Belgian defense minister pays visit to his country UNIFIL troops

Source: Daily Star, 28-12-2007
SOUTH LEBANON: Belgium's Defense Minister Pieter De Crem said Thursday that his country's contingent of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) would continue to work with the international force in an effort to implement the 1701 Resolution and establish a permanent peace in South Lebanon.
De Crem made his comments during a visit to the Hosn area in South Lebanon, where he laid a wreath on a statue commemorating the three Belgian soldiers who died in a car accident in Kfar Shuba last April.
"The Belgian troops will continue to work under the UN flag on all humanitarian levels in a bid to encourage dialogue and sow a permanent peace," De Crem said. Belgium has 370 soldiers in Lebanon as part of the UN peacekeeping force.
Earlier in the day, De Crem visited the base of the Belgian troops in Tall Akareb, west of Tibnin, and was accompanied by Belgian Ambassador to Lebanon Johan Verkammen, in addition to several UN officers.
De Crem also visited UNIFIL's headquarters in Naqoura, where the Belgian troop's commander offered the minister a detailed description of the humanitarian and social work being carried out by his soldiers.