VOTING INSTRUCTIONS: SPECIAL TRIBUNAL FOR LEBANON

UNCLAS STATE 074047 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNSC LE PTER SUBJECT: VOTING INSTRUCTIONS: SPECIAL TRIBUNAL FOR LEBANON ¶1. (U) This is an action request. USUN is instructed to vote for and co-sponsor the resolution on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. USUN may draw from the explanation of vote (EOV) in para 2 below. End action request. ¶2. (U) Begin EOV text. I would now like to make a few remarks in my national capacity. We welcome the adoption of resolution xxxx on the establishment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. By adopting this resolution, the Council has demonstrated its commitment to the Lebanese people to ensure that there shall be no impunity for political assassinations. Those who killed Rafiq Hariri and so many others will be brought to justice and held responsible for their crimes. Establishing the tribunal will also serve to deter future political assassinations. Those who might be tempted to commit similar crimes will know there will be consequences for perpetuating Lebanon's troubled history of political violence and intimidation. We know that it was necessary and right for the Council to act now. The Council approved the tribunal agreement and statute on November 21, 2006. Since that time, the legitimate government and the democratically-elected government and the parliamentary majority have tried every possible means to convince the Speaker of Parliament to fulfill his constitutional responsibility to convene parliament so that final action on the tribunal could be taken. But to no avail. Several influential parties visited Lebanon in an effort to find a framework in which parliament could be convened. These include the Arab League, UN Legal Counsel Nicolas Michel, and the Secretary-General himself. After five months of tireless efforts to reach a solution to the impasse facing his country, Prime Minister Siniora sent the Secretary-General a letter on May 14 asking that the matter SIPDIS be put before the Security Council to take a &binding8 decision to establish the Special Tribunal. The Secretary-General endorsed the Prime Minister's request one SIPDIS day later after concluding that all diplomatic efforts had been exhausted. No one can say that the Lebanese Government, the Secretary-General, or the Security Council failed to pursue SIPDIS every possible option short of Council action to establish the tribunal. But those opposed to the tribunal made sure there were no such options available. We have heard many voices warn of the risks to peace and stability in Lebanon. In the days ahead, we urge all parties to act responsibly and abide by their obligations to support Lebanon's sovereignty and political independence. For our part, we concluded that failure to act in support of Lebanon was unacceptable. There can be no peace and stability without justice. In conclusion, the United States reaffirms our support for Lebanon. With the passage of this resolution, we are confident that the Security Council will live up to its commitment to support Lebanon in its pursuit of justice. End EOV text. RICE