Ban Urges Miqati to Speed Up Govt Formation: Militias Threaten Lebanon, Region Stability
U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon warned on Wednesday that the presence of “militias” in Lebanon continues to threaten security in the country as well as the region, urging a formal border delineation with Syria.
"The delineation of the Syrian-Lebanese border ... has not yet taken place," read Ban’s report on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559, which was adopted in 2004 and calls for "the disbanding and disarmament" of all factions in Lebanon.
"More importantly, the existence and activities of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias continue to pose a threat to the stability of the country and the region," the report added.
The U.N. secretary general said in the report he was concerned by recent security incidents in Lebanon, including the explosion last month of a small bomb in a church in the eastern town of Zahle.
"These occurrences confirm yet again the possession of lethal weapons by non-state actors," he said.
Hizbullah argues that its powerful arsenal of weapons is necessary to deter Israel.
The armed party has repeatedly warned Lebanese leaders that its arms are not open to discussion.
Hizbullah fought a month-long war with Israel in 2006 during which it fired more than 4,000 rockets on the Jewish state.
Israel estimates that Hizbullah has since stockpiled more than 40,000 rockets, some of which could reach major Israeli population centers.
Palestinian factions inside refugee camps across the country, which are off-limits to the Lebanese army, are also armed.
Ban said U.N. Security Council member states had provided information on weapons-smuggling across Lebanon's porous northern border with Syria, which, along with Iran, is a major backer of Hizbullah.
The U.N. could not independently verify the reports.
Ban said Lebanon's failure to delineate a formal border with Syria was largely due to the governmental and budgetary deadlock in Lebanon.
"Government officials in Lebanon have acknowledged the porous nature of the border and the possibility that arms smuggling occurs and over the past three years, and have taken limited steps to confront the issue," he said.
In a copy of Ban’s report obtained by Lebanon’s MTV, the U.N. chief calls on Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati to speed up the cabinet formation process and respect Lebanon’s international obligations.
Ban also calls on Lebanon’s rival political factions to return to the national dialogue table, according to MTV.
Against the backdrop of the current deterioration in Lebanon over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and illegal weapons, the TV network added, Ban also calls on the Lebanese government to protect its citizens and urges the international community to continue supporting the Lebanese army.
The Netherlands-based court is tasked with investigating the 2005 assassination of ex-premier Rafik Hariri and is widely expected to indict Hizbullah figures in the killing.