploying today in areas left by the withdrawing Israeli army as stipulated by Security Council resolution 1701 that ended the 34 days of fighting on 14 August.

UNIFIL, which is coordinating the troop movements, confirmed that all Israeli troops had left yesterday from the areas of Al Bayyadah, Tayr Harfa, Shihin, Al Jibbayn, Bustan, Yarin and Al Duhayra.