UNIFIL stresses importance of liaison channels between Lebanon and Israel

The Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Michael Beary stressed Wednesday the importance of the UNIFIL's liaison and coordination channels between Lebanon and Israel, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Beary made the remarks during a regular tripartite meeting with senior officials from the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at the UN position at Ras Al Naqoura in south Lebanon.

"I wish to remind all of us of the importance of continuing to exercise the utmost restraint and to stress that in all cases the default action must immediately use UNIFIL's liaison and coordination channels each time an incident occurs," he said.

However, he noted "these confidence building measures have been of paramount importance for making sustainable the calm and stability that have prevailed since 2006."

The NNA reported that discussions focused on issues related to the implementation of UNIFIL's mandate under UN Security Council resolution 1701, air and ground violations, situation along the Blue Line and its ongoing visible marking, as well as the issue of withdrawal of Israeli forces from northern Ghajar.

Beary reminded the parties of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's call "to not employ rhetoric threatening to use force, as it undermines the ten years of relative calm between Lebanon and Israel."