The United Nations Security Council released its interim report Wednesday, announcing plans to reduce its present 5,700-strong force in south Lebanon to 2,000 by July 2002, reported the Daily Star newspaper.
While the report's timing was slightly unexpected, it nonetheless assuaged fears of Lebanese authorities, who had been concerned that the UN's plans would involve an even more drastic troop reduction, or even a complete withdrawal, according to the paper.
Steffan de Mistura, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's personal representative, delivered the report on Annan's behalf to the local media during a press conference.
The numbers came as a slight surprise to authorities, as a more detailed report enumerating the reconfiguration was not expected until the end of July, when UNIFIL's mandate will undergo its biannual review.
Although UNIFIL had been comprised of 4,500 troops since its mandate in 1978, last May's Israeli withdrawal prompted the international body to inflate that number to 5,700.
UN Security Council Resolution 1337, issued in January, extended the organization's mandate but returned the number of troops to 4,500 because, as de Mistura said, "UN Resolution 425 was almost totally fulfilled."
He explained that while two criteria of the mandate, confirming Israeli withdrawal and helping the Lebanese government restore its effective authority in the area, have been implemented, the final phase -- restoring international peace and security -- "can be interpreted in many ways and needs to be assessed," the paper quoted him as saying.
According to de Mistura, the UN has become more creative about the definition of sovereignty "in order to help defend Lebanese authorities' arguments that sovereignty has been established in the south."
However, he argued that "the military parameter is not the only parameter of sovereignty."
The report also mentioned the frequent violations by Israeli planes which fly over Lebanon's airspace.
"Going deep into Lebanon, and not just on the Blue Line, is becoming an unacceptable practice," said de Mistura, explaining that Annan had contacted relevant parties to use "respect ... to avert further escalation."
De Mistura also said the UNIFIL troop reduction was "feasible" because the Irish and Finish battalions would not be replaced when they leave in October.
That alone will bring the force's total to 3,600, he added.
According to the report, UNIFIL will serve as an "observer mission."
However, "in view of conditions in the area," its functions will be carried out by a combination of armed and unarmed personnel.
The troops will be also deployed in protected positions along the Blue Line, rather than remaining in their typical fixed positions in villages deeper inside Lebanon - Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
