UN Security Council calls on Lebanon to 'swiftly' form a government

The UN Security Council urged Lebanon's newly elected leaders on Thursday to “swiftly” establish a government, after the election of Joseph Aoun as President after more than two years of the position being vacant.

A presidential statement, drafted by France, follows Mr Aoun's nomination of the presiding judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Nawaf Salam, as prime minister.

Mr Salam is now charged with the task of assembling a cabinet that will hopefully pull the nation from a severe economic crisis that has persisted for five years. Since Wednesday, Mr Salam has been consulting with political parties before putting together a list of cabinet members.

The Security Council acknowledged the “continued support of the international community” in creating favourable conditions for Lebanon's recent electoral process and called for “renewed unity” among all factions to address the country's many challenges.

UN peacekeepers will not leave southern Lebanon

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Lebanon's deeply divided political class last week finally elected Mr Aoun after two years of deadlock.

A UN diplomat stated that Saudi Arabia's renewed involvement in Lebanese affairs was "necessary" and played a role in the election of Mr Aoun, which was also supported by the Shiite parties Amal and Hezbollah.

"The weakening of Hezbollah further facilitated the process," the diplomat added.

The council also praised the November 27 agreement that ended hostilities between Israel and Lebanon, urging all parties to faithfully enact its provisions to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is visiting the nation as the deadline approaches for full implementation of the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel in southern Lebanon.

Mr Guterres is expected to meet officials and visit peacekeepers in southern Lebanon during his trip, which will last until Saturday, his spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters.

Under the November 27 truce brokered by France and the US, which ended two months of all-out war between both sides, the Lebanese army is to be posted alongside UN peacekeepers in the south as the Israeli army withdraws over a 60-day period, which expires on January 26.

Hezbollah is to withdraw its forces north of the Litani River, about 30km from the border with Israel, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in south Lebanon.

A committee composed of Israeli, Lebanese, French and US delegates, as well as a representative from the UN peacekeeping force Unifil, has been given the task of monitoring the implementation of the deal.

The Security Council expressed concerns about, and called for the end of, reported breaches of the agreement, warning that UN peacekeepers and premises must never be the target of attacks.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk, who was also visiting Lebanon, said the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel continues “broadly to hold, albeit with worrying reports of continued demolitions by Israeli forces in towns and villages in southern Lebanon”.