A phone call was held between Prime Minister Hassan Diab and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, during which various issues of mutual interest were discussed, along with the efforts made by the international organization to assist Lebanon in overcoming its current crises.
The National News Agency reported that Diab praised the initiatives taken by the Secretary-General to help Lebanon, particularly his participation in co-chairing the Paris Conferences to support Beirut and the Lebanese people, as well as the urgent appeal he launched on August 4, 2020, to the international community for immediate assistance following the Beirut port explosion.
The statement added that Diab informed the Secretary-General about the reality of the spread of the coronavirus, emphasizing the need to rehabilitate public and private hospitals due to their full capacities for patients affected by the virus. He highlighted the urgent need to equip these facilities with intensive care units and necessary medical devices, including ventilators. Diab requested assistance from the Secretary-General in providing two hundred beds for intensive care and for the UN's support in Lebanon's vaccination campaign against the virus, emphasizing the necessity for all residents in Lebanon to be included.
Additionally, Diab raised the issue of the daily Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace, which have increased in recent weeks, noting that these actions constitute a blatant violation of Lebanese sovereignty and UNSC Resolution 1701, which Lebanon adheres to. He pointed out the aggravation of these violations recently. Diab confirmed to the UN Secretary-General that these violations and provocative and aggressive actions by Israel, including the abduction of a shepherd on January 12 from Lebanese territory, pose a danger to Lebanon and threaten international peace and security, warranting urgent intervention to halt them.
The discussion also covered the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, where Diab reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to the tribunal to enable it to complete its assigned mission. The statement from the Lebanese Prime Minister’s Office clarified that Diab briefed the Secretary-General on the Lebanese government's action plan for the return of Syrian refugees to their home country, which was approved by the Cabinet on July 22, 2020, highlighting the significant burdens Lebanon bears due to their presence, especially amid the current difficult circumstances, despite the assistance provided by donor agencies to support host communities. He noted that the return of Syrian refugees to their homes should not be linked to a political solution to the Syrian crisis.
The statement mentioned that the Secretary-General acknowledged the plan that he would raise with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, as the Commission is the relevant authority on refugee issues. The statement also indicated that Diab discussed the issue of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) with Guterres, noting that Lebanon will chair the agency’s advisory committee for one year starting July 1, 2021, and looks forward to full cooperation with him and the High Commissioner to help find solutions to the various difficulties faced by the international organization and to ensure the provision of services to Palestinian refugees without any diminishment.
For his part, the Secretary-General expressed his full understanding of the difficult circumstances Lebanon is facing, which have been exacerbated by the port explosion and the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that he would discuss with UN officials the best ways to assist in this regard, in addition to the efforts being made by the World Health Organization and the UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Najat Rochdi. Guterres confirmed that the issue of UNRWA is a pressing priority for the United Nations due to the acute financial crisis the agency is experiencing resulting from funding gaps and a significant shortfall in financial resources.
