LEBANON: READOUT FROM AUGUST 16 LAF-UNIFIL-IDF

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 002687

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/SINGH/HARDING

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/2016
TAGS: IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY
SUBJECT: LEBANON: READOUT FROM AUGUST 16 LAF-UNIFIL-IDF
MEETING IN NAQOURA

Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman. Reason: Section 1.4 (b).


1. (C/NF) The UNSYG's Personal Representative for Lebanon
Geir Pedersen called the Ambassador with notes from a
coordination meeting held Wednesday, August 16 in Naqoura,
chaired by UNIFIL Commander Major General Alain Pellegrini,
and attended by an IDF delegation headed by General Udi
Dekel, and a LAF contingent headed by General Abdul Rahman
Shaytaly. This readout is second-hand information, as
Pedersen was not at the meeting, so more accurate or complete
information may come later from the participants themselves.


2. (C/NF) Pedersen's notes, gleaned from his conversation
with General Pellegrini:

-- The IDF proposed withdrawing from the 5-7 km deep border
area in stages. The Israelis estimated the entire movement
could take about ten days. They proposed ad hoc arrangements
that implement the withdrawal sector by sector. Each sector
would be discussed separately and, when the handover was
complete in a particular sector, discussions would then
proceed on the next sector.

-- The LAF representatives were not comfortable with this
idea. They wanted an agreed timetable, up front. The LAF
also proposed starting with a sector located along the Blue
Line in the Shebaa area. For the LAF, it was important to
establish a presence as quickly as possible on the Blue Line.
The LAF pushed hard for a Blue Line presence early in the
process.

-- The IDF showed sympathy for the LAF's desire to move
while there was political momentum on the Lebanese side.
But, while trying to be forthcoming, the IDF couldn't commit
itself to anything specific on the Blue Line in this meeting.
The LAF felt the IDF was trying to be helpful on this issue.

-- The IDF gave the LAF maps of minefields and information
on UXOs in the first sector (possibly in sector 16) for the
first stage of the LAF's deployment.

-- The IDF agreed to LAF's request to move troops by
helicopter and ship. The ships would proceed from Tripoli,
Jounieh, and Beirut, south to Tyre. (Note: The Ambassador
had heard from a MOD source that the destination agreed upon
was Sidon, not Tyre. We do not know the truth, but Tyre
would make more sense in terms of distance and logistics.
End note.)

-- It was agreed that UNIFIL would have an embedded officer
at IDF headquarters and LAF headquarters for the duration of
the handover, in order to improve coordination and minimize
miscommunication.

-- The LAF still refuses the idea of direct, expert-level
consultations, except through UNIFIL.

-- The IDF raised the issued of the two Israeli abducted
soldiers. LAF said that was a political issue on which they
had no authority to respond.

-- The next LAF/IDF/UNIFIL coordination meeting is scheduled
for Sunday in Naqoura.
FELTMAN