Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06USUNNEWYORK1611
2006-08-23 00:05:00
UNCLASSIFIED
USUN New York
Cable title:  

UNSC OPEN DEBATE ON MIDDLE EAST FOCUSES ON

Tags:  PREL UNSC KPKO IS LE 
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O 230005Z AUG 06
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9950
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5/UNMA// IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 001611 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO IS LE
SUBJECT: UNSC OPEN DEBATE ON MIDDLE EAST FOCUSES ON
REVITALIZING PEACE PROCESS AND UNSCR 1701

REF: USUN 1597

USUN NEW Y 00001611 001.2 OF 003


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 001611

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO IS LE
SUBJECT: UNSC OPEN DEBATE ON MIDDLE EAST FOCUSES ON
REVITALIZING PEACE PROCESS AND UNSCR 1701

REF: USUN 1597

USUN NEW Y 00001611 001.2 OF 003



1. (U) Summary. Recalling recent UNSC focus on Lebanon, UN
Department of Political Affairs (DPA) Under Secretary-General
Ibrahim Gambari used a monthly UNSC public debate on the
Middle East held on August 22 to call for a renewed
international effort to advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace
process. Gambari urged revived action on the peace process
that is "sanctioned and championed by the Council." Arguing
that the vision of an independent Palestine and Israel living
side by side had "slipped further away during the past year,"
Gambari ascribed the deterioration in Israeli-Palestinian
relations to the political positions of the parties, the
degradation of the PA as a governing institution, continued
violence perpetrated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and
Palestinian groups, as well as the continued establishment of
"facts on the ground" that frustrate the realization of a
long-term peace.


2. (U) Summary, cont'd. The 28 member states -- including
the 15 members of the Security Council and other member
states who participated the debate -- that took the floor
after Gambari, however, addressed both the situation in
Lebanon and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While sevaral
delegations either characterized Israel's August 19 raid in
Lebanon's Bekaa Valley as a "violation" of UNSCR 1701 or
called on all parties to exercise "maximum restraint" to
avoid any violations, the UK, Denmark, France, Tanzania,
Canada, and Argentina joined Ambassador Bolton in calling for
respect for the arms embargo established by UNSCR 1701. The
UK, France, China, Qatar, and Finland (speaking for the EU),
among others, called on Israel to lift its sea and air
blockade of Lebanon. While most delegations called for the
release of IDF soldiers held in Lebanon and Gaza, the UK,
France, China, Russia, France, Japan, Slovakia, and Qatar
also called on Israel to release detained Palestinian
officials. Israel traded barbs with Syria and Iran, who both
lambasted the USG for supporting Israel's military campaign
in Lebanon. The Palestinian PR welcomed Gambari's call for
Council involvement in the peace process and recalled the
Arab League decision to seek a UNSC ministerial during the

UNGA. The Syrian PR also endorsed the Arab League's proposal
for UNSC action on the peace process, but held out
"resistance" as an alternative. End Summary.


3. (U) The UNSC held its monthly public debate on the Middle
East on August 22. A transcript of the meeting can be found
online at www.un.org/news/press/docs/2006/sc8813.doc.ht m.

Gambari Focuses Exclusively on Peace Process
--------------


4. (U) Recalling the SYG's report on the first week of
implementation of UNSCR 1701 and the closed UNSC
consultations held to discuss the report on August 21
(reftel),U/SYG Gambari said he would focus his remarks
instead on developments in the Israeli-Palestinian track over
the past year. Noting that the vision of two states living
side by side had "slipped further away during the past year,"
Gambari reported that the SYG had concluded that it was time
to consider something more -- a renewed international effort
in which the various crises in the region are addressed not
in isolation or bilaterally, but as part of a holistic and
comprehensive effort, "sanctioned and championed by the
Council," to bring peace and stability to the region as a
whole. Gambari did not elaborate on the SYG's plans in this
regard, nor did he explicitly link it to the Arab League
proposal for an SC ministerial.


5. (U) Gambari ascribed the deterioration in
Israeli-Palestinian relations to four factors. First, the
political position of the parties, including Hamas's
unwillingness to accept the principles that underpin the
peace process as well as Israel's refusal to transfer USD 500
million in tax revenue owed to the PA and its continued
settlement activity. Second, the degradation of the PA
caused in part by revenue shortfalls and Israeli movement
restrictions, which helped ensure a "mixed" PA performance in
Gaza since Israel's disengagement. Third, continuing death
and destruction caused by IDF military operations in the
occupied territories and Qassam rocket fire from Gaza into
Israel as well as the PA's inability to secure the release of
abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Fourth, Gambari lamented
"facts on the ground" such as Israeli settlement activity,
the separation barrier, and the closure of the Rafah crossing

USUN NEW Y 00001611 002.2 OF 003


between Gaza and Israel.

Ambassador Bolton Emphasizes Arms Embargo
--------------


6. (U) During his intervention, Ambassador Bolton emphasized
that the arms embargo established in UNSCR 1701 against arms
transfers to Lebanon not authorized by the GOL must be
strictly observed. He expressed concern about the attitudes
of Syria and Iran, whose leaders had repeatedly called for
the destruction of Israel, and noted that the burden of
abiding by the arms embargo fell especially on them. It was
essential, he argued, to put an end to Hizballah operating as
a state within a state to achieve the goal of a lasting peace
in the region. He cautioned that the international community
must not apply only a temporary band-aid solution to the
problem and allow Hizballah to regroup and re-arm. Recalling
UNSCR 1701's call for an unconditional release of the
abducted Israeli soldiers, Ambassador Bolton also averred
that it was impossible to divorce this issue from the need
for an end to violence. Turning to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, Ambassador Bolton castigated the Hamas-led PA
government for its failure to govern responsibly and for
continuing to reject peace and embrace terrorism. He noted
the USG's decision to increase humanitarian assistance for
the Palestinians to USD 270 million, including more than USD
50 million for UNRWA's emergency appeal.

Violations of UNSCR 1701 / Arms Embargo
--------------


7. (U) Several delegations, including Argentina, Peru, Qatar,
Ghana, and Norway, explicitly characterized Israel's August
19 raid in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley as a "violation" of UNSCR
1701's call for a cessation of hostilities. France noted
that the August 19 raid was a "source of serious concern" but
otherwise declined to characterize the incident. Other
countries, including France, Denmark, Japan, Slovakia,
Finland (speaking for the EU),and Brazil, called on all
parties to exercise "maximum restraint" to avoid any
violations of UNSCR 1701.


8. (U) The UK, Denmark, France, Tanzania, Canada, and
Argentina joined Ambassador Bolton in calling for adherence
to the arms embargo in UNSCR 1701. Calling on all parties to
respect UNSCRs 1559, 1680, and 1701, the UK singled out "the
key provision of UNSCR 1701 that ensures an end to all arms
shipments other than for the GOL." Denmark highlighted the
importance of ensuring that UNIFIL is given authority to
enforce the arms embargo, while Canada tied respect for the
arms embargo to the ultimate goal of ensuring Hizballah's
disarmament.

Calls on Israel to Lift Blockade
--------------


9. (U) As they had done during closed consultations on August
21 (reftel),the UK, France, China, and Ghana called on
Israel to lift its air and sea blockade of Lebanon to allow
humanitarian relief efforts to proceed. Tanzania, Ghana,
Finland (speaking for the EU),Pakistan, and Argentina
supported this call. Qatar, which described the continuing
blockade as a violation of UNSCR 1701, called on the UNSC to
take action to ensure that Israel lifts the blockade
immediately.

Release IDF and Palestinian Prisoners
--------------


10. (U) Most delegations called for the release of the IDF
soldiers held in Gaza and Lebanon, although not all used the
terms "immediate and unconditional." China, for example,
called for the "early" release of the IDF soldiers, while
Russia did not explicitly mention the IDF captives at all.
Several delegations, including China, Russia, France, Japan,
Slovakia, Qatar, and Congo, called for the release of
Palestinian officials arrested by Israel. The UK called on
Israel to either charge or release these Palestinian
detainees, while Denmark and Greece expressed concern about
these arrests. France characterized these arrests
"counter-productive" and called on Israel to immediately free
detained Palestinian politicians. Several delegations
referred to language from UNSCR 1701 to highlight the need to
"settle" the issue of Lebanese prisoners in Israel.


USUN NEW Y 00001611 003.2 OF 003


Israel Trades Barbs With Syria and Iran
--------------


11. (U) Characterizing Hamas, Hizballah, Iran, and Syria as
the "quartet of terror," Israel warned of "catastrophic"
consequences if Iran and Syria were allowed to succeed in
their efforts to re-supply Hizballah. It called on UNIFIL to
deploy to Lebanon's ports and its border with Syria to ensure
implementation of the arms embargo. Referring to reports of
Syrian and Iranian training of Hizballah fighters, Israeli PR
Gillerman averred that the embargo also demands an end to
interference by those countries in Lebanon. Gillerman also
urged UNSC members to ensure that their resolutions --
including 1559, 1690, and 1701 -- were fully implemented and
to fulfill their responsibility to work for the release of
captured IDF soldiers.


12. (U) The Palestinian representative to the UN, Riyadh
Mansour, spoke at length about the impact of Israeli actions
on the Palestinian population. He also embraced Gambari's
proposal for Council action, seeking SC focus on the
Palestinian situation analagous to its recent attention to
Lebanon. Mansour also recalled the decision of the Arab
League to seek an SC ministerial on the peace process during
the UNGA.


13. (U) Iran and Syria joined Lebanon and the Palestinian
observer in criticizing Israel for its purported crimes
against humanity and for violating UNSCR 1701. But the
Iranian and Syrian representatives went further by
specifically blaming the USG for joining in Israel's alleged
effort to destroy Lebanon. The Iranian representative
referred to U.S. media reports to suggest that the USG and
Israel had "pre-cooked a plan to transform a border shoot-out
into a war." Characterizing Israeli and USG claims about the
IDF's August 19 raid as "preposterous," he argued that the
operation was planned to "abduct" Lebanese officials. The
Syrian PR, calling Israel "the demon of international
terrorism," quoted SARG President al-Asad's remark that if
peace is not an option, resistance becomes the only
alternative. He endorsed the Arab League proposal for the
UNSC to take action to revive the Middle East Peace Process
and also called on the UNSC to address the issue of Israel's
nuclear capability.
BOLTON