Unofficial transcript of press encounter with Deputy Secretary-General Mark
Malloch Brown at UN Headquarters
www.un.org/apps/news/press/TextFull.asp?NewsID=1093
18 August 2006 - Deputy Secretary-General: I just want to say a few remarks
first, and then open to take any questions you have.
...
Deputy Secretary-General:... The core thing that capitals have to get over
the hump on, is the character and purpose of the force which is consistent
with the resolution, which is that it is not an offensive force, it's not
going to go in there and attempt large scale disarmament. Rather it is going
to police the political agreement which triggers disarmament, called for
under the resolution and therefore it will make a prudent use of force. It
calls very clearly in the rules of engagement, as it did in the resolution
itself, that where combatants forcefully resist a demand from UNIFIL or from
the Lebanese army to disarm, UNIFIL will then exercise use of force, if it
has to, to force that disarmament. I think we have been very clear on that,
this is not going to be a force which can be characterized as a force of
occupation, or a force of offensive effort to disarm Hezbullah, but is going
to provide Israel with that security guarantee that this political agreement
which will ultimately call for disarmament, [it] does already in the
resolution, will be enforceable.
...