Security Meeting to Discuss ESCWA Safety

A meeting will be held on Monday between Lebanese security forces and agencies tasked with protecting the United Nations headquarters in Beirut to reconsider the measures taken to secure the building against any possible threat, An Nahar reported.

The security measures taken near the ESCWA building have caused a major bumper-to-bumper traffic near the U.N. Economic and Social Commission of Western Asia building in Beirut.

PM Najib Miqati held a meeting on Monday with ESCWA Executive Secretary Rima Khalaf at the Grand Serail to tackle the security measures taken near the U.N. HQ in Beirut.

Agence France Presse reported on Sunday that Interior Minister Marwan Charbel has said the Internal Security forces had boosted security measures to protect the building from a possible threat.

However, Charbel denied later on in an interview with LBC television station the statements.

He stressed that tightening the security measures around the building was because employees fear an attack similar to an August bombing of the U.N. headquarters in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

“The Internal Security Forces have multiplied their measures around the ESCWA after receiving intelligence reports about a possible attack against the building,” Charbel told AFP.

He said he had received the security recommendations issued by ESCWA, adding that Lebanese officials were also informed of a security threat against the building.

“Intelligence reports of a possible threat against ESCWA coincided with the information of the ESCWA officials with regard to the building’s safety,” Charbel noted.

Charbel refused to disclose further information on the source of the security threats against the premises.

“I discussed the security measures with the ESCWA Executive Secretary Rima Khalaf and U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams before he left the country,” he added.

A source in the U.N. in Beirut refused to comment to An Nahar on the conflicting reports that were denied by the interior minister.

The roads near the U.N. building were closed on Friday and traffic was directed to nearby streets.