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Lebanon: Syria

Volume 457: debated on Wednesday 7 March 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2006, Official Report, columns 1765-6W, on the international arms embargo, what progress has been made by the Government of Syria and the Government of Lebanon in (a) setting up an effective interdiction regime to give effect to the arms embargo set out in UNSCR 1701 and (b) establishing joint Lebanese-Syrian border patrols. (123981)

Following UN Security Council Resolution 1701 the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has deployed over 11,000 troops. UNIFIL has been successful in large parts of its mandate, especially in helping the Lebanese armed forces extend to the South of Lebanon and tighten sea and air borders. The international community continues to work with the Government of Lebanon to improve the security of its borders. However, we have seen little progress on setting up an effective interdiction regime by the Government of Syria, and joint Lebanese/Syrian border patrols have not been established.