SECURITY COUNCIL STATEMENTS ON LEBANON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000495 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UNSC IS SY LE SUBJECT: SECURITY COUNCIL STATEMENTS ON LEBANON ¶1. (U) During the past week, the Security Council has issued three statements on the situation on Lebanon. The Council issued a press statement June 18 condemning the rocket attack from Lebanon into Israel; a Presidential Statement (PRST) June 13 condemning the assassination of Lebanese parliamentarian Walid Eido; and a PRST June 11 following UN envoy Roed-Larsen's latest report on implementation of UNSCR 1559, including attention to the issues of militias and arms smugglimg. (Text of the statements begins in para 3 below.) ¶2. (SBU) In the next two weeks the Security Council expects to receive reports from the UN Secretariat on the Lebanon Border Assessment Team mission, which recently visited Lebanon to review the issue of arms smuggling, and a periodic report on implementation of UNSCR 1701, which is also expected to address the question of Sheba'a Farms. The form of a Council reaction to these scheduled reports is not yet determined. Since the May 30 vote on UNSCR 1757 (which provided for the establishment of the Special Tribunal to investigate the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri),several delegations that abstained on that measure -- including Russia, South Africa, Qatar, and Indonesia -- have displayed increasing reluctance to support Council action in favor of the Siniora government. They also allege that the Council affords disproportionate attention to Lebanese issues when compared with Council action on other Middle East crises. ¶3. (U) BEGIN TEXT: PRESS STATEMENT 18 June 2007 The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the rocket attack launched against Israel from Southern Lebanon on 17 June 2007, which constitutes a serious breach of the cessation of hostilities and a flagrant violation of Resolution 1701 (2006). The members of the Security Council noted the condemnation of this attack by the Government of Lebanon and commended the determination and commitment of the Government of Lebanon to bring to justice the perpetrators of this attack. The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their full support to the Lebanese Government and army in their efforts to ensure security and stability throughout Lebanon. They reiterated their call upon all parties concerned to respect the Blue Line in its entirety and to exercise utmost restraint, and underlined the need for full implementation of SCR 1701 (2006),including through the full support to UNIFIL in carrying out its mandate. END TEXT OF PRESS STATEMENT. ¶4. (U) BEGIN TEXT: PRST LEBANON 13 JUNE 2007 The Security Council unequivocally condemns the terrorist attack in Beirut on 13 June 2007 which killed at least nine persons, including Member of Parliament Walid Eido, and injured several others. The Security Council expresses its deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the people and Government of Lebanon. The Security Council commends the determination and commitment of the Government of Lebanon to bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of this and other assassinations and underlines its determination to support the Government of Lebanon in its efforts to this end. The Security Council condemns any attempt to destabilise Lebanon through political assassination or other terrorist acts. The Security Council reiterates its full support to the ongoing efforts by the Government and people of Lebanon to combat terrorism, solidify democracy and institutions through national dialogue, and extend the authority of the Lebanese government throughout its territory. The Security Council calls upon all parties in Lebanon and the region to show restraint and a sense of responsibility with a view to preventing any further deterioration of the situation in Lebanon. The Security Council urges all States, in accordance with its resolutions 1373 (2001),1566 (2004) and 1624 (2005) to cooperate fully in the fight against terrorism. The Security Council reaffirms its previous calls upon all parties concerned to cooperate fully and urgently with the Security Council for the full implementation of all relevant resolutions concerning the restoration of the territorial integrity, full sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon. The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to continue to follow closely and report regularly to the USUN NEW Y 00000495 002 OF 002 Council on the situation in Lebanon. END TEXT OF 13 JUNE PRST. ¶5. (U) BEGIN TEXT: 5TH UNSG REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF RESOLUTION 1559 The Security Council recalls all its previous resolutions on Lebanon, in particular resolutions 1559 (2004),425 and 426 (1978),520 (1982),1680 (2006),and 1701 (2006),as well as the statements of its president on the situation in Lebanon, in particular the statements of 18 June 2000, 19 October 2004, of 4 May 2005, of 23 January 2006, of 30 October 2006, of 12 December 2006 and of 17 April 2007. The Security Council welcomes the fifth semi-annual report to the Security Council of 7 May 2007 on the implementation of resolution 1559 (2004). The Security Council reiterates its full support for the legitimate and democratically-elected Government of Lebanon, calls for full respect for the democratic institutions of the country, in conformity with its constitution, and condemns any effort to destabilize Lebanon. The Security Council calls upon all Lebanese political parties to show responsibility with a view to preventing, through dialogue, further deterioration of the situation in Lebanon. Recognizing the need to hold free and fair presidential elections in conformity with the Lebanese constitution and without any foreign interference and influence, the Security Council urges political parties in Lebanon to relaunch a national dialogue with the aim to reach an agreement to settle all political issues. The Security Council reaffirms its strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, unity, and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders and under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon. The Council condemns the ongoing criminal and terrorist acts in Lebanon, including those perpetrated by Fatah al-Islam, and fully supports the efforts carried out by the Lebanese Government and army to ensure security and stability throughout Lebanon. The Council underlines the need to protect and give assistance to the civilian population, notably the Palestinian refugees. The Council reiterates that there should be no weapons in Lebanon without the consent of its Government and no authority other than that of its Government. The Security Council notes with appreciation that further progress has been made towards the implementation of resolution 1559 (2004),in particular through the extension of the authority of the Government of Lebanon throughout its territory, particularly in the South, but it also notes with regret that some provisions of resolution 1559 (2004) have yet to be fully implemented, particularly 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 reiterates its deep concern at mounting information by Israel and other states of illegal movements of arms into Lebanon, and in particular across the Lebanese-Syrian border, and looks forward to the conclusions of the Lebanon Independent Border Assessment Team. It reiterates its call for the strict respect for Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity, including its air space. 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. The Security Council reaffirms its support to the Secretary-General and his Special Envoy in their efforts and SIPDIS dedication to facilitate and assist in the implementation of all provisions of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006) and looks forward to the Secretary General's next report on implementation of resolution 1701 (2006) and to his further recommendations on the relevant outstanding issues. END TEXT OF 11 JUNE PRST. WOLFF