Major General Aroldo Lázaro, Head of Mission and Force Commander of UNIFIL, asserted on Thursday that the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 is a “joint responsibility.”
Stressing the need for “restraint” and the role of UNIFIL in “easing tensions” in South Lebanon, Major General Lázaro said that “the danger of miscalculation remains, a danger that could jeopardize the cessation of hostilities and lead us to conflict.”
“It is important for the parties to bear this in mind, and to use our liaison and coordination mechanisms to deconflict situations and decrease tensions,” he added.
Major General Lázaro was speaking at a ceremony held at the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura to mark the International Day of Peace, set for September 21, in the presence of General Mounir Shehadeh, representing the Commander-in-Chief of the Army.
Wreaths of flowers were laid in front of the monument dedicated to the memory of the 300 peacekeepers who have died in Lebanon since 1978. Additionally, military staff officers received the UN Peacekeeping Medal in recognition of their contributions to the mission during the ceremony.
“We are here at the invitation of the Lebanese government, who have been our hosts for over 45 years,” General Lázaro said. “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.”
The International Day of Peace was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981. It is dedicated to ceasefire and non-violence and provides an opportunity to promote tolerance, justice and human rights.
