The Security Council voted 13-0 last night to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for another six months. The Soviet Union and Poland abstained as they usually do on issues involving UN forces.
The extension of the mandate for six months was requested by the Lebanese government. Israel did not favor the extension. Ambassador Yehuda Blum told the Council last night that “UNIFIL has outlived its usefulness and its presence is no longer called for in southern Lebanon.” Israel wants UNIFIL to be replaced by Lebanese troops that, together with Israeli troops, will patrol south Lebanon to prevent terrorist infiltration in to northern Israel.
The United States, however, did not accept Israel’s position on UNIFIL. The American deputy delegate, Charles Lichenstein, told the Council last night that UNIFIL was” a positive element in the negotiations” on the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Lebanon.
The Council, however, declined to accept another request by Lebanon to extend UNIFIL’s activities to other parts of the country, not only the south. But Council members agreed that there was no point in extending UNIFIL’s role until the forces of Israel, Syria and the PLO withdrew from Lebanon. UNIFIL was first deployed in south Lebanon in 1978. It presently has 6,300 men.
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