Security Council resolution 2115 (2013) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) until 31 Aug. 2014]
Symbol: S/RES/2115 (2013)
Date: 2013-08-29
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/68 [57] UN INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON
S/68 [54] MIDDLE EAST SITUATION
S/68 [52] ISRAEL--LEBANON
Subjects: UN Interim Force in Lebanon|Lebanon. Armed Forces|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|INTERNAL SECURITY|LEBANON|MIDDLE EAST SITUATION|STAFF SECURITY|SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ARGENTINA
vote: yes
country: AUSTRALIA
vote: yes
country: AZERBAIJAN
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GUATEMALA
vote: yes
country: LUXEMBOURG
vote: yes
country: MOROCCO
vote: yes
country: PAKISTAN
vote: yes
country: REPUBLIC OF KOREA
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: RWANDA
vote: yes
country: TOGO
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                   S/RES/2115 (2013)
               Security Council                                               Distr.: General
                                                                              29 August 2013




               Resolution 2115 (2013)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 7025th meeting, on
               29 August 2013

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon, in particular resolutions 425
               (1978), 426 (1978), 1559 (2004), 1680 (2006), 1701 (2006), 1773 (2007), 1832
               (2008), 1884 (2009), 1937 (2010) and 2004 (2011), 2064 (2012) as well as the
               statements of its President on the situation in Lebanon,
                     Responding to the request of the Government of Lebanon to extend the
               mandate of UNIFIL for a new period of one year without amendment presented in a
               letter from the Lebanese Foreign Minister to the Secretary-General of 12 July 2013
               and welcoming the letter from the Secretary-General to its President of 31 July 2013
               (S/2013/457) recommending this extension,
                     Reiterating its strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and
               political independence of Lebanon,
                     Reaffirming its commitment to the full implementation of all provisions of
               resolution 1701 (2006), and aware of its responsibilities to help secure a permanent
               ceasefire and a long-term solution as envisioned in the resolution,
                    Calling upon all concerned parties to strengthen their efforts to fully
               implement all provisions of resolution 1701 (2006) without delay,
                    Expressing deep concern at all violations in connection with resolution 1701
               (2006), and looking forward to the rapid finalization of UNIFIL’s investigations
               with a view to preventing such violations in the future,
                    Welcoming the constructive role played by the tripartite mechanism in de
               escalating tensions and expressing its support for the efforts of UNIFIL to engage
               with both parties to further develop liaison and coordination arrangements,
                    Emphasizing the importance of full compliance with the prohibition on sales
               and supply of arms and related materiel established by resolution 1701,
                     Recalling the utmost importance that all parties concerned respect the Blue
               Line in its entirety, welcoming the continued progress in the marking of the Blue
               line, and encouraging the parties to accelerate their efforts in coordination with



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               UNIFIL to visibly mark the Blue Line in its entirety, as well as to move forward on
               the marking of its points of contention, as recommended by the Strategic Review,
                      Condemning in the strongest terms all attempts to threaten the security and
               stability of Lebanon, reaffirming its determination to ensure that no such acts of
               intimidation will prevent UNIFIL from implementing its mandate in accordance
               with Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) and recalling the necessity for all
               parties to ensure that UNIFIL personnel are secure and their freedom of movement
               is fully respected and unimpeded,
                    Recalling the relevant principles contained in the Convention on the Safety of
               United Nations and Associated Personnel,
                    Commending the active role and dedication of the personnel of UNIFIL and
               expressing its strong appreciation to Member States that contribute to UNIFIL and
               underlining the necessity that UNIFIL have at its disposal all necessary means and
               equipment to carry out its mandate,
                     Recalling the request from the Government of Lebanon to deploy an
               international force to assist it to exercise its authority throughout the territory and
               reaffirming UNIFIL’s authority to take all necessary action in areas of operations of
               its forces and as it deems within its capabilities, to ensure that its area of operations
               is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind and to resist attempts by forceful
               means to prevent it from discharging its mandate,
                    Welcoming the efforts of the Secretary-General to keep all peacekeeping
               operations, including UNIFIL, under close review and stressing the need for the
               Council to pursue a rigorous, strategic approach to peacekeeping deployments,
                     Expressing its full support for the strategic priorities and recommendations
               identified by the Secretary-General in his letter of 12 March 2012 (S/2012/151) as a
               result of the Strategic Review of UNIFIL, and requesting the Secretary-General to
               continue updating the Council on the implementation of the Strategic Review,
                    Calling upon member States to assist the Lebanese Armed Forces as needed to
               enable it to perform its duties in line with resolution 1701 (2006),
                     Determining that the situation in Lebanon continues to constitute a threat to
               international peace and security,
                    1.    Decides to extend the present mandate of UNIFIL until 31 August 2014;
                    2.   Commends the positive role of UNIFIL, whose deployment together with
               the Lebanese Armed Forces has helped to establish a new strategic environment in
               southern Lebanon, welcomes the expansion of coordinated activities between
               UNIFIL and the Lebanese armed forces, and calls for further enhancement of this
               cooperation;
                     3.   Welcomes in this regard the engagement of UNIFIL and the Lebanese
               Armed Forces in the Strategic Dialogue which aims at carrying out analysis of
               ground forces and maritime assets and setting a series of benchmarks reflecting the
               correlation between the capacities and responsibilities of UNIFIL vis-à-vis those of
               the Lebanese Armed Forces, with a view to identifying Lebanese Armed Forces
               requirements for implementing tasks mandated in resolution 1701 (2006), and, in
               this regard, is encouraged by the progress made in the formalisation of a regular
               Strategic Dialogue mechanism between the Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL;



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                4.     Commends, in this context, the Lebanese Armed Forces for its efforts
           regarding its wider capabilities development plan, of which the Strategic Dialogue
           plan forms a separate but integral component, consistent with the relevant
           recommendations of the Strategic Review, and consequently calls for an
           enhancement of the coordination amongst donors to provide assistance to build up
           Lebanese Armed Forces capabilities including through training, as these forces are a
           central pillar of the country’s stability;
                 5.     Strongly calls upon all parties concerned to respect the cessation of
           hostilities, to prevent any violation of the Blue Line and to respect it in its entirety
           and to cooperate fully with the United Nations and UNIFIL;
                 6.    Urges all parties to abide scrupulously by their obligation to respect the
           safety of UNIFIL and other United Nations personnel and to ensure that the freedom
           of movement of UNIFIL is fully respected and unimpeded, in conformity with its
           mandate and its rules of engagement including by avoiding any course of action
           which endangers United Nations personnel, and in this regard, calls for further
           cooperation between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces in particular
           regarding coordinated and adjacent patrols, welcomes the commitment of the
           Lebanese authorities to protect UNIFIL movements and reiterates its call for the
           rapid finalization of the investigation launched by Lebanon regarding the 27 May,
           26 July and 9 December 2011 attacks in order to bring to justice the perpetrators of
           these attacks;
                 7.   Urges all parties to cooperate fully with the Security Council and the
           Secretary-General to make tangible progress towards a permanent ceasefire and a
           long-term solution as envisioned in resolution 1701 (2006), and emphasizes that
           more work remains to be done by the parties to advance the full implementation of
           resolution 1701 (2006);
                 8.   Urges the Government of Israel to expedite the withdrawal of its army
           from northern Ghajar without further delay in coordination with UNIFIL, which has
           actively engaged Israel and Lebanon to facilitate such a withdrawal;
                 9.  Reaffirms its call on all states to fully support and respect the
           establishment between the Blue Line and the Litani River of an area free of any
           armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the Government of
           Lebanon and UNIFIL;
                10. Welcomes the efforts being undertaken by UNIFIL to implement the
           Secretary-General’s zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to
           ensure full compliance of its personnel with the United Nations code of conduct,
           requests the Secretary-General to continue to take all necessary action in this regard
           and to keep the Security Council informed, and urges troop-contributing countries to
           take preventive and disciplinary action to ensure that such acts are properly
           investigated and punished in cases involving their personnel;
                 11. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to report to the Council on
           the implementation of resolution 1701 (2006), every four months, or at any time as
           he deems appropriate;




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                     12. 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 resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967, 338 (1973) of
               22 October 1973, 1515 (2003) of 19 November 2003, and 1850 (2008) of
               16 December 2008;
                    13.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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