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 The cessation of hostilities has held; Israeli troops have withdrawn as the Lebanese Armed Forces have historically deployed in southern Lebanon for the first time in almost forty years.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