Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

The mandate is more robust. In my reply I quoted the terms of the UN resolution laying out the mandate for UNIFIL. It includes the phrase "to resist attempts by forceful means to prevent it from discharging its duties under the mandate of the Security Council". This is not a typical run-of-the-mill Chapter VI-type resolution. Chapter VI-type resolutions generally come into play when a ceasefire is in operation, as it is in this case, admittedly. Generally, Chapter VI operations involve patrolling, monitoring and observing.

It is contemplated that attempts may be made to prevent UNIFIL from discharging its mandate and it is given the right to resist those attempts by forceful means. The provision, although not covered by a typical Chapter VI-type resolution, is designated a Chapter VI provision by the United Nations.

I take the point Deputy Gormley made yesterday that the people of Lebanon probably just want a Chapter VI mission rather than a Chapter VII mission. However, we have already engaged in Chapter VII operations. Such missions involved Liberia and Kosovo, and we are therefore well aware of the dangers.

The disarmament of Hizbollah is a difficult matter which has been fudged somewhat by the United Nations. The general understanding is that it is a matter for the Lebanese Government. Granted, part of our UNIFIL mandate in southern Lebanon is to support the Lebanese army as it redeploys through the region and re-establishes its authority. It is very unclear whether it is envisaged that UNIFIL troops will be accompanying the Lebanese army in confronting and disarming Hizbollah.

When the UN General Secretary referred to an overall agreement, I believe he meant it would certainly involve the Shebaa Farms. This is central to the issue. I cannot see how the agreement would not involve Syria and it may possibly involve Iran but I do not know the exact parameters of the General Secretary's statement. He was referring to an overall political settlement, just as disarmament took place in a part of this country in the context of an overall political settlement. I would imagine the settlement in the region in question would involve all the interested parties. It would certainly include Syria but I am not quite clear about Iran.

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