SECURITY COUNCIL REAFFIRMS UNSCR 1559 GOALS AMID

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 USUN NEW YORK 002085

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO IS LE SY
SUBJECT: SECURITY COUNCIL REAFFIRMS UNSCR 1559 GOALS AMID
CALLS TO END ISRAELI OVERFLIGHTS

REF: STATE 180176


1. (SBU) Summary. During an October 30 closed-door briefing
to the Security Council on the SYG's latest report on UNSCR
1559 implementation, SYG Special Envoy Terje Roed-Larsen
praised the "historic" deployment of the Lebanese Armed
Forces (LAF) to south Lebanon, but highlighted the
unfulfilled requirements of 1559: the need for the GOL to
ensure full control over all its territory, hold free and
fair presidential elections, and disarm all Lebanese and
non-Lebanese militias. Larsen said an effort by SYG Annan is
in full swing to find a "territorial definition of Sheba'a
Farms that is legally and cartographically defensible" given
the contradiction between the cartographic record and recent
Syrian and Lebanese statements that the area is Lebanese, but
he declined to specify a timeline to present these
conclusions. Emphasizing that UNSCR 1701 incorporates UNSCRs
1559 and 1680, Larsen underscored that all states --
particularly Lebanon's neighbors -- must comply with the arms
embargo imposed under resolution 1701 and warned that
hostilities could resume if Iran and Syria continued
providing arms to Hizballah.


2. (SBU) Summary, cont'd. Larsen defended the non-specific
nature of the report's reference to continuing violations of
the arms embargo by explaining that senior GOL officials did
not want to cited as the sources of information about arms
transfers from Syria because they feared retaliation. During
his intervention, Ambassador Bolton expressed concern that
Syria and Iran are actively trying to destabilize the GOL and
called on the two countries to abide by their obligations to
respect Lebanon's sovereignty and political independence.
French PR de la Sabliere joined Ambassador Bolton in calling
for progress on disarmament and strict respect for the arms
embargo. Russia, China, and several other non-permanent UNSC
members supported France's call that Israel should cease
overflights completely. After the closed-door session, the
Council adopted a Presidential Statement (PRST) reaffirming
the need to fully implement UNSCR 1559 and calling on all
states and parties as mentioned in the SYG's report to
cooperate towards this goal. End Summary.

Larsen Offers Overview
--------------


3. (SBU) Introducing the SYG's fourth semi-annual report on
UNSCR 1559 implementation, Larsen praised the "historic" LAF
deployment to south Lebanon but highlighted the unfulfilled
requirements of 1559, including the need for the GOL to
ensure full control over all its territory, hold free and
fair presidential elections, disarm all Lebanese and
non-Lebanese militias, and ensure strict respect for
Lebanon's political independence, sovereignty, unity, and
territorial integrity. He commended GOL Prime Minister
Siniora for his "able leadership" during the recent conflict
with Israel, noted Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri's plan
to resume Lebanon's National Dialogue on November 6, 2006,
and concluded that the government needs to recover its
momentum toward the consolidation of the Lebanese state lost
over the summer. Recalling the SYG's characterization of
Israel's "persistent and provocative" overflights of Lebanon
as violations of UNSCRs 1559 and 1701, Larsen called on the
GOI to cease this practice immediately. Emphasizing that
UNSCR 1701 incorporates UNSCRs 1559 and 1680, he expressed
hope that the Security Council would retain its lead in
ensuring implementation of these resolutions, but stated
clearly that others needed to play their part, as well. The
conditions that challenged Lebanon -- a weak state beset by
forces of extremism -- threatened the entire region, he
concluded.

Defining Sheba'a Farms
--------------


4. (SBU) While underlining that only an agreement between
Syria and Lebanon could settle the issue of the Sheba'a Farms
with finality, Larsen said the SYG was in the meantime
exploring the possibility of a "temporary solution" based on
public statements by Syrian and Lebanese officials to the
effect that Sheba'a is Lebanese. He acknowledged that this
conclusion would contradict the Council's consistent
position, reached on the basis of extensive cartographic
evidence, that Sheba'a was not Lebanese (in this regard he
noted additionally that UNDOF and UNIFIL areas of
responsibility have always been based on the assumption that
Sheba'a is not Lebanese). But Larsen suggested that Syrian
statements that Sheba'a is Lebanese might constitute a "new

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legal reality." The SYG, therefore, had assigned
cartographers and UN lawyers to determine if it is possible
to find a "territorial definition of Sheba'a Farms that is
legally and cartographically defensible," and noted the issue
also had a significant political dimension. This effort was
in full swing and would soon revert to the SYG, although
Larsen declined to specify a timeline for completion given
the "massive" cartographic challenges involved. He also
underscored the need for diplomatic relations between Lebanon
and Syria, observing that bilateral dialogue is the "best and
civilized way" to resolve border disputes.

Disarmament and Arms Embargo
--------------


5. (SBU) Describing disarmament of all militias in Lebanon as
a "key element" in securing a permanent end to hostilities as
well as completing Lebanon's transition to a sovereign,
democratic state, Larsen expressed the expectation that the
GOL would present a timeline to move this process forward.
He agreed with Russia, Qatar, Argentina, and others that the
best way to resolve the issue of militias is through a
domestic political process, but he added that the
international community should encourage all parties to
respect the GOL's declaration that it seeks to exercise a
monopoly over the use of force. Hizballah, Larsen stated,
must become solely a political party.


6. (SBU) Noting that Iran and Syria maintain a close
relationship with Hizballah, including arms transfers, Larsen
underscored that all states -- particularly Lebanon's
neighbors -- must comply with the arms embargo established in
UNSCR 1701. Responding to Russian criticism of the reference
in the SYG's report to continued arms shipments into Lebanon
in violation of the embargo (see para 9),Larsen explained
that senior representatives of the GOL had told the UN about
weapons transfers from Syria before, during, and after the
summer's hostilities, but had asked the Secretariat not to
publicize these reports because they feared retaliation.
When SYG Annan raised these reports with SARG President Asad
in Damascus, Larsen said the Syrians did not deny that such
transfers had taken place but claimed they were instances of
smuggling and that the Syria-Lebanon border was impossible to
control.

U.S. and France Mostly Agree
--------------


7. (SBU) Drawing from reftel points, Ambassador Bolton
praised LAF deployment to the south while calling for the
full implementation of UNSCR 1559 -- including disarmament of
Hizballah. Avoiding the subject of Hizballah disarmament, he
argued, could actually result in weakening the GOL.
Ambassador Bolton expressed concern that Syria and Iran are
actively trying to destabilize the GOL and called on them to
abide by their obligations to respect Lebanon's sovereignty
and political independence. He demanded that Syria abide by
the commitments it made to SYG Annan to respect the arms
embargo established under UNSCR 1701. Tying UNSCRs 1559 and
1680 to 1701, Ambassador Bolton urged the SYG to maintain
momentum towards implementing these resolutions by reporting
to the Council on Syrian and Iranian adherence to the arms
embargo, as well as efforts to ensure that Hizballah and
other militias inside Lebanon disarm.


8. (SBU) Joining Ambassador Bolton in calling for the full
implementation of UNSCR 1559, French PR de la Sabliere
described the existence of Hizballah's weapons an "attack" on
GOL sovereignty and said Lebanon must begin a political
process leading to Hizballah disarmament within the
weapons-free zone and beyond. He underscored the need for
full respect for the arms embargo. But de la Sabliere also
expressed "grave concern" at GOI overflights of Lebanon,
which he said endanger the safety and credibility of UNIFIL
and the GOL, and he called on Israel to stop this practice
completely. While praising the LAF's deployment to the
south, he also noted that Israeli forces remain in the
northern part of the village of Ghajjar. The French PR
expressed support for efforts to resolve the issue of the
Sheba'a Farms and noted in this regard the GOL's seven-point
plan to place the disputed area under UN trusteeship until
its permanent status is decided.

Russia Questions Larsen on Arms Shipments
--------------


9. (SBU) While agreeing that all states and parties bear

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responsibility for enforcing the arms embargo established
under UNSCR 1701, Russian DPR Dolgov questioned the reference
in the SYG's report to continued arms smuggling into Lebanon
in violation of the embargo. Declaring the embargo to be an
"extremely sensitive issue" and one on which Russia has a
"serious position," Dolgov argued the UNSC could only take
action based on concrete facts. If there are facts to
substantiate these reports of embargo violations, the Council
should consider them. If not, it must avoid "generalized
conclusions" that inflame emotions. In this context, Dolgov
cited statements by the SARG and GOL Defense Minister Murr
that there have been no instances of arms smuggling across
the Syrian-Lebanese border since the passage of UNSCR 1701.

Frequent Calls for End to IAF Overflights
--------------


10. (SBU) Russia, China, Qatar, Greece, Ghana, Congo,
Slovakia, and Argentina joined France in expressing strong
concern about Israeli overflights of Lebanon and in calling
on the GOI to cease this practice altogether. Most of these
delegations explicitly echoed the SYG's conclusion that
Israeli overflights constitute a violation of UNSCR 1701.
Russian DPR Dolgov claimed there is "no serious
justification" for these "provocations."

Regional Context: Borders, Embassies, MEPP
--------------


11. (SBU) Japan, Denmark, Slovakia, Tanzania, and France
urged Syria and Lebanon to delineate their border and
establish diplomatic relations. Russia, China, Qatar, and
Argentina, however, repeated their traditional position that
these issues should be settled bilaterally between the two
sides. China argued that issues related to Lebanon and Syria
should be seen in the context of the broader Middle East
peace process. It would be difficult to make progress on one
issue without addressing the broader challenges facing the
region.

Text of UNSC Presidential Statement
--------------


12. (U) After closed consultations, Japanese PR Oshima (as
President of the UNSC) read out the following Presidential
Statement (PRST):

The Security Council recalls all its previous resolutions on
Lebanon, in particular resolutions 1559 (2004),425 and 426
(1978),resolution 520 (1982) and 1680 (2006),and resolution
1701 (2006),as well as the statements of its president on
the situation in Lebanon, in particular the statement of 18
June 2000, of 19 October 2004, of 4 May 2005, and of 23
January 2006.

The Security Council reaffirms its strong support for the
territorial integrity, sovereignty, unity, and political
independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized
borders.

The Security Council welcomes the fourth semi-annual report
to the Security Council of 19 October 2006 on the
implementation of resolution 1559 (2004).

The Security Council notes that important progress has been
made towards the implementation of resolution 1559 (2004),in
particular through the deployment of the Lebanese Armed
Forces in the south of the country for the first time in
three decades, but it also notes with regret that some
provisions of resolution 1559 (2004) have yet to be
implemented, namely the disbanding and disarming of Lebanese
and non-Lebanese militias, the strict respect for the
sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity, and political
independence of Lebanon, and free and fair presidential
elections conducted according to the Lebanese constitutional
rules, without any foreign interference and influence.

The Security Council commends the Lebanese government for
extending its authority throughout its territory,
particularly in the South, and encourages it to continue its
efforts in this regard.

The Security Council reiterates its call for the full
implementation of resolution 1559 (2004) and urges all
concerned states and parties as mentioned in the report to
cooperate fully with the Government of Lebanon, the Security
Council, and the Secretary-General to achieve this goal.

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The Security Council reaffirms its support to the
Secretary-General and his Special Envoy in their efforts and

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dedication to facilitate and assist in the implementation of
all provisions of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006).

The Security Council acknowledges the Secretary-General's
intention to revert to the Council in his next report on
implementation of resolution 1701 and looks forward to his
further recommendations on the relevant outstanding issues.
BOLTON