§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Lord Privy Seal if the Security Council proposes to strengthen the United Nations peacekeeping force in South Lebanon in the light of the recent artillery attacks which killed two Nigerian soldiers in the United Nations force.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Lord Privy Seal how many artillery attacks on United Nations forces in South Lebanon have been made by Israeli forces or the so-called militia during the last three months.
§ Mr. HurdThe United Nations does not keep cumulative statistics of artillery attacks. Direct artillery attacks on United Nations position are rare, but many UNIFIL positions are in vulnerable locations and artillery rounds frequently land within 500 feet of them.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Lord Privy Seal if Her Majesty's Government, as a member of the Security Council, will protest to Israel about the artillery attack on United Nations positions in South Lebanon as a result of which two Nigerian soldiers were killed and seven injured, in addition to a number of civilian casualties.
§ Mr. HurdWe strongly support the statement issued by the President of the Security Council on 20 March expressing the Council's condemnation of this attack by Major Haddad's militia. The Israeli Government are well aware of our concern at their support for Major Haddad's militia. We have expressed our condolences to the Government of Nigeria.