UNSCR 1701: GOI FOCUS ON SMUGGLING AND SOLDIERS;

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 000679 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2017 TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO LE IS SUBJECT: UNSCR 1701: GOI FOCUS ON SMUGGLING AND SOLDIERS; UN RAISES OVERFLIGHTS AND SHEBAA REF: BEIRUT 320 Classified By: Political Counselor Marc Sievers for reasons 1.4 (b and D). ¶1. (C) Summary: UNSYG Special Adviser on the Situation in the Middle East Michael Williams discussed UNSCR 1701 implementation with FM Tzipi Livni and Deputy DefMin Ephraim Sneh during his February 25-26 visit to Israel. Both sides characterized the talks as productive. (Note: In contrast to reftel account of Williams' comments in Beirut, MFA A/S-equivalent for IO Yaar told PolCouns March 1 that both the GOI and Williams were pleased with his visit to Israel and that Williams expressed appreciation for the reduced number and less aggressive pattern of Israeli overflights.) The GOI focused on the lack of progress in countering weapons smuggling and the fate of abducted Israeli soldiers. The MOD provided an intelligence briefing on Hizballah rearmament, but the UN staff found it unlikely that the information would be useful operationally. Williams expressed an "understanding" for the GOI's justifications of overflights of Lebanon, but noted that they remain violations and would be labeled as such. The UN asked the GOI to receive a cartographer working on the Shebaa Farms issue and privately told the Embassy that the cartography work is near completion. UNSYG Ban Ki-Moon may visit Israel in late March before attending the Arab League Summit in Riyadh. End summary. -------------- -------------- GOI: smuggling and abducted soldiers are main problems -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) According to MFA officials who attended Williams' meeting with FM Livni, the GOI wants the UN's March 16 report on 1701 implementation to focus on the lack of progress on preventing weapons smuggling and the release of abducted Israeli soldiers. UN staff said that the MOD and IDF were much more positive than Livni in their assessments of UNIFIL's effectiveness. The Israelis all praised the change in UNIFIL command and the performance of the French and Spanish troops. Note: The GOI remains concerned about Hizballah's military build-up in Lebanon. One of Livni's assistants, Tal Becker, will be in New York in the next few days to meet with UN officials. Livni's office said that she told Williams that the main problem is the GOL's refusal to request international assistance controlling its border with Syria. She suggested that such control be made a prerequisite for reconstruction funding. The MFA's office director for UN Political Affairs told us that the GOI continues to prefer a second UNSCR to address the issue, and is awaiting the March 16 report to determine its options prior to UNIFIL's mandate extension review in August. End note. ¶3. (C) UN staff reported that Deputy DefMin Sneh, IDI (military intelligence) Deputy BG Yossi Baidatz, and a number of other IDF officers provided extensive presentations on Syrian weapons smuggling to Hizballah in Lebanon. A UN political officer, who has the task of passing such information to UNIFIL for possible action, described the briefings as more comprehensive than past presentations. However, he expressed skepticism that the material provided would be useful in an operational sense. Baidatz is now in New York to provide additional intelligence briefings to the P-5 and others. ¶4. (C) Williams and FM Livni held one-on-one discussions about the two Israeli soldiers abducted by Hizballah. Williams later met with the families of other Israeli MIAs from previous conflicts. MFA staff said that no progress was made on this issue. -------------- -------------- "Understanding" for overflights; but they remain violations -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) According to both the MFA and UN staff, Williams surprised his hosts by expressing "understanding" for the reasons behind Israel's continued overflights of southern Lebanon. UN staff said he thanked the GOI for decreasing the number of flights and ending provocative operations that UNIFIL interpreted as mock bombing runs against international units and facilities. At the same time, he stressed to the GOI that all overflights are violations of UNSCR 1701 and cautioned that he would have to say so in public if asked. Williams spoke with MFA officials on the phone from Lebanon and confirmed that he had made a public statement in Beirut at PM Siniora's behest terming the overflights as violations. TEL AVIV 00000679 002 OF 002 -------------- Shebaa Farms: UN cartographer almost finished -------------- ¶6. (C) UN officials told poloff that the MFA's A/S-equivalent for International Organizations, Ronni Leshno-Yaar, "strongly warned" Williams not to mention the Shebaa Farms issue in the meeting with Livni. Williams refrained from addressing the substance of the issue, but did ask the GOI to agree to a visit by the cartographer working on the issue for the UN. MFA officials said that Livni offered no reply, adding that she continues to see any Israeli concession on Shebaa as a "huge problem." Note: UN staff (please protect) told poloff that the cartographer's work is in a very advanced stage, to the point that it identifies GOI military installations that would need to be moved and even suggests possible alternate locations. They said that Williams had told them during internal UN discussions that he believes PM Siniora needs positive movement on Shebaa. End note. -------------- UNSYG visit likely at the end of March -------------- ¶7. (C) UN officials said that UNSYG Ban Ki-Moon may visit Jerusalem and Ramallah sometime in the March 24-27 timeframe, prior to his possible attendance at the Arab League summit in Riyadh on March 28-29. ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. ********************************************* ******************** CRETZ