S/2020/857 Security Council

In accordance with the procedure agreed upon by the members of the Security Council in the light of the extraordinary circumstances caused by the coronavirus disease pandemic, and as reflected in the letter dated 27 March 2020 from the President of the Security Council addressed to all members of the Council (S/2020/253), I would like to draw your attention to the following. The members of the Council have considered a draft resolution, submitted by France, in connection with the agenda item “The situation in the Middle East”. That draft resolution, contained in document S/2020/844, has been put in blue (see enclosure). In my capacity as President of the Security Council, I hereby put the abovementioned draft resolution to a vote. The non-extendable 24-hour voting period for that draft resolution will begin at 3 p.m. on Thursday, 27 August 2020 and expire at 3 p.m. on Friday, 28 August 2020. Please submit your vote (in favour, against or abstention) on that draft resolution and possible explanation of vote by sending a letter to the Officer-in- charge of the Security Council Affairs Division of the Secretariat (montejo@un.org) signed by the Permanent Representative or Chargé d’affaires a.i. within the non- extendable 24-hour voting period set out above. It is my intention to circulate a letter publishing the outcome of the vote within three hours of the conclusion of the 24-hour voting period. I also intend to convene a video-teleconference of the Security Council to announce the outcome of the vote shortly after the conclusion of the voting period, on the afternoon of Friday, 28 August 2020.

Lebanon is currently facing complex and severe challenges. The Beirut port explosion caused heavy casualties and property losses, exacerbating Lebanon’s economic difficulties, social unrest and humanitarian crisis. Tensions in areas near the Blue Line have escalated again recently. At this difficult time, the international community’s support for Lebanon is crucial and the role of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is even more indispensable. China appreciates UNIFIL’s dedication to its duties and its positive contributions to maintaining overall calm in the area of operations and regional stability. We believe that the Security Council and the international community should attach great importance to the opinions and demands of Lebanon, consolidate political support for UNIFIL and ensure that it has the capabilities and resources required to perform its duties. Based on the abovementioned position, China has been deeply involved in UNIFIL’s consultation on the draft resolution on the extension of UNIFIL’s mandate, so as to push the Security Council to send a positive signal of support for peace, stability and development in Lebanon. China takes note of the UNIFIL assessment report (S/2020/473) and recommendations submitted by the Secretary-General on 1 June. China maintains that the Secretariat should, in accordance with the requirements of resolution 2539 (2020) and in light of the latest situation, fully consult with Lebanon, UNIFIL troop-contributing countries, and members of the Security Council, analyse, justify and make necessary adjustments to relevant recommendations one by one, and on that basis formulate a plan for their implementation and submit it to the Security Council for approval. I would like to emphasize that the Secretary-General’s recommendations can be implemented only after they have been agreed upon by all members of the Council. China believes that maintaining the size of UNIFIL is essential if it is to fully perform its duties, play a deterrent role and handle tensions. China regrets the reduction of the maximum strength of UNIFIL and hopes that relevant adjustments will not have a negative impact on the deployment of UNIFIL on the ground and its actual operations. China expects the Secretary-General to assess the impact of the Beirut port explosion on the personnel, capabilities and operations of UNIFIL as soon as possible, in accordance with the requirements of this resolution, and offer suggestions on how to respond so as to ensure the continuity and effectiveness of UNIFIL operations. We are also concerned about the impact of the explosion on the Lebanese army and support UNIFIL in continuing to support the capacity-building of the Lebanese army to create conditions for its expanded deployment. As a member of the Security Council and a troop-contributing country of UNIFIL, China is ready to work with the international community to continue to make positive contributions to promoting peace and stability in Lebanon and the Middle East.

My delegation would like to thank France for its hard work in facilitating the negotiation process and accommodating the various views of the Council members. Indeed, it was not an easy process, and Indonesia is pleased that a compromise could be reached. My delegation voted in favour of resolution 2539 (2020), and we wish to re-emphasize the important and positive role of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces, in maintaining stability across the Blue Line and the region. UNIFIL’s key role in preventing conflicts and reducing tensions must not be taken for granted. Indonesia believes that the high expectations and demands placed upon UNIFIL and its peacekeepers must also be met with realistic and achievable mandates, including adequate and timely resources. In addition, all parties must firmly abide by their obligation to respect the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel. With regard to the UNIFIL assessment, we look forward to receiving a detailed plan from the Secretary-General to implement the recommendations of the assessment. As stated clearly in the resolution, full and close consultation with Lebanon and the troop-contributing countries (TCCs) is necessary in elaborating the plan. In that regard, meaningful coordination between the Secretariat and Lebanon, as well as the TCCs, is vital, particularly in further discussing various details and technical and operational elements of the recommendations. In conclusion, Indonesia wishes to reiterate its strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon.

The United States is committed to an effective and accountable United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission and supports resolution 2539 (2020), adopted today, with that goal in mind. Today’s action is an important step in that direction, and I applaud my French counterparts for working diligently with us towards this outcome. Today we halt a long period of Council complacency on UNIFIL and the growing and destabilizing influence of Iran and its client, the terrorist organization Hizbullah. For decades, Lebanon and its army have been intimidated and overpowered by Hizbullah, whose fighters and politicians pledge allegiance to Iran’s supreme leader. The terrorist group is responsible for the death and injuries of far too many Israelis, Syrians, Lebanese and Iraqis, and its terrorism has stretched from South America to Europe and Africa. The United States has supported UNIFIL since its inception in 1978 because the Force has reduced tensions between Israel and Lebanon. However, the Trump Administration has been deeply concerned these past years about UNIFIL’s overall inability to contain the Hizbullah menace. We are not going to allow this to stand. The Council must join us in confronting this. Israeli soldiers were fired upon across the Blue Line as recently as two days ago. Israeli communities live under constant threat, and Hizbullah weapons installations within Lebanese towns subject civilians to danger. Hizbullah’s influence over the Beirut airport and the port of Beirut is another self-evident concern. Arms continue to flow across the border between Syria and Lebanon in violation of resolution 1701 (2006). Today’s resolution takes important steps towards rightsizing and improving the effectiveness of the UNIFIL mission, and explicitly calls for the Government of Lebanon to facilitate UNIFIL’s “prompt and full” access to its mandated territory. These improvements will spotlight those actors in southern Lebanon who blatantly obstruct UNIFIL and who put the UNIFIL peacekeepers and the people of both Israel and Lebanon in harm’s way. Through this mandate, we also secured a commitment by the Secretary-General to provide a plan for implementing recommendations to fundamentally enhance the mission. The United States also stood firm on the question of UNIFIL’s troop ceiling to ensure that it aligns more appropriately with the reality on the ground. The reduction of the ceiling from 15,000 troops to 13,000 is an important step towards rightsizing a mission that has for years been overresourced given the limits on its freedom of movement and access. While this is tangible progress, the United States believes that there is much more to do. Be assured that in the coming weeks and months, the Trump Administration will be closely scrutinizing this mission to ensure these improvements are effectively implemented. We hope that the United Nations will seize the tools that we have provided in this mandate, and we hope that the Council and the Government of Lebanon will redouble their efforts to ensure that UNIFIL is fully able to discharge its mandate. If, however, today’s action does not trigger necessary improvements, including improved access for UNIFIL and steps to diminish the vast and growing Hizbullah arsenal of weapons, Council members must be prepared to take further action when the mandate comes up for renewal next year.