S/PV.2258 Security Council

I should likefo inform metnbers of the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Israel and Lebanon in which they request to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the.agenda. In accordance with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the discussion without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the ruIes of procedure.

I now call on the Secretary- General.

I have taken note of the resolution just adopted by the Council and its decision to extend the mandate of UNIFIL for a further period of six months, until 19 June 1981. 6. Despite the impediments which have prevented UNIFIL from fully implementing the mandate entrusted to it by the Council, the Force is unquestionably performing an indispensable service to peace, not only in south Lebanon but in regard to the Middle East situation in general. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Tueni (Lebanon) took a place at the Council table and Mr. Blum (Israel) took the place reserved for him at the side of the .Councii ehamber. 7. My report describes in detail the obstacles that we face. It states clearly that the present situation is anything but satisfactory; it emphasizes that the present trend of inadequate co-operation and lack of progress must be reversed.

Members of the Council have before them the report of the SecretawGeneral on the United Nations Interim Force. in L&anon (UNIFIL) for the period -from 13 June to- 1l’December 1980, contained in document S/14295. The Council alsohas before it the text of a draft resolution contained in document S/14298, which was drawn up in the course of consultations among the members of the 8. On my side, I shall of course make every effort to ensure implementation of the resolution just adopted. However, it is evident that the efforts of 9. The developments recorded in detail in my report and events which have occurred since then in the UNIFIL area of operation indicate a level of armed activity which is inconsistent both with the resolutions of the Council and with the assurances that have, from time to time, been given to the Force. 10. I hope that all the parties concerned will soon come to recognize that the fulfilment of the objectives of the UNIFIL mandate is, in the long term, in their own best interests. In this connection, I would also hope that members of the Council, especially those in a position to bring their influence to bear, will continue to make every effort to help the Force attain the objectives for which it was established. 11. May I take this opportunity to thank the Lebanese Government once again for the co-operation it has extended to the Force. We are very much aware of its concerns and shall remain sensitive to them in our efforts to fulfil the objectives set by the Council. 12. I should also like to reiterate my deep appreciation to the troop-contributing countries for their steadfast support and understanding. 13. May I conclude by paying a tribute to the Commander of the Force, Major-General Erskine, to the officers and men of UNIFIL and to their civilian colleagues. Once again, they have carried out their tasks with courage, dedication and discipline in a situation that is, all too often, not only difficult and demanding, but dangerous. The United Nations is greatly in their debt.

The first speaker on my list is the representative of Lebanon, and I now call on him.

This meeting of the Council coincides with the conclusion of the thirty-ftith session of the General Assembly. Many, many statements, particularly on the Middle East, have been made but very little has been accomplished in practical terms. 16. Yet, this has been a session rich in symbols and lessons, and I beg to point to one, in particular, which is directly related to our agenda. Before the Assembly acted on the resolution concerning peace in the Middle East [resolution 35/207], a separate recorded vote. was requested on the paragraph about Lebanon. The result was, as we all know, 144 votes in support of Lebanon, with no votes against and no abstentions. The resolution later received only 101 votes. 17. It was no accident that the paragraph on Lebanon was exactly the same as paragraph 1 of resolution 425 “Culls for strict respect for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized boundaries”. 18. The vote of the Assembly is more than a message. It is a clear-and imperative mandate. It is also a vote of confidencein what was -structured by and has happened since resolution 425 (1978). It is equally, we like to believe, a vote of confidence in Lebanon, in its deter-, mination to .remain sovereign and independent, seeking respect for its territorial integrity within its intemationally guaranteed boundaries. 19. Npw, there was a further message in yesterday’s vote by. the Assembly, which concerned an implicit distinction between the fate of Lebanon and the solution of the. Middle East question. A distinction-a distinction, I say, but not a divorce-between peace in Lebanon, for which there was absoiute unanimity, and peace in the Middle East, over which there are still some differences. Hence, our repeated insistence that peace. in Lebanon cannot, should not and indeed, we hope, will not have to wait for the settlement of everyone else’s problems and the attainment of the comprehensive peace for which we all yearn. 20. These are not empty words. And we dare hope that the Council is fully conscious of its ability-the ability which it alone has as the executive of the international Organization-to meet the challenge and help Lebanon to recover its total sovereignty and to enjoy once again the peace that its people has merited through long years of tragedy and resistance. 21. May I also a,dd that it is illusory to imagine that one can hope to reach a settlement of the Middle East question while the war in Lebanon is allowed to continue. Having now reached the stage it has reached, the war in Lebanon, which at one time might have appeared convenient to some, is now a danger to each and all. 22. The argume.nts in support of this thesis are innumerable and I shall not burden this debate with another long speech. I want only to quote, as an independent testimony, one of your most distinguished predecessors, Mr. President, Governor William Scranton, who recently wrote the following in No. 24 of Triulogue, the Trilateral Commission’s quarterly, its special issue on the Middle East: ‘*Take the case of Lebanon, not that it is the only problem-in the. region, of course, but when Lebanon is in turmoil, the Middle East pot boils.” 23. This is the first meeting of the Council on Lebanon over which you, Mr. Piesident, have personally presided. But you have visited my country and toured the Middle East. You have come not to vanquish but 24. May I, Mr. President, at this juncture, say how much we wish, and still hope, that you may remain in the Council for much longer, if this is not an improper wish, where those who can spe-ak and act for American responsibility, as you have, are needed beyond what can be admitted or confessed: 25. May I now say that our ambition would have been, if conditions had permitted, to see the resolution just voted not as the product of a compromise but as the expression of what you, Sir, personally, albeit unavowedly, would have wanted the Council to be able to do at this particular time. 26. But let us now go into more practical matters; 27. The question is clear to all of us and was made clearer ‘by the superb report of the Secretary-General [S/2429.5] and by his remarks this afternoon. I shall not elaborate, therefore, on the report, but I shall merely express, over and above my country’s appreciation, the regret that procedural considerations should have prevented the Council from endorsing it fully. 28.. Equally clear is the position of my Government, which was made explicit in my letter to the Secretary- General of 15 December [S/14296]. 29. We have spared the Council the,usual exercise, so futile because so repetitious, of condemning, deploring, regretting and the. like. Instead, two things are of paramount importance for us. 30. The first is that UNIFIL, whose officers and men are serving peace so gallantly against tremendous odds-, must become sufficiently credible as a force to be able to safeguard its own safety and security, to deter hostile acts and, finally, to implement fully its mandate, which should culminate in the establishment of an area of peace and security and the total restoration of Lebanese sovereignty and authority. 31. The second is that UNIFIL’s success in peacekeeping, which depends on the mutual agreenient of all the parties concerned, must not be allowed to depend on actions and reactions in the field, but that a political and diplomatic action must now be developed, moving from the previous pattern of interventions and negotiations into a systematic, clearly articulated and strongly structured action to identify the problems, specify solutions and conciliate and co-ordinate allthe effortsmade in the service of peace. 32. In this perspective, it is of the utmost significance to us that efforts to reactivate the Israel-Iebanon 33. In our view, the resolution just adopted, should be interpreted in this light. 34. It may, of course, become just another resolution to be added to the impressive collection of resolutions on south Lebanon-another impossible dream. In such a case, my Government is determined to seek no further renewal and to let everybody, ourselves included, carry their own historical responsibilities. We would not even object to putting, an early end to the present mandate, say at mid-term, if it were reported to the Council that no substantial progress was being made or that the mandate, in its present form, was not realistically implementable. 35. Yet our hope is that this resolution will be a new beginning: the beginning of an era of peace which will render UNIFIL, within an immediate time-frame, really, seriously and sincerely “interim”, which is what it was meant to be, whatever the outcome-failure or success. 36. In conclusion, allow me to reiterate to you, Mr. President, my thanks for your patience and guidance and, through you, to all the members of the .Council, and to the troop-contributing countries the gratitude of my Government and my people for their support, confidence and sacrifice.

The next speaker on my list is the representative of Israel. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. President, at the outset permit me to convey to you, as the representative of the United States, my compliments on your assumption of the Presidency of the Council for the month of December. We are confident that your manifest ability and diplomatic skill will stand us all in good stead. 39. Our two countries and peoples share a common heritage and are dedicated to the advancement of the same goals and values. Despite the tremendous disparity between our two nations in terms of physical size and military and economic power, we stand together in the struggle for the preservation of the fundamental human freedoms in our world, for the equality and dignity of man, for social justice, for the equality of all nations, great and small, for the peaceful settlement of international disputes and for peace among nations. 40. I also wish to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to Sir Anthony Parsons, the representative of the United Kingdom, who so ably presided over the Council’s business last month. 42. The Council has on its record the position of Israel with respect to the complex issues which arise in this context, especially as regards UNIFIL’s threefold mandate as laid down in Security Council resolution 425 (1978). Since this is the case, I can be very brief. 43. First, the tragic reality prevailing in Lebanon must be recognized. .Lebanon is an occupied country. The occupation is twofold. Syria keeps approximately one third of its army, amounting to some 27,000 troops, in Lebanon. The terrorist PLO has over 15,000 armed men in the country, of whom over 2,000 are located south of the River Litani. Of these, approximately 1,500 are in the so-called Tyre pocket and about 700 are located in some 40 nests and pockets tolerated within the UNIFIL area of operation. As long as these non-Lebanese elements can operate within or from .Lebanon there will be no real progress towards the return .of the effective authority of the. Government of Lebanon throughout the length and breadth of that country. 44. Secondly, the situation in Lebanon, particularly in the south, is of direct concern to Israel. Since the PLO continues to use-r rather abuse-Lebanese territory to initiate and launch attacks against Israel and its civilian population, it is the elementary duty of the Government of Israel to protect its citizens against such PLO activities, especially in the light of the inability of the Government of Lebanon to prevent them. 45. Thirdly, the situation in the south of Lebanon cannot be detached from the situation in the country as a whole. In his report, the Secretary-Genera1 comments that the situation in south Lebanon cannot be insulated from other extremely complex developments. The Secretary-General mtide this point even more explicitly in his report of 12 January 1979 when he observed that the situation in the south “cannot be divorced from the situation in the rest ofthe country*’ [S/13026, para. 371. The Secretary-General went on to note that that factor plays an impo.rtant role in determining the attitude of various factions in the area, “an attitude which is strongly influenced by their perception and interpretation of developments, in Lebanon and in the region as a whole” [ibid.]. 46. Without wishing to elaborate on the subject, let me suggest en passant that these comments are particularly pertinent when one comes to examine the positions taken by the local Lebanese villagers in the south, Muslim, Christian and Druze alike. 47. I should like to reaffirm Israel’s position of principle with regard to Lebanon. As indicated once again in our. vote in the General Assembly yesterday evening,’ Israel continues to support the indepen- 48. In this connection, I find myself in accord with the representative of Lebanon that the restoration of. peace in Lebanon and the solution of all its problems must not be made contingent on the attain~ment of an overall solution of the Arab-Israel conflict and should not await that overall~solution of the conflict. Regrettably, it is precisely those forces that have been working against peace in the Middle East in general that have also undermined thesovereignty of.Lebanon and are impeding the restoration of its national independence. 49. It was in the,spirit of seeking ‘peace with-Lebanon that Israel representatives met with Lebanese representatives on 1 December at Naqoura, under&he chairmanship of the Chief of Staff of the United .Nations Truce Supervision. Organization (UNTSO). As the Secretary-General indicated. in his latest report, the Israel,representatives, at that meeting recalled that the General Armistice. Agreement wasbrought to an end by the Gove,m*ment of Lebanon by its declarations and acti.ons in ,1967, and that as a result ILMAC, established under that Agreement, has also ceased to exist. However, with the desire to improve the existing situation, Israel certainly welcomes direct meetings with representatives of Lebanon. 50. Before concluding, I* should like totake this opportunity of paying a tribute to the Commander of UNIFIL, Major-General Erskine, and his staff, as:well as to the officers and men serving with UNIFIL. They cq out their duties in circumstances which are often arduous and,trying. I should also like to express again- Israel’s appreciation to countries contributing contingents. to UNIFIL in the service of international peaces . . 5’1. Mr. TROYANOVSKY (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) (interpretation fiorn Russian): Mr. President, first of all I should like to welcome you in your responsible post of President of the Council and to wish you every success in your work. I should also like to express my g.ratitude to your predecessor in the post of President, Ambassador Parsons of the United Kingdom, for the. very successful way in which he guided the work. of the Council in November. 52, Hardly a week passes without aIarming news reachlngusfrom southern Lebanon about the ongoing explosive. situation that prevails in that area, the deterioration of which harbours within itself a serious threat to peace and security, for the peoples of the Middle: East and. h,as, a. detrimental effect on the international situation as a whole., /’ 53. The. reasons for such a situation can be found in the aggressive policies which Israel systematically 59. The Soviet delegation considers that the resolution just adopted by the Council is a weak one since it contains no condemnation of the aggressive actions of Israel and the Haddad separatists that are acting on its orders. * 1 60. The Soviet delegation would like to stress that, in connection with our consideration of the mandate of the United Nations forces in Lebanon, the Council should have adopted a ,resolution which clearly and unambiguously required Israel strictly to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon, within the confines of its internationally recognized boundaries and also to put an end to ‘any intervention carried out directly or through the Haddad separatists in its pay in the internal affairs of this independent Member State; 54. Israel’s armed provocations, which have grown more frequent since August, and the provocations of the anti-Government separatist detachments that are in Israel’s pay have led to an abrupt exacerbation of the situation in southern Lebanon. Massed.artillery fire was launched against many regions of Lebanese:territory, including regions.. where units of the ,.United Nations forces were deployed. ! 55. There can be no doubt that the activities of Haddad’s anti-governmental formations-which can only be regarded as Israel’s direct agents-are aimed at satisfying the expansionist designs of Tel Aviv and will iead to the virtual annexation of part of Lebanese territory. 61. One may quite legitimately wonder how long the Council.intends to acquiesce in a situation where one of. the Member, States grossly and blatantly violates the spirit and the letter of the Charter and cynically flouts the resolutions of the Council aimed at bringing about the normalization of the situation in southern Lebanon. Has the Council no means that would permit it to force the Israeli aggressors to respect the opinion and wishes of the international community? 62. It is a matter of regret that recently there has been frequent evidence of a determined effort to alter the nature and orientation of the United Nations fames’ mandate and to vest inappropriate functions in those forces. An attempt is being made to ignore the undisputed fact that resolution 425 (1978) pursuant to which those forces were set up, quite dearly and unambiguously defined their purpose as that of first and foremost confirming the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all Lebanese territory. 56. As is abundantly clear from the numerous letters from the representative of Lebanon to the Secretary- General and the President of the Security Council, Israel’s provocations andhose of its minions continue to the present day. In this connection, the situation in southern Lebanon, and. throughout the Middle East region is becoming ever more heated, bringing increasing privations to the Lebanese people and to the Palestinian refugees. 63. In this connection, the Soviet delegation feels it essential once again to emphasize that it is inadmissible, to use United’ Nations forces in southern Lebanon for purposes that go beyond eliminating the consequences of Israeli aggression in that country. 57. All these aggressive actions by Israel can, be regarded only as gross, violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty and of the fundamental principles of the Charter, which Israel undertook to respect when it became a Member of our Organization. These provocations give further proof of the stubborn reluctance of the Israeli leaders to heed the opinion of the international community. The reason for this is that Tel Aviv expects to enjoy total impunity in view of the position of the United States, which has not allowed the Council to take any effective steps against the virtuaily uninterrupted Israeli aggression. 64. The delegation of the Soviet Union abstained in the vote on the draft resolution and considers it necessary to confirm its position of principle regarding the United Nations forces in Lebanon, including the question of control of these forces by the Council, the principles underlying the selection of the national contingents and the methods of financing the forces. 58, As has frequently been pointed out before in the Council, after the signing of the separate treaty with Egypt which untied the hands of the ag-

Mr. President, permit 66. In resolution 425 (1978), the Council unambiguously demanded that Israel, the aggressor, should respect the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon and completely evacuate Lebanese territory. On 24 April last, the Council adopted resolution 467 (1980) and once again condemned Israel for violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon. ‘. . 67. Today it can be seen that the situation has not changed for the better, but rather has deteriorated. The Secretary-General’s report indicates that Israeli strong points have been set up directly on Lebanese territory, which represents an ‘obvious violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon, a State Member of the United Nations. The Qovemment of ‘Lebanon has frequently had occasion to protest against these arbitrary acts on the part of Israel and has drawn the attention of the Council to them. 68. The aims and intentions’ of the ruling circles in Israel have remained unchanged for many years now. The targets are to detach the southern part of Lebanon from the Lebanese State and destroy the Palestinian’ .refugee camps in order to sap that people’s will to attain freedom. The most recent Israeli acts of aggression and the further arming of the Haddad bands in the pay of Israel leave no doubt about Israel’s resolve to ignore the fundamental rights of the Arab people of Palestine and the Lebanese people. 69. The disquieting behaviour of imperialist elements of the United States imperialists in the Middle and Near East and their policy aimed at generally exacerbating the international situation are regarded by Israel as creating the most auspicious climate for the escalation of its own aggressive action against ‘the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples. As in the past, Israel, the aggressor, is given economic and military support by the United States. The responsibility of those in imperialist circles that have given Israel direct assistance or have resisted any condemnation of its aggressive acts is indisputable. At its thirty-fifth session, the General Assembly made its o.wn weighty comment on this subject. 70. The German Democratic Republic, together with other socialist States and peace-loving countries, has consistently favoured a just and durable political settlement to the Middle East conflict. It is essential that Israeli troops be withdrawn from all the Arab territories occupied in 1967, that the Arab people of 71. There can be no doubt that the military forces that are acting on behalf of the United Nations are subject. to the decisions of the Security. Council alone. The resolution which has just been adopted has a number of defects. It provides no decisive measures which would be likely to put an end to Israel’s machinations and those of the Haddad bands. The delegation of the German Democratic Republic abstained in the vote since we continue to have reservations about the way in which the mandate of the .United Nations forces in Lebanon is formulated, and also &bout its composition and financing.

Mr. President, since my delegation has not yet had occasion to do so, permit me first of all to congratulate you on the assumption of the Presidency of the Cuuncil’ for the ,month of December. I am pleased to $ee you, the representative of a great and frie.ndlynation with which France has a close relationship, occupying that position. Your diplomatic experience, your knowledge of the United Nations and the success you have had throughout your career among us ‘are a sure guarantee of the assurance and the effectiveness with which you will conduct our work. 73. I alsowish to thank your predecessor, the repre-‘ sentative of the-United Kingdom, Sir Anthony Parsons, for the exemplary manner in which he directed our debates last month. 74. In joining in the decisionjust taken by the Council to renew for six months the mandate of UNIFIL, my delegation wishes to emphasize the importance it attaches to the mission of the Force in Lebanon. At the same time, we wish to. stress that the objectives established for the Force in resolution 425 (1978) continue to be fundamental. They are, it will be recalled, of three kinds: to confirm the withdrawal of the Israeli forces; to restore international peace and security; and to assist the Lebanese Government to ensure the restoration of its effective authority in the region. 75. Now, as is noted by the Secretary-General in his report, UNIFIL has not been able fully to accomplish its task&spite&e. intensive and praiseworthy efforts which have been.made at all levels. 76. Inthat connection, we tind’the events mentioned by the Secretary-General in his observations profoundly reprehensible. Referring to armed elements, he says that two positions were recently set up in the UNIFIL area, andthis has. led to serious incidents with UNIFIL troops, that the de facto forces haves continued to resist further deployment of UNIFIL in 84. I should also like to say how much we appreciate and are grateful for the remarkable, exemplary and typically British manner in which the representative of the United Kingdom, Sir Anthony Parsons, guided our work during the month of November. 77. We fully support the recommendations of the Secretary-General in paragraph 68 of his report. It is absolutely essential for all the parties to co-operate fully with the Force in the attainment of the.objectives of its mandate. In this spirit, we appeal urgently to all the parties concerned scrupulously to respect the cease-fire called for by the Council, to avoid all acts likely to provoke violent reactions and to make resolute efforts to bring about the consolidation of the UNIFIL area. 85. Once again the situation in the Middle East is on the Council’s agenda; once again we are called upon to express our anxiety and concern over a situation which knows no respite and which is becoming increasingly dangerous; and once again we are faced with the same difliculties and the same obstacles, namely, the obstinacy of one of the parties concerned in pursuing a policy of hegemony and arrogant defiance of the international .communitp. 78. I reaflirm in this connection that ‘my country regards the territorial integrity, sovereignty and politi.cal independence of Lebanon as. of vital .importance, The significance ,of the unanimous vote last night in the plenary meeting of the General. Assembly* should escape no one. -: 86. In its resolution 425(1978), the Council entrusted to UNIFIL a very clear mandate and specific objectives: essentially, they are to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, to restore international peace and security and to assist the Lebanese Govemment in. ensuring the restoration of its effective authority in the area. 79. My delegation welcomes the efforts made by the Se&eta&General to reactivate ILMAC, which led to the preparatory meeting on 1 December. That is a positive development which deserves to be pursued and which we strongly encourage. 80. The Force has been given a mandate to assist the Lebanese Government to restore its effective authority in the area. We appreciate that Government’s desire to increase its military as well as civilian presence in the area and we welcome the pursuit of that effort. 87. We must note today that UNIFIL has not been able ‘completely to fulfil its mandate. According to ihe Secretary-General’s report, it has been prevented from making progress towards the full implementation of the objectives set out in resolution 425 (1978). 88. The difficulties the Force has met in implementing its mandate have indeed emerged from all sides. In total impunity Israel has established positions along the international frontier, increased its presence in the enclave, violated the air space and the territorial waters of a sovereign State and multiplied its attacks against targets inside Lebanon. The de facto forces, supported and supplied by Israel, as is stressed by the Secretary- General, are opposing the deployment of UNIFIL, restricting its freedom of movement and that of its personnel, reducing its observer capacity, and directly attacking UNIFIL personnel and the local population of the area. 81. In conclusion, I wish, on behalfof my delegation, to congratulate and to thank General Erskine for the remarkable way in which he has discharged his responsibilities as Commander of the Force since the beginning of its mission and to offer our best wishes in the pursuit of his career. Our congratulations and best wishes at the end of the year are also addressed to allZhe officers and all the members of the Force.

Mr. President, during the month of December it is our privilege to have you guiding our deliberations. In assuming the Presidency of the Council, you have once again given us the opportunity to witness your great talents and further to appreciate the diplomatic tact and know-how we have come to expect of you and which you have always coupled with a sense of effectiveness and responsibility. 89. The facts are clear and intolerable, the responsibilities obvious and acknowledged. Indeed, in paragraph 62 of his report the Secretary-General states that the Israeli authorities have not extended to the Force the degree of co-operation it requires, while, in paragraph 60, he indicates that the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization has renewed its assurances of co-operation with the Force, and he welcomes the positive collaboration of the Lebanese Government. In this connection we cannot but join 83. In addressing to you its sincere congratulations, my delegation is pleased to assure you of its complete co-operation in order to assist you in bringing to a happy conclusion the mission which has been conferred 90. Our commitment to the principles contained in the Charter, as well as our explicit responsibility with regard to peace-keeping, dictate that we must refuse to accept the prevailing status quo as constituting an irreversible fait accompli. Israel must understand, once and for all, that it must withdraw from Lebanon completely and unconditionally and end its direct or indirect activities inside Lebanon’s international borders. Only thus will that country, to which we are all committed, regain its unity, its sovereignty and its political independence. 91. The Council, in its wisdom, has iust adopted a resolution renewing the mandate. of IJNIFIL for the coming six months. It has taken an important step towards a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the problem of the Middle East, which cannot be divorced from the situation prevailing in southern Lebanon. We hope that the Force will be able fully to carry out the task entrusted to it by the Council with a view, precisely, to allowing Lebanon definitively to recover its effective authority in the area. 92. In this connection I wish to express through you, Mr. President, my delegation’s thanks to the Secretary-General for the excellent report he has submitted to us and the tireless efforts he is making together with the Council. Those words of thanks are also addressed to the countries that are directly contributing to this important peace-keeping operation as well as to the staff of UNIFIL and UNTSO.

Mr. President, it gives my delegation satisfaction to see you presiding over the work of the Council. Your vast diplomatic experience and skill assure us that the presidency is in the best of hands. 94. I should also like to pay a tribute to the representative of the United Kingdom, Sir Anthony Parsons, for the tactful and competent manner in which he guided the Council’s work last month. 95. Norway, as a troop-contributor to UNIFIL, notes with particular concern and regret that once more the Secretary-General has had to report to the Council that, despite strenuous efforts at all levels, UNIFIL has been prevented from making further progress towards implementing fully the objectives of resolution 425 (1978). 96. We compliment the Secretary-General for his sustained efforts, but, like the Force itself, he is dependent on the co-operation of the parties, and such co-operation has not been forthcoming. On the contrary, the report before us shows clearly that there is a lack of co-operation on the part of all the parties 97. Norway joined UNIFIL, convinced that the Force would perform, as the Secretary-General says in paragraph 66 of his report, “an indispensable service to peace, not only in southern Lebanon, but with regard to the Middle East situation in general’*. 98. We also thought-and still think-that it would be in the best interest&of all the parties involved for them to extend their full co-operation to UNIFIL. We would thus on this occasion renew our appeal to them to act accordingly. The dangerous situation which would arise if the Furce were to be withdrawn could benefit no one and wouId have disastrous co.nsequences, in particular for the entire region. 99. Norway therefore supports the renewal of the mandate of UNIFIL and is ready to continue its participation in the Force. It is our hope that practical ways and means can be found to, implement fully UNIFIL’s mandate in its entire area of operation up to the internationally recognized borders of Lebano-n. Respect for the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of Lebanon is a prerequisite for the restoration of Lebanese control over its territory. Thus all armed ,incursions across its borders have to cease forthwith. 100. My Government has not failed to take note.of the fact that the Chief of Staff of UNTSO-in accordance with the expressed will of the Council-has continued his efforts towards the reactivation of ILMAC, and that.@-meeting.between senior Israeli andLebanese offtcers took place under hischairmanship on 1 December. We hope that this development-among the few positive features of the repo-rt before us-can result in further meetings and gradually meet the objectives laid down in resolution 467 (1980). 101. I would fail in my duty if I did not draw the attentio.nof the members of the Council to the regret: table fact that the financing of this important peacekeeping operation leaves much to be desired. This increases the burden of, thosecountries which are troop-contributors. Once more I want to stress that Norway regards it, to be the collective responsibility of the international community to contribute to peacekeeping operations of this kind. 102. In conclusion, let me express once more our deep appreciation to the Secretary-General, to the Commander of’UNIFIL, Major-General Erskine, and his staff; both civilian and military, and to all the offtcers and men of UNIFIL, for the competent and brave way in which they are discharging their duties in a complex situation. Their contribution to peace is in accordance with the fundamental purpose of the United Nations.

I now call on the representative of-Lebanon. who has asked to exercise his right of reply. 8, 112. Once again, the United States urges all the parties to co-operate in the spirit and the letter of resolution 425 (1978) in which UNIFIL was charged with the critical task of restoring international peace and security in its area of operation and with assisting the Government of Lebanon to ensure the return of its effective authority in south Lebanon. 105. I should like to stress three points. 106. First, the condition sine qua non for the implementation of any resolution adopted by the Council is the withdrawal of Israel. There is no better testimony of Israel’s intention not to withdraw than the statement that we have listened to today and the pronouncements by Israel about its right to carry out a policy of pre-emptive strikes inside my country. 113. The United States is particularly concerned that the mobility of the Force, including the Observer Group, should in no way be threatened. In our view, any impeding of the ability of the Force to move at will would be a grave limitation on its effectiveness. 114. Finally, we wish to record our admiration for the tireless &or& of the Security Council and of the Secretary-General, of Mr. Urquhart and his staff, and of General Erskine and his officers and men. Their determination and professionalism has ensured important achievements for UNIFIL. The Force, above all, has provided a measure of comfort to the people of south Lebanon, while at the same time ensuring that local clashes do not escalate into regional confrontation. 107. Secondly, the presence in my country of Syrian troops as an Arab deterrent force and of the Palestinians is not on the agenda. It is a legitimate decision of the Arab community, to which we belong, and what happens between us and the Syrians and the Palestinians is our concern-and our concern alone. I think my country has displayed sufficient attachment to the principles of sovereignty and independence for us not to need any lessons from anybody on this particular point. 108. Thirdly, I would emphasize that UNIFIL -which we are all supporting, and in which so many people from so many countries are investing human sacrifices and shedding their blood-can succeed only if the Israeli Government is prepared to cease its aggressive, expansionist policy and to allow the cycle of violence to be broken once and for all. 115. The deployment of Lebanese army forces in areas maintained by UNIFIL has contributed to the hope shared by all members of the Council and by the people of Lebanon that the Lebanese Government will be able to reassert its authority in the south so that there may be an end to the disruption and suffering there.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as representative of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 116. Members of the Council, I close, you will note,, without dignifying by a response the comments made by my colleagues from the German Democratic Republic and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. 110. We meet today to consider the seventh renewal of the mandate of UNIFIL. Once again, the Secretary- General has observed in his report that, despite strenuous efforts, the Force has been unable to make further progress towards implementing resolution 425 (1978). On behalf of the United States, I wish to comment specifically on the commendable efforts of the Secretary-General to work towards fulfilling the intention of the Council that UNIFIL be in fact an interim Force. The meeting rose at I .20 p.m. NOTE ’ Oficial Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-fifth Session, Plenary Meetings, 98th meeting. HOW TO OBTAIN UNITED NATIONS PUBLICATIONS United Nations publications may be obtained from bookstores and distributors throughout the world. Consult your bookstore or write to: United Nations, Sales Section. New York or Geneva. COMMENT SE PROCURER LES PUBLICATIONS DES NATIONS UNIES Lcs publications des Nations Unies sont en vente dans les librairies et la agences depositaires du monde cntier. Informcz-vous aupres de votre libraire ou adressez-vous I! : Nations Unies, Section des ventes, New York ou Geneve. KAIC IIOJIYYIlTh UOAAHUR OPI-AHUBAI[ZIM OKhEAHHEHHhIX HAIUIH M3nariuft Oprami3asrrn O@benmienxbrx Haunt'+ ~oxwo XynsTb 8 KHHMILIX Mara- 3HWaX H areHTCTBaX BO X%X pafionax Mupa. HasonHTe CnpaBKH 06 HIAaHHfiX a aauxex xm~mfo~ bfara3wre HIIH ~HLUHTB no anpecy: Oprann384m 06zexnwiixbrX Haunfi. CeKsHfl no nponaxe HaaannR, HbIO-MOpK HBH )KenaEa. COMO CONSECUIR PUBLICACIONES DE LAS NACIONES UNIDAS Las publicaciones de las Naciones Unidas estan en venta en libretias y casas distribuidoras en todas pattes del mundo. Consulte a su librero o dirijase a: Naciones Unidas, Secci6n de Ventas. Nueva York o Ginebra.