Security Council resolution 1461 (2003) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)]
Symbol: S/RES/1461(2003)
Date: 2003-01-30
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/58 [57] UN INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON
S/58 [54] MIDDLE EAST SITUATION
S/58 [56] ISRAEL--LEBANON
Subjects: UN Interim Force in Lebanon|UN Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|INTERNAL SECURITY|MAPS|LEBANON|MIDDLE EAST SITUATION|SOVEREIGNTY|ARMED FORCES|FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT|TROOP WITHDRAWAL|VIOLENCE|STAFF SECURITY|CEASEFIRES|MINE CLEARANCE|CONTRIBUTIONS-IN-KIND|CONSULTATIONS|REPORT PREPARATION
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ANGOLA
vote: yes
country: BULGARIA
vote: yes
country: CAMEROON
vote: yes
country: CHILE
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GERMANY
vote: yes
country: GUINEA
vote: yes
country: MEXICO
vote: yes
country: PAKISTAN
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SPAIN
vote: yes
country: SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                  S/RES/1461 (2003)
               Security Council                                                Distr.: General
                                                                               30 January 2003




               Resolution 1461 (2003)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 4696th meeting, on
               30 January 2003

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon, in particular resolutions
               425 (1978) and 426 (1978) of 19 March 1978 and 1428 (2002) of 30 July 2002 as
               well as the statements of its President on the situation in Lebanon, in particular the
               statement of 18 June 2000 (S/PRST/2000/21),
                   Recalling further the letter from its President to the Secretary-General of
               18 May 2001 (S/2001/500),
                     Recalling also the Secretary-General’s conclusion that, as of 16 June 2000,
               Israel had withdrawn its forces from Lebanon in accordance with resolution
               425 (1978) and met the requirements defined in the Secretary-General’s report of
               22 May 2000 (S/2000/460), as well as the Secretary-General’s conclusion that the
               United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) had essentially completed two
               of the three parts of its mandate, focusing now on the remaining task of restoring
               international peace and security,
                    Emphasizing the interim nature of UNIFIL,
                    Recalling its resolution 1308 (2000) of 17 July 2000,
                    Recalling also its resolution 1325 (2000) of 31 October 2000,
                    Recalling further the relevant principles contained in the Convention on the
               Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel adopted on 9 December 1994,
                    Responding to the request of the Government of Lebanon, as stated in the letter
               from its Permanent Representative to the United Nations of 9 January 2003 to the
               Secretary-General (S/2003/36),
                    1.   Endorses the report of the Secretary-General on UNIFIL of 14 January
               2003 (S/2003/38), and in particular its recommendation to renew the mandate of
               UNIFIL for a further period of six months;
                    2.    Decides to extend the present mandate until 31 July 2003;
                     3.   Takes note of the completion of the reconfiguration of UNIFIL as
               outlined in paragraph 26 of the Secretary-General’s report (S/2003/38) and in


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S/RES/1461 (2003)


               accordance with the letter of the President of the Security Council of 18 May 2001
               (S/2001/500);
                     4.    Reiterates its strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and
               political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized boundaries;
                     5.    Commends the Government of Lebanon for taking steps to ensure the
               return of its effective authority throughout the south, including the deployment of
               Lebanese armed forces, and calls on it to continue to extend these measures and to
               do its utmost to ensure a calm environment throughout the south;
                     6.   Calls on the parties to ensure UNIFIL is accorded full freedom of
               movement in the discharge of its mandate throughout its area of operation as
               outlined in the Secretary-General’s report;
                    7.    Reiterates its call on the parties to continue to fulfil the commitments
               they have given to respect fully the withdrawal line identified by the United
               Nations, as set out in the Secretary-General’s report of 16 June 2000 (S/2000/590),
               to exercise utmost restraint and to cooperate fully with the United Nations and
               UNIFIL;
                     8.    Condemns all acts of violence, expresses great concern about the serious
               breaches and the air, sea and land violations of the withdrawal line, and urges the
               parties to put an end to these violations and to abide scrupulously by their obligation
               to respect the safety of UNIFIL and other United Nations personnel;
                    9.    Supports the continued efforts of UNIFIL to maintain the ceasefire along
               the withdrawal line through mobile patrols and observation from fixed positions and
               through close contacts with the parties to correct violations, resolve incidents and
               prevent their escalation;
                     10. Welcomes the continued contribution of UNIFIL to operational demining,
               encourages further assistance in mine action by the United Nations to the
               Government of Lebanon in support of both the continued development of its
               national mine action capacity and emergency demining activities in the south,
               commends donor countries for supporting these efforts through financial and in-kind
               contributions and encourages further international contributions, takes note of the
               communication to the Government of Lebanon and UNIFIL of maps and
               information on the location of mines and stresses the necessity to provide the
               Government of Lebanon and UNIFIL with any additional maps and records on the
               location of mines;
                     11. Requests the Secretary-General to continue consultations with the
               Government of Lebanon and other parties directly concerned on the implementation
               of this resolution and to report thereon to the Council before the end of the present
               mandate as well as on the activities of UNIFIL and the tasks presently carried out by
               the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO);
                    12.   Looks forward to the early fulfilment of the mandate of UNIFIL;
                     13. Stresses the importance of, and the need to achieve, a comprehensive,
               just and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on all its relevant resolutions
               including its resolution 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967 and 338 (1973) of
               22 October 1973.




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