Mideast situation/Lebanon – Letter from Lebanon

Letter dated 12 April 2001 from the Permanent Representative of

Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

On instructions from my Government, I have the honour to inform you of the following:

1.   At 1745 hours on 12 April 2001, an Israeli gunboat No. 814, sailed towards Naqoura and dropped anchor in Lebanese territorial waters at about 50 metres off the coast. An inflatable dinghy with three persons aboard was lowered into the water. It then headed landwards.

2.   That same day, at 1820 hours, the inflatable dinghy withdrew and proceeded to drift about 20 metres off the Lebanese coast.

3.   At 1920 hours on the same day, the Israeli gunboat and the inflatable dinghy sailed towards the waters of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The above-mentioned Israeli aggression, constitutes a flagrant violation not only of Lebanon's territorial waters and territory, but also of its sovereignty and of Security Council resolution 425 (1978). It also poses a threat to security and stability in the region.

The Lebanese Government respectfully draws your attention to the seriousness of this aggression and requests you to take the appropriate measures to put a halt to such violations.

I should be grateful if you would have this letter circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 40, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Selim Tadmoury

Ambassador

Permanent Representative

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