Mideast situation/Lebanon – Letter from Lebanon

Letter dated 9 November 1990 from the Permanent Representative of

Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

Upon instructions from my Government I would like to draw the attention of Your Excellency to the statement of Mr. Moshe Arens, Defense Minister of Israel, on a recent visit to the so-called "security zone" in southern Lebanon:

"Israel will not let the Lebanese Government regain control of the area the Israelis claim as a 'security zone' in southern Lebanon … the defense of Israel's northern border is based on Israeli and South Lebanon Army control or the security lone and the Jezzin area. We are not planning any change whatsoever in the level of this control."

Once more this is resounding proof of Israel's aggressive and expansionist policy against Lebanon and its defiance to implement Security Council resolution 425 (1978), which has called upon Israel to withdraw immediately from Lebanon.

Mr. Arens' statement stands as a further flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations.

Israel's continuous interference in the internal affairs of Lebanon is a policy to destabilize the country at a time when the Central Government of Lebanon is successfully trying to extend its authority over its soil.

This kind of behaviour on the part of Israel cannot continue without being checked, and that is why the time has come that certain concrete action should be taken to put an end to such policy.

I kindly request you to circulate this letter as an official document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 35, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Dr. Khalil MAKKAWI

Ambassador

Permanent Representative