Coolassprov MC
13-12-07, 06:20
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=87421
BEIRUT: Panelists at the American University of Beirut (AUB) were split among defenders and critics of whether or not the United Nations was complying with international law in Lebanon and the Middle East.
Organized by the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, the panel discussion, entitled "The UN and International Law in Lebanon and the Middle East," was held in West Hall's Auditorium B last week and attracted a large and enthusiastic audience.
The panel, which was moderated by IFI director Rami Khouri, included Geir Pedersen, the personal representative of the UN Secretary General for Lebanon; Karim Makdisi, assistant professor of political studies and international relations at AUB; and Timur Goksel, lecturer in political studies at AUB and former senior adviser of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Makdisi argued that the United Nations has turned against its founding charter since the end of the Cold War.
"It is often forgotten that the UN was created ... to preserve at all costs international peace and security in the aftermath of devastating WWII and save future generations from the scourge of war," he said.
Makdisi said the UN had lost legitimacy in Palestine and Lebanon, noting that the "UN itself breached its most basic principles that prohibit the use of force except in cases of self-defense, by first allowing an Israeli war to continue for over a month in Lebanon, at huge expense, and then essentially rewarding it with UN Resolution 1701 ... which allowed Israel an extra 48 hours, after the resolution was negotiated, to continue its attacks in Lebanon ... That's when Israel dropped 1 million cluster bombs in Southern Lebanon and people are still suffering from that."
Goksel shared some of his experience in peacekeeping, and noted that any such force needs two things to be able to operate: a local authority to refer to and one central command.
Goksel argued that even though the new UNIFIL force may be equipped with a "lot of deadly toys," they still cannot be called "robust," because if they want to use their weapons they would refer to their own nations for permission. "No one cares about UN command," he said.
The UN secretary general's representative in Lebanon said resolution 1701 "creates hope for Lebanon."
"It is a weakness that we have not been able to move from a cessation of hostilities to a ceasefire to an armistice agreement. This is partly due to the political instability in the country since the resolution was adopted last summer," Pedersen said.
"We have had a little progress on the issue of prisoners and the Shebaa Farms, not enough progress on unexploded ordnances in the South. This is not acceptable. We still have violation of sovereignty through overflights. This should immediately stop. We still have entry of weapons through Syria. This should immediately stop," Pedersen added.
He agreed with a participant who said the UN should ensure that Israel share the responsibility of the implementation of 1701, just as the Lebanese.
"It's a very important issue. You are absolutely right. I bring it up to the Israelis when I see them. The secretary general
has been bringing this up
when he sees them. But they have not been forthcoming. As a result, we are seeing that people in the South are still being killed. This is absolutely not acceptable. I am afraid we have not been successful," Pedersen said. - The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Panelists at the American University of Beirut (AUB) were split among defenders and critics of whether or not the United Nations was complying with international law in Lebanon and the Middle East.
Organized by the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, the panel discussion, entitled "The UN and International Law in Lebanon and the Middle East," was held in West Hall's Auditorium B last week and attracted a large and enthusiastic audience.
The panel, which was moderated by IFI director Rami Khouri, included Geir Pedersen, the personal representative of the UN Secretary General for Lebanon; Karim Makdisi, assistant professor of political studies and international relations at AUB; and Timur Goksel, lecturer in political studies at AUB and former senior adviser of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Makdisi argued that the United Nations has turned against its founding charter since the end of the Cold War.
"It is often forgotten that the UN was created ... to preserve at all costs international peace and security in the aftermath of devastating WWII and save future generations from the scourge of war," he said.
Makdisi said the UN had lost legitimacy in Palestine and Lebanon, noting that the "UN itself breached its most basic principles that prohibit the use of force except in cases of self-defense, by first allowing an Israeli war to continue for over a month in Lebanon, at huge expense, and then essentially rewarding it with UN Resolution 1701 ... which allowed Israel an extra 48 hours, after the resolution was negotiated, to continue its attacks in Lebanon ... That's when Israel dropped 1 million cluster bombs in Southern Lebanon and people are still suffering from that."
Goksel shared some of his experience in peacekeeping, and noted that any such force needs two things to be able to operate: a local authority to refer to and one central command.
Goksel argued that even though the new UNIFIL force may be equipped with a "lot of deadly toys," they still cannot be called "robust," because if they want to use their weapons they would refer to their own nations for permission. "No one cares about UN command," he said.
The UN secretary general's representative in Lebanon said resolution 1701 "creates hope for Lebanon."
"It is a weakness that we have not been able to move from a cessation of hostilities to a ceasefire to an armistice agreement. This is partly due to the political instability in the country since the resolution was adopted last summer," Pedersen said.
"We have had a little progress on the issue of prisoners and the Shebaa Farms, not enough progress on unexploded ordnances in the South. This is not acceptable. We still have violation of sovereignty through overflights. This should immediately stop. We still have entry of weapons through Syria. This should immediately stop," Pedersen added.
He agreed with a participant who said the UN should ensure that Israel share the responsibility of the implementation of 1701, just as the Lebanese.
"It's a very important issue. You are absolutely right. I bring it up to the Israelis when I see them. The secretary general
has been bringing this up
when he sees them. But they have not been forthcoming. As a result, we are seeing that people in the South are still being killed. This is absolutely not acceptable. I am afraid we have not been successful," Pedersen said. - The Daily Star