Explanation of vote by Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia after UNSC vote on a draft resolution on renewal of the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
Mme.President,
Russia abstained during the vote on a draft Security Council resolution (put forward by the delegation of France) on renewal of the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon because of a number of highly contentious changes that were made to the text at the final stage of a very challenging negotiations process.
We regret that the final draft that was put to vote today failed to maintain a fragile compromise that the penholders had discovered.
We have consistently and invariably proceeded from the need to take on board the opinion of the host country of a UN peacekeeping contingent. In this case, it is Lebanon whose leadership has repeatedly conveyed to the members of the Security Council an unequivocal message on the need to strengthen the coordination of UNIFIL with the government and army of the Republic, i.a. for ensuring the protection and security of United Nations personnel on the ground.
We would like to underscore that our position at the vote is explained only by our disagreement with some language of the resolution. This being said, we unfailingly support activities of UNIFIL, which plays a stabilizing role against the persistent tension on the Blue Line. We wish to hope that the resolution we adopted today will not complicate the situation in southern Lebanon.
We call on the leadership of UNIFIL to continue coordinating their steps in the operation zone with the government of Lebanon.
Thank you.
