UNSC APPROVES AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING LEBANON

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 002187 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UNSC IS SY LE SUBJECT: UNSC APPROVES AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING LEBANON SPECIAL TRIBUNAL ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. DURING CLOSED CONSULTATIONS ON NOVEMBER 21, THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED A LETTER PAGE 02 RUCNDTA2187 UNCLAS FROM THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT TO SYG ANNAN EXPRESSING SATISFACTION WITH THE AGREEMENT NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE UN AND THE GOL TO ESTABLISH A LEBANON SPECIAL TRIBUNAL AND INVITING THE SYG TO PROCEED WITH THE FINAL STEPS TO ESTABLISH THE COURT. ONCE THE SYG SIGNS THE AGREEMENT, IT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE GOL FOR RATIFICATION, AFTER WHICH THE TRIBUNAL AGREEMENT WILL ENTER INTO FORCE. DURING SC CONSULTATIONS ON NOVEMBER 20 PRECEDING THE COUNCILS APPROVAL OF THE LETTER, HOWEVER, THE QATARI DELEGATION QUESTIONED THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE GOL CABINET DECISION ENDORSING THE TRIBUNAL AGREEMENT AND THE UN'S DECISION NOT TO CONSIDER LEBANESE PRESIDENT LAHOUD'S OBJECTIONS TO THE TEXT. RUSSIAN PR CHURKIN OBJECTED TO PASSAGES IN THE SYG'S REPORT ACCOMPANYING THE AGREEMENT ON CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY (OVER WHICH THE TRIBUNAL DOES NOT HAVE JURISDICTION) AND THE POSSIBLE LINKAGES BETWEEN THE HARIRI ASSASSINATION AND THE OTHER 14 ATTACKS COMMITTED IN LEBANON BETWEEN OCTOBER 2004 AND DECEMBER 2005. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY, CONT,D. FRANCE, THE UK, GREECE, AND PAGE 03 RUCNDTA2187 UNCLAS OTHERS JOINED AMBASSADOR BOLTON IN PUSHING FOR QUICK SC ACTION TO APPROVE THE TRIBUNAL AGREEMENT AND ARGUING THAT ONLY THE LEBANESE COULD DECIDE WHEN THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESS IS COMPLETE. WHILE JAPAN EMPHASIZED ITS STRONG VIEW THAT THE TRIBUNAL COULD BE FUNDED ONLY THROUGH VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS -- WHICH THE USG, UK, AND ARGENTINA SUPPORTED AND THE COUNCIL LATER ENDORSED -- THE JAPANESE DELEGATE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT LANGUAGE IN THE SYG'S REPORT THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD CONSIDER ALTERNATE MEANS OF FINANCING THE COURT IF VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS PROVE INSUFFICIENT. UN OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS (OLA) HEAD NICOLAS MICHEL DEFENDED THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE UN AND GOL NEGOTIATED THE TRIBUNAL AGREEMENT, BUT EXPRESSED REGRET ABOUT THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE SYG'S REPORT. END SUMMARY. COUNCIL APPROVES TRIBUNAL AGREEMENT -------------- ¶3. (SBU) DURING CLOSED CONSULTATIONS ON NOVEMBER 21, THE UNSC APPROVED A DRAFT LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL TO PAGE 04 RUCNDTA2187 UNCLAS THE SYG EXPRESSING SATISFACTION WITH THE UN-GOL AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING THE LEBANON SPECIAL TRIBUNAL AND INVITING THE SYG TO PROCEED, TOGETHER WITH THE GOL, IN CONFORMITY WITH THE CONSTITUTION OF LEBANON, WITH THE FINAL STEPS FOR THE CONCLUSION OF THE AGREEMENT (TEXT OF THE LETTER E-MAILED TO IO/UNP). FOLLOWING THE COUNCILS ENDORSEMENT, THE PERUVIAN PR, AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNSC, TRANSMITTED THE LETTER TO THE SYG ON NOVEMBER 21. THE SYG WILL NOW SIGN THE TRIBUNAL AGREEMENT FORMALLY BEFORE SUBMITTING IT TO THE GOL TO BE RATIFIED ACCORDING TO LEBANON'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESS. ONCE THE GOL RATIFIES THE AGREEMENT AND NOTIFIES THE UN ACCORDINGLY, IT WILL ENTER INTO FORCE AND THE TRIBUNAL WILL HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED ON PAPER. THE TRIBUNAL WILL NOT BEGIN FUNCTIONING, HOWEVER, UNTIL A DATE DETERMINED BY THE SYG IN CONSULTATION WITH THE GOL, AFTER TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE PROGRESS OF THE UN INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION COMMISSION (UNIIIC). MICHEL OFFERS STRONG DEFENSE OF PROCESS... -------------- PAGE 05 RUCNDTA2187 UNCLAS ¶4. (SBU) WARNING DURING CONSULTATIONS ON NOVEMBER 20 THAT "DARK FORCES" WANT TO DERAIL THE TRIBUNAL, MICHEL LAUNCHED AN IMPASSIONED DEFENSE OF THE AGREEMENT AND STATUTE AND CALLED ON THE COUNCIL TO HELP END IMPUNITY IN LEBANON BY CONTINUING ITS UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR THE UNIIIC / TRIBUNAL PROCESS. ALLUDING TO CONCERNS RAISED BY LEBANESE PRESIDENT LAHOUD ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE GOL CABINET DECISION APPROVING THE DRAFT AGREEMENT AND STATUTE (REFTELS),MICHEL DEFENDED THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE UN-GOL AGREEMENT WAS DRAFTED AND THE LEGITIMACY OF THE OUTCOME. HE NOTED THAT THE LEBANESE JUDGES WHO NEGOTIATED WITH OLA WERE FULLY EMPOWERED BY GOL CABINET DECISIONS THAT INVOLVED LAHOUD AND THAT THE TRIBUNAL NEGOTIATIONS ENJOYED UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FROM LEBANON'S NATIONAL DIALOGUE. ALTHOUGH THE NOVEMBER 13 CABINET DECISION WAS OF MAJOR POLITICAL IMPORTANCE, MICHEL REPORTED THAT THE GOL WOULD ONLY BE LEGALLY BOUND BY THE TRIBUNAL AGREEMENT ONCE ITS CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESS -- INCLUDING PARLIAMENTARY RATIFICATION -- IS COMPLETE. PAGE 06 RUCNDTA2187 UNCLAS ¶5. (SBU) TURNING TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE DRAFT AGREEMENT AND STATUTE, MICHEL SAID THE COURT WOULD EXPAND ITS JURISDICTION BEYOND THE HARIRI ASSASSINATION ONLY IF THE OTHER 14 ATTACKS COMMITTED BETWEEN OCTOBER 2004 AND DECEMBER 2005 MEET STRICT TESTS REGARDING THEIR CONNECTION TO THE HARIRI ATTACK. HE SAID THE TRIBUNAL WOULD BE GOVERNED BY APPLICABLE LEBANESE SPECIAL TRIBUNAL CRIMINAL LAW WITHOUT ANY RECOURSE TO CONSIDER CHARGES OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. ON THE APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES, PAGE 02 RUCNDTA2187 UNCLAS MICHEL CONFIRMED THAT THE SYG WOULD MAKE THESE DECISIONS IN CONSULTATION WITH THE LEBANESE. HE OUTLINED THE FUNDING OPTIONS PRESENTED IN THE REPORT -- ASSESSED CONTRIBUTIONS, VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH -- AND NOTED THAT THE SYG WOULD DETERMINE WHEN THE TRIBUNAL WOULD BEGIN FUNCTIONING IN CONSULTATION WITH THE GOL AFTER CONSIDERING PROGRESS IN UNIIIC'S WORK. ON THE TRIBUNALS DURATION, MICHEL NOTED THE AGREEMENT CREATES A MECHANISM TO CONSIDER THE COURT'S PROGRESS AFTER THREE YEARS BUT IF THE TRIBUNAL,S ACTIVITIES HAVE NOT CONCLUDED, THE TRIBUNAL WILL BE EXTENDED TO COMPLETE ITS WORK, FOR A PERIOD TO BE DETERMINED BY THE SYG IN CONSULTATION WITH THE GOL AND THE UNSC. QATAR AND RUSSIA RAISE DOUBTS -------------- ¶6. (SBU) QATAR EVENTUALLY ACQUIESCED TO THE VIEWS OF OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS DURING NOVEMBER 21 CONSULTATIONS AND SUPPORTED THE DRAFT UNSC LETTER TO THE SYG -- AFTER IT PAGE 03 RUCNDTA2187 UNCLAS CIRCULATED ITS OWN LETTER TO THE UNSC PRESIDENT PUTTING FORTH ITS INTERPRETATION THAT THE DRAFT LETTER REQUIRES THE APPROVAL OF PRESIDENT LAHOUD AND THE GOL PARLIAMENT. DURING THE NOVEMBER 20 CONSULTATIONS, HOWEVER, QATAR EXCORIATED THE UN-GOL TRIBUNAL PROCESS AND EXPRESSED DOUBTS ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE GOL CABINET DECISION. WARNING THAT QUICK SC ACTION COULD "POUR OIL ON THE FIRE" OF SECTARIAN TENSIONS IN LEBANON, QATARI PR NASSER MAINTAINED ON NOVEMBER 20 THAT THE TRIBUNAL AGREEMENT DID NOT MEET LEBANESE CONSTITUTIONAL TESTS. ASKING MICHEL WHY OLA HAD NOT CONSIDERED LAHOUD'S OBJECTIONS TO THE AGREEMENT, NASSER ARGUED THAT ALL LEBANESE PARTIES HAD TO SUPPORT THE TRIBUNAL AGREEMENT BEFORE IT COULD BE CONSIDERED LEGITIMATE. ¶7. (SBU) AFTER NOTING IN THE NOVEMBER 20 CONSULTATIONS THAT THE LETTERS FROM SINIORA AND LAHOUD TO THE COUNCIL DIFFERED IN &TONE AND SUBSTANCE,8 RUSSIAN PR CHURKIN SAID THE COUNCIL MUST MAKE CLEAR THAT &WE EXPECT ALL CONSTITUTIONAL PROCEDURES OF LEBANON TO BE OBSERVED IN THE PROCESS OF ADOPTING THE DOCUMENTS.8 HE THEN FOCUSED DURING THE PAGE 04 RUCNDTA2187 UNCLAS NOVEMBER 20 CONSULTATIONS ON OBJECTIONS TO THE SYG'S REPORT. NOTING THAT THE AGREEMENT STIPULATES THAT THE TRIBUNAL WILL HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THE OTHER 14 ATTACKS IF THEY ARE FOUND TO BE RELATED TO THE HARIRI ASSASSINATION, CHURKIN ARGUED THAT THE SYG'S REPORT PRE-JUDGED THAT FINDING BY SUGGESTING THAT THE TRIBUNAL WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY CONSIDER THE HARIRI CASE WITHOUT ALSO CONSIDERING THE OTHER 14 ATTACKS. CHURKIN ALSO RAISED STRONG OBJECTIONS TO THE PARAGRAPHS 23-25 OF THE SYG'S REPORT, WHICH NOTE THAT THE UN SECRETARIAT WANTED TO INCLUDE CHARGES OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY BUT WAS DISSUADED FROM DOING SO BY MEMBER STATES. ARGUING THAT THE SYG'S REPORT CANNOT SERVE AS A REFERENCE DOCUMENT FOR THE TRIBUNAL BECAUSE OF THESE "ERRORS," CHURKIN SUGGESTED THAT MICHEL'S BRIEFING TO THE COUNCIL -- WHICH HE SAID CLARIFIED MANY OF RUSSIA'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REPORT -- BE ATTACHED AS AN ANNEX TO THE REPORT. P-3 CALL FOR QUICK COUNCIL ACTION -------------- PAGE 05 RUCNDTA2187 UNCLAS ¶8. (SBU) FRANCE AND THE UK JOINED AMBASSADOR BOLTON IN PUSHING FOR SPEEDY ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TRIBUNAL. RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS RAISED BY QATAR, AMBASSADOR BOLTON ARGUED THAT IT WAS ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE FOR THE COUNCIL TO ACT BEFORE THE GOL PARLIAMENT RATIFIES THE AGREEMENT BECAUSE THE COUNCIL HAD TO SPECIFY WHICH FUNDING OPTION IT WOULD SUPPORT. ON THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE LEBANESE CABINET DECISION, SEVERAL DELEGATES SUPPORTED AMBASSADOR BOLTON'S ARGUMENT THAT ONLY THE LEBANESE -- AND NOT THE SECURITY COUNCIL OR THE SECRETARIAT -- COULD DECIDE WHETHER THE GOL HAD FOLLOWED ITS SIPDIS OWN PROCEDURES. RESPONDING TO RUSSIAN PR CHURKIN'S OBJECTIONS TO THE SYG'S REPORT, AMBASSADOR BOLTON AGREED THAT THE SECRETARIAT WAS OUT OF LINE TO INCLUDE THE PARAGRAPHS ON CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSAL TO REFER TO MICHEL'S BRIEFING IN THE SC'S LETTER IN ORDER TO CLARIFY THE RECORD. JAPANESE CONCERNED ABOUT THE BILL -------------- PAGE 06 RUCNDTA2187 UNCLAS ¶9. (SBU) WHILE SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS SAID THEY COULD ACCEPT ANY OF THE SYG'S FUNDING OPTIONS, ALL DELEGATIONS EVENTUALLY SUPPORTED THE STRONG PREFERENCE EXPRESSED BY JAPAN, THE USG, ARGENTINA, AND OTHERS THAT THE TRIBUNAL BE FUNDED SOLELY THROUGH VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS. THE JAPANESE, HOWEVER, ALSO OBJECTED TO THE OBSERVATION IN THE SYGS REPORT THAT THE SPECIAL TRIBUNAL COUNCIL AND THE SYG SHOULD CONSIDER ALTERNATE MEANS OF FINANCING THE TRIBUNAL IF VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS PROVE PAGE 02 RUCNDTA2187 UNCLAS INSUFFICIENT. BEFORE THEY AGREED DURING THE NOVEMBER 21 CONSULTATIONS TO SUPPORT THE DRAFT UNSC LETTER TO THE SYG APPROVING THE TRIBUNAL AGREEMENT -- WHICH ENDORSED THE SYG'S OBSERVATION ABOUT ALTERNATE FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS -- THE JAPANESE SOUGHT AND RECEIVED ASSURANCES FROM THE USG AND FRANCE THAT MAJOR DONORS TO THE UN WOULD BE CONSULTED IF ALTERNATE MEANS OF FINANCING THE TRIBUNAL PROVE NECESSARY. MICHEL STUMBLES DEFENDING SYGS REPORT -------------- ¶10. (SBU) IN RESPONSE TO CRITICISM FROM RUSSIA AND THE USG ON THE SYG'S REPORT (ABOVE),MICHEL AGREED THAT THE REPORT WAS NOT LEGALLY BINDING AND EXPRESSED REGRET OVER THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE REPORT'S PARAGRAPHS ON LINKAGES BETWEEN THE HARIRI CASE AND OTHERS AND THE PASSAGES ON CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. HE MAINTAINED THAT THE SECRETARIAT DID NOT INTEND TO PRE-JUDGE WHETHER THE TRIBUNAL WOULD HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THE OTHER 14 ATTACKS NOR SUGGEST THAT CONCERNS RAISED BY MEMBER STATES ABOUT LANGUAGE ON CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY WERE PAGE 03 RUCNDTA2187 UNCLAS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED. IN RESPONSE TO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM DELEGATIONS, MICHEL MAINTAINED THAT THE TRIBUNAL'S PROSECUTOR MUST HAVE INVESTIGATIVE AUTHORITY EVEN AFTER THE UNIIIC CONCLUDES ITS WORK. HE NOTED THAT THE SEAT OF THE TRIBUNAL HAD YET TO BE DECIDED, BUT THAT THE SELECTION CRITERIA WOULD ENSURE AN INDEPENDENT, IMPARTIAL, AND SECURE LOCATION. MICHEL ARGUED AGAINST LIFTING THE 49 PERCENT CAP ON VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS BY THE GOL LEST THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE TRIBUNAL COME INTO QUESTION. BOLTON