A UN-backed joint naval force has started patrolling the Lebanese coasts on Friday afternoon. (Xinhua Photo/AFP) Photo Gallery >>>

    UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has announced the "imminent" deployment of a UN naval task force off the Lebanese coast to assist in securing the country's maritime border, a UN spokesman said Friday.

    Following discussions with officials from Lebanon, France, Greece, Italy and Britain, the secretary-general welcomed the deployment of an interim naval force comprising French, Italian and Greek ships off the Lebanese coast, his spokesman said in a statement issued in New York.

    Annan said that in the meantime the interim maritime force, which has begun patrols alongside the Lebanese navy, will remain in place until the maritime component of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) "is fully assembled and deployed in the coming weeks."

    UNIFIL has set up a Naval Operations Center at its headquarters in Naqoura in southern Lebanon to coordinate all operational details of this interim maritime task force that is led by Italian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Giuseppe De Giorgi.

    Israel lifted its nearly two-month naval blockade of Lebanon on Friday after European warships began patrolling to keep out weapons shipments for Hezbollah guerrillas, the head of the UN peacekeeping force said. Enditem