LATVIA ON DRAFT LEBANON UNSCR

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000628 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2011 TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS UNSC LG SUBJECT: LATVIA ON DRAFT LEBANON UNSCR REF: STATE 128442 Classified By: Ambassador Catherine Todd Bailey. Reason: 1.4(D) (C) Pol/econ chief delivered reftel points and draft UNSCR to Kaspars Ozolins, MFA director of security policy, afternoon of August 7, while noting that per press reports, it was possible the draft resolution would be amended. Nevertheless, our principles remained the same. Ozolins appreciated the briefing, saying it was useful to have the U.S. views to "balance" what they hear from Brussels. He strongly agreed that it was critical that any solution avoid a return to the status quo ante; allowing Hezbollah to reestablish itself in the south would prevent a long term solution. In that regard, it was important, he said, for the follow-on international force to be deployed quickly. He asked for more information about the force and any planning currently underway. Asked if Latvia would potentially consider participation in a future force, Ozolins underscored the fact that current Latvian deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo were at the upper limit of Latvia's capacity. Bailey