A Vietnamese representative to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has called on the concerned parties to intensify efforts towards peaceful settlement in Lebanon.

Addressing the UNSC’s Nov. 10 debate on the implementation of Resolution 1701 on Lebanon , the Vietnamese Deputy Representative to the council, Ambassador Bui The Giang noted the overall stable situation during the period under review in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)’s area of operations.

He welcomed the formation of a national unity government in Lebanon after five months of negotiations with serious efforts of unity, dialogue and cooperation exerted by the Lebanese parties, and commended the continued tripartite cooperation between the parties and the UNIFIL to visibly mark the Blue Line and resolve issues of mutual interests.

However, the Vietnamese diplomat expressed his concern about the security incidents and rocket firings into Israel , the daily intrusions into the Lebanese airspace by Israeli aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles and its persistent occupation of the northern part of Ghajar village and an adjacent of land north of the Blue Line.

He also complained the lingering fatalities and injuries among civilians due to unexploded ordnance left from the 2006 conflict, and the absence of progress on the issue of Shab’a Farms.

“This fragile situation requires from the parties concerned maximum restraint and intensified diplomatic and political efforts towards peaceful settlement of the remaining disputes and the full implementation of Resolution 1701,” Giang said.

He urged Israel to strictly observe international law and relevant resolutions of the UNSC, particularly by immediately ceasing all land, sea and air violations of Lebanese territory, and providing additional information on its technical strike data as requested.

He expressed hope that the new government of Lebanon would further efforts to address the many challenges the country is facing, including the need to improve the living conditions of local Palestinian refugees and rebuild the destroyed Nahr al-Bared camp.

The Ambassador commended the UNIFIL’s performance of its mandated tasks and the Lebanese Armed Forces’ capacity improvement to assume security responsibility across the country.

He underlined the importance of common endeavours of all concerned parties to ensure the safety and security of UN peacekeepers, humanitarian workers and the local population.

In conclusion, he reiterated Vietnam’s support to the collective efforts by the UN, the League of Arab States, regional countries and the international community aimed at a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East on the basis of relevant UNSC resolutions, which remains interdependent with the full territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon./.