Miqati Meets Asarta: UNIFIL Mission Will Be Complete when Army Takes over Full Security of South

Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed on Thursday the important role the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon has played in maintaining the security and stability of southern Lebanon.

He said after holding talks with UNIFIL Commander Major General Alberto Asarta at the Grand Serail: “The international troops’ mission will be complete when the Lebanese army assumes full responsibility of the security of the South.”

“This seems to be advancing in the right direction as witnessed by the impeccable collaboration between the UNIFIL troops and our brave soldiers,” he stated.

The meeting was held to mark the end of Asarta’s tenure as the head of UNIFIL.

The international force commander stated that the situation in the South had improved greatly since the adoption of U.N. Security Council resolution 1701, noting that all sides had committed to the ceasefire and respected the Blue Line.

He highlighted the improved cooperation between the army and UNIFIL, adding however that the army’s land and naval capabilities need to be bolstered before it can fully assume its responsibilities in southern Lebanon.

UNIFIL’s peacekeeping mission would not have been possible without the army’s cooperation, Asarta stressed.

Asarta will end his tenure at the head of the mission on January 28, 2012.

He will likely return to Spain where he will assume a high-ranking official position.

The current commander had assumed his role on January 28, 2010, succeeding Major General Claudio Graziano of Italy.

Asarta had served in UNIFIL since 2008.

He is the force's 12th commander.

Prior to his Lebanon posting, he served as the advisor to the Spanish army's chief of staff.