Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LONDON5861
2006-08-10 11:58:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy London
Cable title:  

(C) UK FOREIGN SECRETARY PESSIMISTIC ON LEBANON

Tags:  PREL PTER MOPS UN IS LE UK 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHLO #5861 2221158
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 101158Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0763
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8151
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 005861 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA, NEA/I, IO/UNP, P, EUR/UBI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS UN IS LE UK
SUBJECT: (C) UK FOREIGN SECRETARY PESSIMISTIC ON LEBANON
SCR; TRAVEL TO NY DELAYED BY FOILED TERRORIST ATTACK

REF: STATE 130906

Classified By: A/DCM John P. Caulfield, Reasons 1,4 (B, D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 005861

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA, NEA/I, IO/UNP, P, EUR/UBI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS UN IS LE UK
SUBJECT: (C) UK FOREIGN SECRETARY PESSIMISTIC ON LEBANON
SCR; TRAVEL TO NY DELAYED BY FOILED TERRORIST ATTACK

REF: STATE 130906

Classified By: A/DCM John P. Caulfield, Reasons 1,4 (B, D)


1. (C) Summary: Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett is
pessimistic enough about the future of the draft Lebanon
Security Council resolution that she planned to travel early
this morning (August 10) to New York to do what she could to
help the negotiations, Middle East/North Africa Director (NEA
A/S-equivalent) Peter Gooderham told A/DCM August 10 in
response to reftel demarche. However, Beckett was unable to
travel because the thwarted terrorist attack on flights
between the U.S. and UK severely delayed or cancelled flights
(septel). Beckett is looking to travel to NY either later
today or tomorrow (August 11). Gooderham praised UK-U.S.
cooperation so far on the resolution and reiterated the UK's
support for the U.S.-French draft, noting that a solo French
resolution is a bad idea. He stressed the importance of
answering remaining questions on the mandate and size of an
expanded UNIFIL. He also reiterated the tremendous domestic
pressure HMG is under to resolve the crisis. End summary.


2. (C) A/DCM delivered reftel demarche August 10 to Middle
East/North Africa Director Peter Gooderham, who said HMG is
pleased with U.S.-UK cooperation on the issue at the UN,
through our respective embassies, and between London and
Washington. He reiterated UK support for the U.S.-France
draft resolution but said Foreign Secretary Beckett has
become pessimistic about the future of the resolution, given
the drift of the last 2-3 days. Beckett believes that she
should go to New York to do what she can to bring the issue
to closure at the UN, Gooderham said; she was under no
illusions that her efforts would succeed but felt she had to
try. Pointing to his packed suitcase, Gooderham said he had
planned to accompany Beckett to New York this morning. The
trip has been postponed, however, because the foiled
terrorist plot to blow up flights between the U.S. and UK had
made travel all but impossible. Beckett will try to travel
either later today or early tomorrow, depending on the
situation at the airports.


3. (C) On the concept of an expanded UNIFIL, Gooderham laid
out the issues he considered still remained to be resolved:
its mandate (like the U.S., the UK favors a Chapter VII
mandate to support the LAF),its size (it needs to be
sufficiently larger than the current ineffectual force, but
we should be careful about setting the bar too high, he
said),and the quickest way to deploy it. The UK is
concerned that there may not be sufficient troop contributors
to the expanded UNIFIL, and there are worries within HMG -
unconfirmed by hard evidence, Gooderham stressed - that a
strengthened mandate might cause current UNIFIL contributors
India and Ghana to pull out.


4. (C) Finally, Gooderham reiterated the intense domestic
pressure HMG in general and PM Tony Blair in particular are
under to resolve the crisis as soon as possible. The PM is
determined to resist this pressure until a durable, lasting
solution is in place. In the meantime, the UK is seeking to
stave off some criticism by focusing on facilitating
humanitarian relief, especially fuel supplies. Gooderham
noted that UK embassy officials in Washington had been in
touch with various parts of the Administration August 9 on
this issue.

Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm
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