GUIDANCE: UNSCR 1701 CONSULTATIONS

UNCLAS STATE 197169

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNSC PREL IS LE
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE: UNSCR 1701 CONSULTATIONS


1. (U) USUN is authorized to draw from the points in para 2
below during UNSC resolution 1701 consultations currently
scheduled for December 11.


2. (SBU) Begin points.

-- We welcome the Secretary General's letter detailing
progress made on UNSC resolution 1701 implementation.

-- The Hizballah-initiated conflict in Lebanon resulted in
enormous suffering by Lebanese and Israeli civilians and
highlighted the risks of allowing the status quo in Lebanon
to continue.

-- We cannot forget that Hizballah triggered this
destructive conflict with its unprovoked terrorist attack
across the Blue Line that resulted in the deaths of several
Israeli soldiers and the capture of two others. The
cessation of hostilities has held; Israeli troops have
withdrawn as the Lebanese Armed Forces have historically
deployed in southern Lebanon for the first time in almost
forty years. It is long past time for the Israeli soldiers,
Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, to be returned,
unconditionally and immediately, to their families.

-- We applaud the progress the Government of Lebanon has
made in implementing UNSC resolution 1701. The LAF has begun
to take concrete steps to ensure the area between the Litani
River and the Blue Line are free from personnel, assets, and
weapons other than those of UNIFIL and the government.

-- Implementation of UNSCR 1701 can only go so far in
protecting innocent civilians in Lebanon. We have seen a
dangerous rise in Syrian- and Iranian-sponsored political
unrest in Lebanon in recent weeks, including threats by
Hizballah and its allies to overthrow the legitimate and
democratically-elected government through street action. We
have also witnessed the assassination of Lebanese Minister of
Industry, Pierre Gemayel. These attempts to destabilize
Lebanon are totally unacceptable, a violation of the spirit
of UNSCRs 1559 and 1680, and a direct challenge to the
international community. We must be resolute in our
response.

-- Lebanese civilians will continue to live in uncertainty
until the Government of Lebanon -- with the help of the
international community -- is able to exercise its full
sovereignty over all its territory and fully implements UNSC
resolution 1559 and its follow-on resolutions, including the
provisions regarding the disbanding and disarming of the
militias.

-- The people of Lebanon deserve to have lasting peace and
security, but this will only happen when all nations respect
Lebanon's territorial integrity, sovereignty, unity and
political independence under the authority of its legitimate
and democratically-elected government. We call on all
parties to support a free and democratic Lebanon.

End points.
RICE