TANZANIA REVIEWING TEXT OF UNSCR ON LEBANON

UNCLAS DAR ES SALAAM 001336 SIPDIS SIPDIS IO/UNP FOR BHARRIS AND DBRENNAN; USUN FOR EBRUNO; AF/E FOR BYODER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS UN IS LE TZ SUBJECT: TANZANIA REVIEWING TEXT OF UNSCR ON LEBANON REF: A. STATE 128442 ¶B. DAR ES SALAAM 01322 ¶1. (U) Tanzania views the draft text of a UN Security Council resolution on Lebanon as including some crucial elments but "not perfect," Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Multilateral Division, told Poloff August 7. Mulamula said the elements of an immediate cessation of hostilities, the allowance for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, a ceasefire and provision of time for the Security Council to assess the situation on the ground were all important. Mulamula added that Tanzania wanted a SC resolution "adopted yesterday" and wanted to inject a sense of urgency. Mulamula added that the text is "a bit imbalanced" and cited the example of reference to the release of two soldiers rather than addressing the release of all being held in both Israel and Lebanon. ¶2. (U) COMMENT: Tanzania has not yet voiced its endorsement of the UNSCR on Lebanon, but all comments point toward support, especially given Tanzania's desire for swift action by the SC. Mulamula told Poloff August 7 that Minister of Foreign Affairs will review the draft text today but at COB still had not provided a definitive response. RETZER