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Reuters
UNIFIL Force in Lebanon
The diplomats said the UN Security Council will extend the mandate of the peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon for another year, but will reduce its strength, amid criticism from Israel and the United States about the efficiency of the mission.
The extension of the mandate of the “UNIFIL” mission comes at a time when Lebanon is experiencing a financial crisis, a political stalemate and the consequences of a massive explosion in Beirut that killed 180 people.
France distributed a final version of consensus on Thursday, which will be put to a vote on Friday.
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A French presidential official said the renewal of the mandate is now secure, adding: “This is important for Israel and Lebanon … Hezbollah is expected to do nothing that could lead to escalation.”
A Western diplomat also stated that the mandate would be renewed, adding that the United States was satisfied with that because it had requested a detailed plan to improve the mission’s efficiency and submit a report to the council within 60 days.
The draft resolution has been toughened, as it requires UNIFIL access to the tunnels discovered in the Blue Line and that the Lebanese authorities investigate them, and condemns efforts to restrict the mission’s movements.
Source: Reuters
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