UNIFIL denies Lebanon asks for deployment along Syria's borders

UN peacekeeping force in Southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) has denied the Lebanese government had requested deployment of  peacekeepers along borders with Syria. "The deployment of UNIFIL and its mandates are determined by the UN Security Council (UNSC) and approved by the government of Lebanon," Andrea Tennetti, spokesman of UN Interim Force in Southern Lebanon, said in a statement issued here last night. He said UNIFIL's operations on the ground were determined by UNSC resolution 1701, which specified the mandate between the Litani Rivert and UN-drawn Blue Line and in coordination with the Lebanese army. Resolution 1701, issued in August 2006, states halt of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon. The UNSC renewed, on August 31 last, UNIFIL's mandate for another year. Tennetti said UN resolution 1701 called upon the Lebanese government to protect its borders and crossings in order to prevent entry of weapons or relevant materials. The resolution, he added, authorized UNIFIL to assist the Lebanese government if was officially asked by Beirut. "Only the government of Lebanon has the right to submit any relevant request but UNIFIL is unaware of an official request to the UN in that respect," he said. Lebanese political forces have been demanding deployment of UNIFIL along the borders with Syria because of the rising firing of  cross-border rockets from the Syrian side.