UN chief extends for UNIFIL in South Lebanon

The secretary general of the Arab league AL Kofi Annan yesterday recommended the extension for the UN Interim forces in South Lebanon UNIFIL whose mission expires on January 31st, for other 6 months.

In a report he submitted to the UN Security Council and published yesterday, the UN chief said that the border area between Lebanon and Israel remains "calm and the number of incidents has greatly decreased." He added that extending UNIFIL's mission is requested by the Lebanese government, noting that he will not ask for reducing the number of troops once again after their number was reduced from 3246 troopers to 2004 recently.

In his report Annan said "hostility which prevails the relations between the two sides ( Lebanon and Israel) has become calm because of a desire showed by the two sides, and enhanced by international pressures for maintaining self- control." However, he added "tensions on the blue line are partially resulting from an unstable regional condition that makes reaching a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East a persisting necessity."