SG/SM/10623
PKO/145
11 September 2006

Secretary-General Welcomes Imminent Deployment of Interim Naval Task Force Off Lebanese Coast

NEW YORK, 8 September (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

Further to discussions on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) with the Government of Lebanon, as well as the Governments of France, Greece, Italy and the United Kingdom, the Secretary-General welcomes the imminent deployment of an interim naval task force off the Lebanese coast to assist in securing the maritime border and maritime entry points of Lebanon.

The interim maritime task force will remain in place until the maritime component of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is fully assembled and deployed in the coming weeks.

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