Security Council members stress Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ force in Lebanon must have free movement 

22 July Members of the Security Council today stressed that the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµIFIL) must be able to operate freely, and called for an end to clashes in the area, according to the President of the 15-member body.

“Members of the Council insisted that all the violations of the ceasefire should stop – there had been too many in recent weeks – [and] that Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµIFIL should be allowed to do its job on the ground without impediment,” Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock of the United Kingdom told reporters following closed-door consultations.

“There are still problems of access for Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµIFIL and that point was strongly stressed this morning,” he observed, noting that “there was otherwise warm commendation from the Council for what Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµIFIL is doing on the ground.” He added the members also lauded the work of the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative for southern Lebanon, Steffan De Mistura.

Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµIFIL’s mandate will expire on 31 July, and Ambassador Greenstock predicted Council action before then, noting that the delegation of France had put forward a draft resolution on the subject which was currently under discussion.