1. The present report is the twenty-fifth semi-annual report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1559 (2004). It provides a review and an assessment of the process of the implementation of the resolution since the report of my predecessor on the subject issued on 21 October 2016 (S/2016/882).
I. Implementation of resolution 1559 (2004)
2. Since the adoption of resolution 1559 (2004) on 2 September 2004, several of its provisions have been implemented, as highlighted in previous reports. The implementation of a number of provisions, including those relating to the existence and activities of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias and the delineation of the Syrian-Lebanese border, however, remains pending. Progress has, in part, been affected by the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic.
A. Sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and political independence of Lebanon
3. With the adoption of resolution 1559 (2004), the Security Council aimed at strengthening the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and political independence of Lebanon under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon throughout the country, in line with the Taif Accords of 1989, to which all the political parties in Lebanon had committed themselves. This objective has remained the priority of my efforts to facilitate the implementation of all resolutions pertaining to Lebanon.
4. On 27 December 2016, the Cabinet agreed on its ministerial statement. As in 2014, in the statement, the commitment of Lebanon to resolution 1701 (2006) and its intention to address the needs of the Lebanese Armed Forces and security services were reaffirmed. It was also emphasized that “Lebanese citizens have a right to resist Israeli occupation, ward off its attacks and recover occupied territories”.
5. In both the ministerial statement and the President’s oath of office, the need to keep Lebanon out of foreign conflicts and to comply with the Charter of the League of Arab States was noted. In the statement, a national counter-terrorism strategy was referred to and it was noted that a national defence strategy would have to be agreed upon through dialogue.
6. In the ministerial statement, the new Government noted that “the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue should be promoted so as to avert tensions in the camps and the use of weapons, which is counterproductive and unacceptable to the Lebanese people and its Government”. For the first time, the Government committed itself to strengthening the role of women in public life and pledged to work with the Parliament to institute a quota for women in the electoral law.
7. The President, Michel Aoun, and the Prime Minister, Saad Hariri, attended the summit of the League of Arab States in Amman on 29 March. Before the summit, five former presidents and prime ministers of Lebanon sent a letter to the League of Arab States in which they emphasized the commitment of Lebanon to international resolutions, in particular Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), rejected illegal arms and expressed support for the Baabda Declaration and the disassociation policy. In his speech at the summit, the President emphasized the importance of dialogue in ending conflicts in the region and the readiness of Lebanon to assist in that regard.
8. Ahead of the legislative elections to be held before the expiration of the Parliament’s term on 20 June, the President and the Government clearly expressed, in the oath of office and the ministerial statement, support for a new electoral law. Political leaders have continued their efforts to reach consensus on such a law. The Prime Minister has repeatedly stated his expectation that the new legislation would include a quota for women. On 12 April, the President postponed the convening of Parliament for a period of one month on the basis of article 59 of the Lebanese Constitution with a view to creating more time for discussions on the new electoral law. On 18 April, the International Support Group for Lebanon issued a statement encouraging the country’s leaders to make maximum use of the time until 15 May, the date on which the Speaker, Nabih Berri, intends to call for a Parliament session, to intensify their efforts and agree upon an electoral framework for free and fair elections, in accordance with the Constitution.