Mideast situation/Lebanon – Letter from PM of Lebanon – Letter from Lebanon

Letter dated 8 February 2000 from the Permanent

Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations

addressed to the Secretary-General

I have the honour to enclose herewith an urgent letter addressed to you by Mr. Salim El Hoss, President of the Council of Ministers of Lebanon.

The enclosed letter (see annex) reports on the intensive air strikes which Israel undertook in the early morning hours against Lebanon.  This recent attack is yet another manifestation of the continuous Israeli aggression against Lebanon, its civilian population and its infrastructure.  The full extent of the damages, on both the human-loss side and the material side, caused by these recent attacks is yet to be fully assessed.

Therefore, I kindly ask you to do your utmost to persuade the concerned Israeli authorities to stop such heedless aggression, which violates the understanding of April 1996, the Charter of the United Nations and international laws and conventions.

I should be grateful if the present letter and its annex were circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 43, and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Selim TADMOURY

 Ambassador

 Permanent Representative

Annex

[Original:  Arabic]

Letter dated 8 February 2000 from the President of the

Council of Ministers of Lebanon addressed to the      

Secretary-General

At dawn on 8 February 2000 Israeli aircraft carried out a series of intensive attacks on the Jumhur area of Beirut.  The aircraft bombed an electric power station, wounding four persons and destroying 11 out of 12 transformers, plunging the capital into darkness and causing a number of fires which civil defence personnel are still trying to extinguish.

In the city of Baalbek Israeli aircraft destroyed another electric power station, depriving the city and the surrounding area of electricity and wounding 13 civilians ranging in age from 3 to 40 years.  Israeli aircraft also attacked an electric power station at Dayr Nabuh in the north, destroying it completely and causing power cuts in the Zagharta area and in numerous areas of the north.

These attacks follow the escalation of Israeli aggression observed recently in southern Lebanon, and it is quite possible that Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon and the bombings inside the country may lead to a stepping up of attacks around the country.

Israel's aggression clearly constitutes a failure to observe the April agreement, a violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law and a blatant attack on Lebanon's sovereignty, territorial integrity and internationally recognized borders.  Furthermore, it makes Israel's intentions plain as that country attempts to undermine the efforts under way to reach a peaceful settlement and ensure a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

The Lebanese Government strongly condemns the continued Israeli occupation and the repeated attacks on Lebanon, and reaffirms that Israel must withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory,in accordance with Security Council resolution 425 (1978).  Accordingly, the Lebanese Government requests you to contact the parties concerned as a matter of urgency and take the necessary steps to prevent Israel from perpetrating any further attacks.

I should be grateful if you would have the text of this letter circulated as a document of the General Assembly and of the Security Council.

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