LEBANON: UNTSO OBSERVERS COULD MONITOR SYRIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 003245 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARCHESE/SINGH STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/FO:ATACHCO E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2016 TAGS: MARR PGOV PREL LE SY IS SUBJECT: LEBANON: UNTSO OBSERVERS COULD MONITOR SYRIAN BORDER, RESUME ARMISTICE ROLE Classified By: Christopher W. Murray. Charge d'Affaires. Reason: Sec tion 1.4 (d). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) The unarmed observers of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) will likely remain in Lebanon for the foreseeable future even with the expanding mission of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Answering to its own chain of command, UNTSO provides an independent view of border issues. Due to the liaison role and geographical scope of the UNTSO mandate as spelled out by the 1949 Armistice Agreement, UNTSO could take on expanded duties should the Agreement be revived. As we have suggested to the Prime Minister, these duties might include observation of the Syrian border, the airport, and seaports. End Summary. ROLE OF UNTSO IN PLAY -------------- ¶2. (C) On September 29, the Ambassador, Defense Attache and Poloff met with Major General Clive Lilley, Head of Mission and Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) and Francesco Manca, UNTSO Senior Advisor. General Lilley gave us his ideas for the future of UNTSO, which was originally established to monitor compliance by Lebanon and Israel with the 1949 Armistice Agreement. We understand that the continuing UNTSO role is currently being debated in the UN and will depend on decisions made in the Security Council and by the Secretary-General, probably over the next four months. ¶3. (C) Currently, there are about 50 commissioned officers from over 14 countries participating as unarmed observers in Lebanon. The observers serve in two-person teams and have access to every corner of Lebanon. They monitor compliance with UN resolutions and report violations that threaten ceasefire agreements on the borders shared by Lebanon with Syria and Israel. UNTSO currently operates in four bases in the south, including the Khayam base which was hit by Israeli fire in July, killing four observers. A fifth observer was killed while away from his base in Tyre. UNTSO's ROLE WITH AN EXPANDING UNIFIL -------------- ¶4. (C) Lilley pointed out that UNTSO's legal mandate is different from that of UNIFIL. UNIFIL is focused on sector specific monitoring of the Israeli withdrawal and supporting Lebanese Armed Forces deployment throughout the south. In contrast, each UNTSO observer team has the authority under UNTSO's operating procedures to operate in and monitor the entire southern border area. ¶5. (C) UNTSO's value is further enhanced by the fact that it reports through channels independent from those of UNIFIL, Lilley said, allowing UNTSO to provide a (theoretically) independent view on border area matters. He added that many in Lebanon see UNTSO as a more balanced player in the post-conflict period than UNIFIL, whose mandate was expanded in response to a perceived Hizballah threat. ¶6. (C) UNTSO's role could dramatically expand, however, should the 1949 Armistice Agreement be revived by Israel and Lebanon. According to Lilley, UNTSO's mandate includes all of Lebanese territory, and the observer body could be used to monitor the Lebanon-Syria border as well as Lebanon's southern border area. Also, should the Agreement be revived, UNTSO would retain the role of liaison between the parties in a revived Mixed Armistice Commission. ¶7. (C) In a separate meeting on October 4, the Ambassador described a potential expanded UNTSO role to Prime Minister Siniora. The PM asked his advisor Rola Noureddine to look through the records of the Armistice Agreement to determine whether a legal basis exists to change UNTSO's current role. GOL AND ISRAEL MAY BOTH SEEK EXPANDED ROLE -------------- BEIRUT 00003245 002 OF 002 ¶8. (C) Lilley and Manca stated that the Lebanese government has indicated to them that they want UNTSO observers to stay in Lebanon. According to Lilley's understanding, Lebanon sees the UNTSO observers as providing legitimacy for the borders set under the Armistice. As UNTSO's mandate does not have to be renewed, the GOL views it as an established and stable player. ¶9. (C) Lilley told us that Israel had, for the first time in UNTSO's history, unofficially inquired about the possibility of allowing UNTSO observers to patrol its side of Shebaa farms. Lilley did not indicate who on the Israeli side made this inquiry, but said the approach was made before the July-August war and that it has not been repeated. MURRAY