UNIFIL Commander honors Chinese troops in Lebanon

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-12 09:08

BEIRUT -- Commander of United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Claudio Graziano on Thursday decorated 340 Chinese officers and soldiers, who are part of UNIFIL forces in south Lebanon, with peace medals.

The Chinese forces celebrated at its headquarters in the south, the occasion of receiving peace medals donated by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in honoring the role of its troops in the peace process in south Lebanon.

Graziano said in addressing the ceremony that the Chinese forces were up to the challenges of the task, and were able to reinforce UNIFIL mission.

He added that the Chinese soldiers were deploying whenever and wherever they were needed, staring from the headquarters in Naqoura and up until the Litani River area, and even until the blue line (along the borders with Israel).

Graziano said that the Chinese forces had a major role in dismantling highly dangerous mines courageously.

He pointed to the Chinese mission in demarking the blue line, and the Chinese hospital services along the area of its deployment.

He concluded that UNIFIL should be working to ensure continuous peace in south Lebanon, and should coordinate with the Lebanese army to guarantee stability in the region.

UNIFIL force was enforced by more troops and battalions, from many countries, after UN resolution 1701 ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.