UNIFIL accepts RI warship
Antara, Beirut | Sat, 04/18/2009 2:43 PM
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Commander Maj Gen Claudio Graziano said Indonesia's warship KRI Diponegoro-365 was eligible to be part of the Marine Task Force of the UNIFIL (MTF-UNIFIL).
"I highly appreciate Indonesia's participation in the UN peace-keeping mission in Lebanon, especially in becoming part of MTF-UNIFIL," Graziano said during a cocktail party on board the warship at Beirut port in Lebanon on Friday night.
He said that KRI Diponegoro meet UN standards to carry out international peace-keeping assignments, especially in South Lebanon.
"The participation of KRI Diponegoro in the MTF-UNIFIL indicates Indonesia's capability and commitment to supporting he UN mission to keep and maintain security in Lebanon," Graziano said.
He expressed hope that the Indonesian warship participation in Lebanon would motivate UNIFIL to reach its target of creating and maintaining peace both at sea and on the land in South Lebanon.
"Lebanese waters are part of a volatile area where arms smuggling often happens but with the presence of the MTF-UNIFIL the level of conflict in these areas is expected to be reduced significantly," he said.
Graziano added that the presence of KRI Diponegoro would support the improvement in military cooperation between Indonesia and Lebanon, especially between the two countries' navies.
The Indonesian warship, equipped with a BO-105 NV-414 helicopter, arrived at Beyrouth port in Lebanon on Thursday and will move to its operation zone on Sunday.
In Lebanon, KRI Diponegoro would soon join the the MTF UNIFIL's Commander Task Force (CTF)-448 which already comprises warships from France, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Belgium, Spain and Germany.
The warship and its crer would be posted in Zone I together with the Belgium contingent.
It was the first for the Indonesian military (TNI) to send a maritime task force to join a UN peace keeping force.
KRI Diponegoro would serve MTF UNIFIL for six months until October , and if the mission was successful, TNI would send another warship.
