Salam Warns Against a Vacuum Following UNIFIL’s Departure
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam received United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, at the Grand Serail, in the presence of UNIFIL Force Commander Major General Diodato Abagnara, and UN Deputy Special Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon Imran Riza.
The meeting addressed the situation in southern Lebanon and the future of the international presence following the end of UNIFIL’s mission in its current form.
Premier Salam reaffirmed his rejection of any vacuum following the end of UNIFIL’s mission in its current form, stressing Lebanon’s need for an international force tasked with monitoring, reporting, and liaison duties.
Salam also expressed Lebanon’s openness to discussing any new international framework for such a force, while insisting that its mandate must be issued by the United Nations Security Council.
