Williams Visits Nabatiyeh under Heavy Overflights by Zionist Warplanes

Local Editor, 23-04-2010

Against the roar of Zionist aircrafts violating the Lebanese Southern airspace, the Special Coordinator of the United Nations in Lebanon, Michael Williams, headed an accompanying delegation visiting the Nabatiyeh area, to learn about the work mechanism of the Lebanese army's demining center in southern Lebanon.

He began his inspection tour from his headquarters in the Shimon barracks in Nabatiyeh Fowca.

In his reception was the President of the Center, Brigadier Mohamed Fahmi, and a number of Lebanese army officers.

In the lecture hall, Williams received a detailed explanation about the suffering caused by cluster bombs and mines through a presentation that included a moving documentary. He also watched the mechanism adopted by the Centre in clearing the land of cluster bombs with the participation of NGOs.

Williams, who voiced a willingness to work on increasing assistance to the Demining Centre, commented on the Zionist flights over the area, considering this act as not surprising, and in his condemnation of such repeated breaches, Williams said: "We are in constant condemnation of the ‘Israeli' violations, especially the aerial ones. I am not surprised by the ‘Israeli' warplanes' presence during my visit in Nabatiyeh today.

He added that "A war on Lebanon is unlikely", and called for lowering the high level tension of threats.

Before journalists Williams expressed being pleased with his visit to Nabatiyeh and to the Lebanese Demining Center at the army barracks there, saying: "I am very impressed to see the documentary film about the cruel effects of mines to children and the community, as since 2006, 300 victims were reported. Our hearts go out to the families."

He noted "We will work on increasing our support and assistance to the Centre led by Brigadier Fahmi, as I intend to raise the matter with diplomats and ambassadors in Beirut." Confirming "Work is underway to provide the necessary funding to complete the work of completely clearing the land, of which only 50 percent has been liberated and we hope for its complete liberation soon."

On his visit, he said: "It came after the Lebanese Council of Ministers accepted the Oslo agreement on banning the use of cluster bombs, and I hope to send the treaty to Parliament for ratification, because it is very necessary to sign the Ottawa treaty to ban landmines."

After a tour of one of the minefields in the town of Humin al-Fowca, Williams concluded his tour in the Government Serail in Nabatiyeh, where he was received by the Governor of Nabatiyeh Mahmoud al-Mawla, the President of the Union of Shqeef Municipalities Samih Hallal, and the Mayor of Nabatiyeh, Mustafa Badreddin. There he was put in light of the reality on ground in the province.