MONTHLY UNSC MIDDLE EAST DEBATE FOCUSES ON MECCA

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000219 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAL KWBG UNSC IS LE SUBJECT: MONTHLY UNSC MIDDLE EAST DEBATE FOCUSES ON MECCA AGREEMENT, ROLE OF QUARTET REF: STATE 31619 ¶1. (SBU) DELIVERING HIS FIRST BRIEFING TO THE SECURITY PAGE 02 RUCNDTA0219 UNCLAS COUNCIL DURING ITS MONTHLY MIDDLE EAST DEBATE ON MARCH 14, NEWLY-ARRIVED DPA U/SYG LYNN PASCOE (AMCIT) SAID DEVELOPMENTS OVER THE PAST MONTH -- INCLUDING THE MECCA AGREEMENT -- HOLD OUT THE PROMISE TO TURN PAST TRENDS ON THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN FILE AROUND. HE EXPRESSED HOPE THAT A PALESTINIAN NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT (NGU) WOULD DEMONSTRATE "RESPECT FOR SIGNED AGREEMENTS OF THE PLO, WHICH RENOUNCE TERRORISM, RECOGNIZE ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO EXIST IN PEACE AND SECURITY, AND IMPOSE CRUCIAL OBLIGATIONS ON THE PA." WHIEL QATAR, SOUTH AFRICA, AND INDONESIA COMPLAINED ABOUT ASPECTS OF PASCOE'S BRIEFING, OTHER DELEGATIONS WELCOMED HIS PRESENTATION. THE UK AND BELGIUM JOINED AMBASSADOR SANDERS IN ARGUING THAT A NUG SHOULD BE JUDGED BASED ON ITS ACCEPTANCE OF THE QUARTET PRINCIPLES. ARGUING THAT THE MECCA AGREEMENT "OPENS UP A HISTORIC CHANCE FOR PROGRESS," RUSSIA PLEDGED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH HAMAS AND CALLED FOR THE AID BOYCOTT AGAINST THE PA TO BE LIFTED. OTHER DELEGATIONS USED MORE NUANCED LANGUAGE TO WELCOME EFFORTS TO FORGE A NUG, WHILE A FEW JOINED RUSSIA IN CALLING FOR A RESUMPTION OF AID TO THE PA. SOUTH AFRICA COMPLAINED LOUDLY THAT THE PAGE 03 RUCNDTA0219 UNCLAS SECRETARIAT OUGHT TO CONSULT UNSC MEMBERS ON THE UN'S SIPDIS POSITIONS WITHIN THE QUARTET. MOST DELEGATIONS LIMITED THEIR REMARKS ON LEBANON GIVEN THE UPCOMING CONSULTATIONS ON RESOLUTION 1701. END SUMMARY. NEW U/SYG PASCOE DEBUTS IN COUNCIL -------------- ¶2. (U) BRIEFING THE COUNCIL FOR THE FIRST TIME, RECENTLY-ARRIVED UNDER SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS LYNN PASCOE SAID DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST OVER THE PAST MONTH -- AMONG THEM THE MECCA AGREEMENT AND THE RENEWAL OF ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN DIALOGUE -- HELD OUT THE PROMISE TO TURN PAST TRENDS AROUND. HE EXPRESSED HOPE THAT THE NEW PALESTINIAN GOVERNMENT "WOULD TAKE POSITIONS AND ACTIONS THAT DEMONSTRATE, AS WAS AGREED IN MECCA, RESPECT FOR SIGNED AGREEMENTS OF THE PLO, WHICH RENOUNCE TERRORISM, RECOGNIZE ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO EXIST IN PEACE AND SECURITY, AND IMPOSE CRUCIAL OBLIGATIONNS ON THE PA." REAFFIRMING THE QUARTET'S "WAIT AND SEE" APPROACH, PASCOE SAID THE BODY PAGE 04 RUCNDTA0219 UNCLAS REMAINS READY TO SUPPORT A GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO QUARTET PRINCIPLES. HE CALLED ON THE PA TO IMPOSE LAW AND ORDER AND ACT AGAINST THOSE WHO ATTACK ISRAEL, COMMENDED ISRAEL'S CONTINUING RESTRAINT IN THE FACE OF QASSAM ROCKET FIRE, AND EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT IDF OPERATIONS IN NABLUS. PASCOE REVIEWED THE RECENT UNESCO REPORT ON CONSTRUCTION NEAR THE TEMPLE MOUNT / HARAM AL-SHARIF AND NOTED CONTINUING CONSTRUCTION OF THE BARRIER IN THE WEST BANK AND LACK OF ACTION TO DISMANTLE SETTLEMENT OUTPOSTS. DESCRIBING PROBLEMS WITH MOVEMENT AND ACCESS FOR BOTH PALESTINIANS AND UN WORKERS IN GAZA, PASCOE LAMENTED AS "UNSATISFACTORY" REPORTS THAT THE RAFAH TERMINAL WAS OPEN FOR ONLY 16 PERCENT OF SCHEDULED HOURS IN THE PAST MONTH. PASCOE'S BRIEFING: (UN)BALANCED? -------------- ¶3. (SBU) AFTER THE QATARI REPRESENTATIVE BEGAN THE CONSULTATIONS BY STRONGLY IMPLYING THAT U/SYG PASCOE'S BRIEFING WAS NEITHER BALANCED NOR OBJECTIVE BECAUSE IT PAGE 05 RUCNDTA0219 UNCLAS "LACKED DETAILS OF ISRAELI VIOLATIONS," SEVERAL OTHER DELEGATIONS FELT COMPELLED TO EITHER DEFEND OR CRITICIZE THE U/SYG'S COMMENTS. THE UK DPR COMMENDED PASCOE FOR A "BALANCED AND THOUGHTFUL" PRESENTATION AND SUGGESTED IT WAS NOT HELPFUL FOR SC MEMBERS TO CRITICIZE THE SECRETARIAT FOR PERFORMING ITS DUTIES. RUSSIA SAID THE BRIEFING WAS A "VERY FULL ASSESSMENT." ITALY EXPRESSED STRONG SUPPORT FOR PASCOE BECAUSE IT WOULD BE THROUGH HIM THAT MEMBERS OF THE UNSC COULD INFLUENCE THE EFFORTS OF THE QUARTET. INDONESIA, HOWEVER, BEMOANED THE LACK OF DETAILS ABOUT IDF OPERATIONS IN NABLUS. SOUTH AFRICAN PR KUMALO TOOK ISSUE WITH PASCOE'S REFERENCE TO A "BARRIER" IN THE WEST BANK, GIVEN THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE RULING THAT USED THE WORD "WALL." (NOTE: THE ISRAELI MISSION TOLD USUN AFTER THE BRIEFING THAT IT WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE WAY PASCOE REFERRED TO THE QUARTET PRINCIPLES AND THAT IT EXPRESSED ITS CONCERNS ABOUT THE BRIEFING TO SYG SPECIAL ADVISOR ON THE MIDDLE EAST MICHAEL WILLIAMS. END NOTE.) CALLS TO ENGAGE NUG AND LIFT EMBARGO PAGE 06 RUCNDTA0219 UNCLAS -------------- ¶4. (SBU) SEVERAL DELEGATIONS WELCOMED EFFORTS TO FORGE A PALESTINIAN NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT (NUG) AND A FEW CALLED ON THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO LIFT ITS EMBARGO ON AID TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY. ARGUING THAT THE MECCA AGREEMENT "OPENS UP A HISTORIC CHANCE FOR PROGRESS," RUSSIA SAID IT RECOGNIZED ABU MAZEN AS THE NEGOTIATOR FOR ALL PALESTINIANS BUT WOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH HAMAS OFFICIALS. THE PAGE 02 RUCNDTA0219 UNCLAS RUSSIAN DPR SAID HAMAS WAS READY TO "RESOLVE" THE ISSUE OF CAPTURED IDF SOLDIER GILAD SHALIT AS LONG AS THE ISSUE OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS IN ISRAEL WAS ALSO ADDRESSED, AND HAD UNDERTAKEN TO CEASE QASSAM ROCKET FIRE IF ISRAEL "REFRAINED FROM ALL VIOLENCE." THIS PROGRESS WAS "SUFFICIENT TO LIFT THE BLOCKADE ON THE PALESTINIANS." PANAMA PRONOUNCED ITSELF "SATISFIED" WITH THE NUG. QATAR EXPRESSED HOPE THE "BLOCKADE" WOULD BE LIFTED AND WARNED THAT "HISTORY WOULD NOT FORGIVE THOSE COUNTRIES" THAT IGNORE AN IMPENDING FAMINE IN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES. ¶5. (SBU) DELIVERING REFTEL POINTS, AMBASSADOR SANDERS SAID THE USG WOULD JUDGE ANY NUG BASED ON ITS ACCEPTANCE OF THE QUARTET PRINCIPLES. THE UK STRESSED ITS READINESS TO ENGAGE WITH AN NUG THAT "REFLECTED" THESE PRINCIPLES, WHILE BELGIUM SAID THE QUARTET PRINCIPLES ARE THE "LINCHPIN" ON WHICH TO RESUME ENGAGEMENT. CALLING THE MECCA AGREEMENT A "HISTORICAL TURNING POINT," FRANCE SAID IT IMPLIES A RENUNCIATION OF VIOLENCE AND RECOGNITION OF ISRAEL. ITALY WELCOMED THE NUG, WARNED AGAINST "UNFAIRLY NEGATIVE" ASSESSMENTS OF THE MECCA PAGE 03 RUCNDTA0219 UNCLAS AGREEMENT, ENCOURAGED THE PARTIES TO "MOVE CLOSER TO THE QUARTET PRINCIPLES," AND URGED OTHER UNSC MEMBERS TO DISREGARD STATEMENTS BY HAMAS OFFICIALS NOT IN THE PA AND NOT BECOME "HOSTAGE" TO SUCH NEGATIVITY. GHANA SAID AN NUG SHOULD "COMMIT" TO QUARTET PRINCIPLES BUT THAT AID TO THE PALESTINIANS SHOULD BE RESUMED IMMEDIATELY. PANAMA PRONOUNCED ITSELF "SATISFIED" WITH AN NUG. INDONESIA AND CONGO BOTH CALLED FOR A LIFTING OF ALL AID RESTRICTIONS IMMEDIATELY. PRESSURE FOR COUNCIL ROLE IN QUARTET -------------- ¶6. (U) ITALIAN PR SPATAFORA WELCOMED PASCOE'S COMMITMENT TO "RE-ENERGIZE" THE QUARTET, BUT ASKED HOW THIS COULD BE ACHIEVED. KEYING OFF SPATAFORA'S COMMENTS, SOUTH AFRICAN PR KUMALO SPOKE AT LENGTH ABOUT HOW IF UNSC MEMBERS ARE REPRESENTED IN THE QUARTET BY THE UN, THEY SHOULD BE CONSULTED BEFORE AND AFTER QUARTET MEETINGS. NOT ONLY HAD THE UNSC NEVER RECEIVED AN AGENDA FOR QUARTET DISCUSSIONS, PAGE 04 RUCNDTA0219 UNCLAS KUMALO COMPLAINED, IT HAD NEVER RECEIVED A READ-OUT FROM THE SECRETARIAT AFTERWARD NOR ANY INDICATION OF THE POINTS THE SIPDIS SYG WOULD RAISE DURING HIS UPCOMING TRIP TO THE ME. RESPONDING TO KUMALO AT THE END OF THE CONSULTATIONS, PASCOE SAID THE SECRETARIAT CAREFULLY LISTENS TO STATEMENTS MADE IN THE COUNCIL AND IS AVAILABLE TO TALK TO SC MEMBERS AT ALL TIMES. HE URGED DELEGATIONS TO RAISE ANY ISSUES ABOUT THE SYG'S TRAVEL DURING THE SYG'S MONTHLY LUNCH WITH SYG MEMBERS. LEBANON: SOME CONCERNS ABOUT NEIGHBORS ROLE -------------- ¶7. (U) TURNING TO LEBANON, AMBASSADOR SANDERS CALLED FOR THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF ALL UNSCRS 1559, 1680, AND 1701, EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE UNIIIC AND THE TIMELY ESTABLISHMENT OF A SPECIAL TRIBUNAL FOR LEBANON, AND CALLED ON IRAN AND SYRIA TO ABIDE BY THEIR COMMITMENTS UNDER RELEVANT UNSCRS. GIVEN THE UPCOMING UNSC CONSULTATIONS ON RESOLUTION 1701, MOST OTHER DELEGATES LIMITED THEIR COMMENTS ON LEBANON. THE UK SECONDED THE CALL FOR THE EARLY CREATION OF A LEBANON PAGE 05 RUCNDTA0219 UNCLAS TRIBUNAL. BELGIUM NOTED THAT ITS FOREIGN MINISTER HAD RECENTLY TRAVELED TO DAMASCUS TO URGE SYRIA TO COOPERATE WITH THE SC ON LEBANON. ITALY EXPRESSED HOPE THAT THE RE-ARMING OF MILITIAS IN LEBANON WOULD STOP, AND CALLED FOR A COMPREHENSIVE POLITICAL SOLUTION DEALING WITH THE TRIBUNAL AND CABINET FORMATION. WOLFF