KOTA TINGGI: Malaysia is prepared to participate in any new peacekeeping mission in Lebanon if requested by the United Nations (UN), says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
He said Malaysia remained committed to supporting peace efforts in Lebanon but would only participate in any new deployment if it was carried out under a UN mandate.
“We have stated that if the UN decides to establish new forces, even under a new name, and if they want us to participate, we are ready to be involved.
“But it is subject to the decision made by the UN. Malaysia will not be involved if it is not under a UN mandate,” he said after attending a groundbreaking ceremony for an additional building at an orphanage organisation here on Saturday (Oct 3).
Mohamed Khaled said Malaysia’s current peacekeeping mission in Lebanon would come to an end following the expiry of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) at the end of this year.
He said Malaysian troops, who have been serving in Lebanon since 2007, were expected to begin returning home in January, with their assets to be brought back in stages by sea.
“The first shipment of our equipment by sea will begin on Jan 17,” he added.
Mohamed Khaled said Malaysia had initially deployed a small number of personnel to Lebanon in 2007 before its presence was increased to a battalion in 2013 following approval from the United Nations.
He said the increase had faced strong opposition from Israel at the time, but Malaysia subsequently maintained its battalion-level presence as part of UNIFIL.
He described Malaysia’s nearly two decades of involvement in Lebanon as a meaningful contribution to peacekeeping and community engagement.
Apart from maintaining security in their area of responsibility, Malaysian troops had also reached out to local communities, he said.
Mohamed Khaled said the Malaysian troops had developed close relations with residents, who expressed their sadness over the impending withdrawal.
He said his recent meeting with the Lebanese Defence Minister also highlighted the continuing security concerns in the country, particularly southern Lebanon.
“The situation is still not peaceful and remains exposed to various threats,” he said.
Mohamed Khaled said Lebanon was working to persuade the UN to consider alternative approaches to ensure that peace efforts could continue in the country, especially in the south.
He added that several countries attending the ongoing UN General Assembly had also called for the decision concerning the peacekeeping mission to be reconsidered.
Malaysia, he said, would continue to monitor developments and await any decision by the UN on a possible new mechanism for maintaining peace in Lebanon.
