PORTUGAL OFFERS VIEWPOINT ON LEBANON SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 001642

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/06/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS UN IS LE PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL OFFERS VIEWPOINT ON LEBANON SECURITY
COUNCIL RESOLUTION

REF: STATE 128442

Classified By: Acting Pol/Econ Couns Cari Enav for Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)


1. (C) On August 7, Acting Pol/Econ Couns delivered reftel
demarche and draft resolution to Acting Director for
International Political Organizations Helena Paiva and
Israel-Arab Affairs Desk Officer Maria Joao Coutinho. Paiva,
who previously worked for the Portuguese Mission to the UN,
agreed that the Security Council needed to speak with one
voice and reiterated Portugal's support for the EU position
on the conflict. With regard to the resolution, while
Portugal had no issues with the current draft, Paiva
commented that it would probably need to be amended slightly
to bring Hezbollah on board. After all, she noted, if the
parties to the conflict did not accept the resolution, it
would be ineffectual and make the UN look weak.


2. (C) Beyond the immediate issue of adopting the resolution,
Paiva and Coutinho commented that for any permanent ceasefire
to hold, the international community would also need to bring
pressure to bear on Iran and Syria. Paiva commented
privately that the Europeans were very concerned about
Hezbollah and were hoping Israel would be able to achieve its
objective of significantly weakening it.


3. (C) Paiva noted that Portugal would consider contributing
to a UN international force, contingent upon the cessation of
hostilities and the force's mandate. Whether the contingent
was comprised of military, police or civilian personnel would
depend on the second resolution. She commented that any
military and/or police force would need Chapter VII (Seven)
powers to protect the civilian population, and that many
nations, already stretched thin by other global conflicts,
were wary of putting their troops in such a position.


4. (C) Comment: Portugal tends to follow EU consensus rather
than lead. It is unclear why the government has chosen to
be on the forefront of the EU effort to deal with the crisis,
calling for an Extraordinary GAERC on Aug 1, offering to send
personnel to Lebanon, flying foreign nationals out of Beirut
early on in the conflict and transporting UN Humanitarian
Assistance into the country. Paiva and Coutinho were well
briefed on the issue and very interested in the U.S. position
and assessment of the situation. In addition, Paiva was
particularly concerned about Hezbollah's rejection of the
resolution. If Hezbollah did not buy-in, she commented, the
fighting would not end anytime soon.
O'Neal