Ban’s 13th Biannual Report on Res. 1559 Implementation: Blatant Interference in Lebanese Internal Affairs

Local Editor

Ban wrote in his 13th biannual report on the implementation of U.N. Resolution 1559 in which he claimed that the political polarization in Lebanon has increased markedly in the last six months, namely over the as-yet-unreleased indictment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
Ban said that in the last six months there has been no tangible progress toward the implementation of the remaining provisions of the resolution, "in particular in the context of domestic political tensions."

He said the delineation of the Syrian-Lebanese border has not taken place, adding that the existence and activities of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias continue to pose a threat to the stability of Lebanon and the region.

Ban issued an appeal to the Hizbullah leadership to "disarm and transform into an exclusively political party."
Ban also called on regional states to "support and assist" Hizbullah in its disarmament, "in the best interest of regional peace and stability."

Ban dedicated a significant part of the report to explaining that the delineation and demarcation of Lebanon's boundaries were an essential element in guaranteeing the country's territorial integrity. He said only Lebanon designated its participants to the joint Lebanese-Syrian border committee tasked with demarcating the common border, adding that delineation remains an obligation of both Beirut and Damascus under resolutions 1559 and 1980 of 2006.
"The permanent presence of such bases along the Syrian-Lebanese border adds to the general porosity of parts of the land border and poses a challenge for the control of the border by the Lebanese security forces," Ban wrote.

Ban also called on all political leaders to let go individual interests and encourage the future and interest of the country, urging them to get back to the dialogue table and reach a defense strategy.

Ban reiterated that he is "profoundly" concerned by the proliferation of non-state weapons and the deep divisions which remain over the STL.
"Preserving the stability of Lebanon and ensuring an end to impunity there is essential, if only because the Lebanese themselves have the right to both," he added.