S/PV.2141 Security Council

As President of the Security Council, I wish to take this opportunity to speak on behalf of my colleagues in order to express our appreciation of the services rendered by Ambassador Leslie 0. Harriman of Nigeria in his capacity as President of the Council for the month of March. During his term of office, Ambassador Harriman presided over an unusually heavy schedule of meetings of the Council, as well as informal consultations, relating to a number of important and delicate issues affecting international peace and security. On behalf of the Council, I wish to pay a tribute to him for the skill and dedication with which he guided our work last month. Adoption of the agenda The agenda was adopted, The situation in the Middle East: Interim report of the Secretary-General under Security Council resolution 444 (1979) concerning the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (S/13258) Letter dated 25 April 1979 from the Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/13270)

‘This meeting of the Security Council has been convened iti respbnse to the request formulated by the representative of Lebanon in the letter he addressed to me as President of the Council on 25 April [S/13270]. In that letter, reference is made to ‘the interim report of the Secretary-General concerning the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, which was circulated on 19 April 1979 as document S/13258 in response to the request made by the Council in connexion with the adoption of resolution 444 (1979) on 19 January. Since the receipt of the Secretary-General’s report, extensive consultations have been held with the members of the Council and other interested parties and, as a result, I have been authorized, as President of the Council, to make the following statement which has been agreed upon by the,members of the Council [S/13272]: “The Security Council has studied the Secretary- General’s interim report on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, circulated on 19 April 1979 in document S/13258, in accordance with the request made by the Council at its 2113th meeting, on 19 January 1979. “On behalf of members of the Council, I wish to state that they are following with the deepest concern the significant increase of tension in tite area, particularly during the past months, and that they share the Secretary-General’s anxiety over the present situation in which the Force is unable fully to implement its mandate. I wish to express to the Secretary-General the satisfaction and appreciation we feel for the efforts that he has undertaken towards the full implementation of Council resolution 425 (1978), and also to commend most highly the performance of ‘the officers and men of the Force under the most difficult circumstances. If for any reason the Force were to be eroded, a highly dangerous and volatile situation would inevitably arise in the area. “Members of the Security Council share the views expressed in the Secretary-General’s report about what should still be done towards the full implementation of the objectives of resolution 425 (1978) and emphasize in this connexion the importance of the deployment of the Force in all parts of Southern Lebanon. “The Security Council expresses its special satisfaction at actions taken by the Government of Lebanon and in particular the deployment of the Lebanese army contingent under the ‘phased programme of activities’. Members of the Council consider that the continuation of such efforts, called for by the resolutions of the Council, should ultimately lead to the return of the effective authority of the Government of Lebanon over The meeting rose at 11.50 a.m.