United Nations Security Council Resolution 1884 – The Middle East
Resolution 1884 (2009)
The Security Council,
Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon, in particular resolutions 425 (1978), 426 (1978), 1559 (2004), 1680 (2006), 1701 (2006), 1773 (2007) and 1832 (2008), as well as the statements of its President on the situation in Lebanon,
Responding to the request of the Government of Lebanon to extend the mandate of UNIFIL for a new period of one year without amendment presented in a letter from the Lebanese Foreign Minister to the Secretary-General of 4 July 2009 and welcoming the letter from the Secretary-General to its President of 6 August 2009 (S/2009/407) recommending this extension,
Reaffirming its commitment to the full implementation of all provisions of resolution 1701 (2006), and aware of its responsibilities to help secure a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution as envisioned in the resolution,
Calling upon all concerned parties to strengthen their efforts to implement all provisions of resolution 1701 (2006),
Expressing deep concern at all violations in connection with resolution 1701 (2006), in particular the latest serious violations highlighted in the Secretary-General’s letter of 6 August 2009 and emphasizing the importance of the establishment between the Blue Line and the Litani River of an area free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the Government of Lebanon and UNIFIL, and, to that end, encouraging further coordination between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces,
Calling upon all parties concerned to respect the Blue Line in its entirety, including through Ghajar, and encouraging the parties to coordinate further with UNIFIL, to visibly mark the Blue Line,
Recalling the relevant principles contained in the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel,
Commending the active role and dedication of the personnel of UNIFIL, notably of its Commander, and expressing its strong appreciation to Member States that contribute to UNIFIL and underlining the necessity that UNIFIL have at its disposal all necessary means and equipment to carry out its mandate,
Recalling the request from the Government of Lebanon to deploy an international force to assist it to exercise its authority throughout the territory and reaffirming UNIFIL’s authority to take all necessary action in areas of operations of its forces and as it deems within its capabilities, to ensure that its area of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind and to resist attempts by forceful means to prevent it from discharging its mandate,
Welcoming the efforts of the Secretary-General to keep all peacekeeping operations, including UNIFIL, under close review and stressing the need for the Council to pursue a rigorous, strategic approach to peacekeeping deployments,
Calling upon Member States to assist the Lebanese Armed Forces as needed to enable it to perform its duties, in line with resolution 1701 (2006),
Determining that the situation in Lebanon continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security,
- Decides to extend the present mandate of UNIFIL until 31 August 2010;
2. Commends the positive role of UNIFIL, whose deployment together with the Lebanese Armed Forces has helped to establish a new strategic environment in southern Lebanon, and welcomes the expansion of coordinated activities between UNIFIL and the Lebanese armed forces and encourages further enhancement of this cooperation;
3. Strongly calls upon all parties concerned to respect the cessation of hostilities and the Blue Line in its entirety and to cooperate fully with the United Nations and UNIFIL and to abide scrupulously by their obligation to respect the safety of UNIFIL and other United Nations personnel, including by avoiding any course of action which endangers United Nations personnel and by ensuring UNIFIL is accorded full freedom of movement within its area of operation;
4. Urges all parties to cooperate fully with the Security Council and the Secretary-General to achieve a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution as envisioned in resolution 1701 (2006), and emphasizes the need for greater progress in this regard;
5. Welcomes the efforts being undertaken by UNIFIL to implement the Secretary-General’s zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to ensure full compliance of its personnel with the United Nations code of conduct, requests the Secretary-General to continue to take all necessary action in this regard and to keep the Security Council informed, and urges troop-contributing countries to take preventive and disciplinary action to ensure that such acts are properly investigated and punished in cases involving their personnel;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to report to the Council on the implementation of resolution 1701 (2006), every four months, or at any time as he deems appropriate;
7. Welcomes in this regard receiving as soon as possible the conclusions of the review of the operational capacity of UNIFIL, including the force structure, assets and requirements that will be conducted, as referred to in the Secretary-General’s letter of 6 August 2009, during the coming months, in an effort to ensure, along with peacekeeping good practice, that the Mission’s assets and resources are configured most appropriately to fulfil its mandated tasks;
8. Stresses the importance of, and the need to achieve, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on all its relevant resolutions including its resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967, 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973, and 1515 (2003) of 19 November 2003;
9. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
Adopted by the Security Council at its 6183rd meeting, on 27 August 2009.
