During the meeting, the aspects related to the UNIFIL mandate contained in the UN Security Council's 1701 resolution were addressed, in particular the cooperation between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
At the end of the talks, General Serra expressed sincere gratitude for the concrete support received by the Lebanese authorities in support of the mission. "I have renewed my personal commitment to Lebanon for more than two years since the assumption of the command, for the effective performance of UNIFIL operations and for our mandate as defined by the UN Security Council's 1701 Resolution".
"UNIFIL operates in Lebanon with the consent of the parties. Therefore all our efforts, together with the activities on the ground, develop in close coordination with the host country. The synergy with the Lebanese armed forces has contributed to a substantial improvement in security in southern Lebanon and my priority is to continue on this path of "strategic partnership".
"The support of the country's leadership, which is fundamental for the success of our mission, and the solid link with the people of South Lebanon, whose security is always at the center of our attention, are essential for me to support the achievement of objectives of the mission "concluded General Serra.
The UNIFIL mission currently consists of about 12.000 military personnel from 38 nations with 1000 civilian representatives, including local 700 and international 300. The data supplied also includes the strong naval component of 7 ships and 1000 sailors, constituting the Maritime Task Force operating along the Lebanese coasts and the ITALAIR air unit composed of 6 helicopters.
Source / photo: UNIFIL MPIO, Maj. Antonio Bernardo
