Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07USUNNEWYORK62
2007-01-25 23:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED
USUN New York
Cable title:  

UNSC: JANUARY MIDDLE EAST BRIEFING

Tags:  PREL PGOV UNSC 
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OO RUEHBC RUEHBZ RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUCNDT #0062/01 0252333
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 252333Z JAN 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1201
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000062

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC
SUBJECT: UNSC: JANUARY MIDDLE EAST BRIEFING

REF: STATE 09311

. Summary: In the monthly briefing to the Security Council on
the situation in the Middle East, U/SYG Ibrahim Gambari
welcomed recent political initiatives but observed "none of
us can afford another year like the last one in Lebanon and
the Middle East." Council members applauded Secretary Rice's
most recent Middle East visit, conveyed high expectations for
the February 2 Quartet meeting, expressed support for the
current Paris III conference, and urged all Lebanese factions
to refrain from violence and return to dialogue. France
called for an expansion of the Quartet to include key
regional actors and, supported by Russia, the organization of
an international conference. Qatar said that the concept of
an interim Palestinian State with provisional borders is
unacceptable and unilateral. Indonesia said the impasse in
resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict requires "an
unprecedented step by all." Slovakia, slated to be President
of the Council in February, announced the Council would hold
an open debate on the Middle East following the Quartet
meeting. End Summary.

Heightened Insecurity, Renewed International Urgency
-------------- --------------


2. In his January 25 "Briefing to the Security Council on the
Situation in the Middle East," Under Secretary-General for
Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari characterized events since
the December report as "a period of heightened levels of
insecurity and suffering, combined with a renewed sense of
international urgency to find a political way ahead..."
Gambari noted, however, "that the evolving
Israeli-Palestinian dialogue is complicated by the internal
political situation in both the occupied Palestinian
territories and Israel."


3. On specific Israeli-Palestinian developments during the
period, Gambari reported that the cease-fire agreed to at the
end of November in Gaza remains place and has significantly
reduced violence, although the cease-fire has not been
extended to the West Bank. He also cited the December
Abbas/Olmert agreement to resume the work of the
quadripartite security committee and Israel's transfer of USD
100 million of Palestinian clearance revenues as positive
events. But he expressed concern about the impact of
Israel's continuing settlement activities, the ongoing

construction of the security barrier and Palestinian
factional tension. Gambari specifically noted Hamas leader
Khaled Mashal's recent remark to the press that Israel's
existence is a reality and that with the formation of a
Palestinian state, "there will remain a state called Israel,
this is a matter of fact." He also cited press reports, and
subsequent denials, of Israeli-Syrian negotiations.


4. Recalling the one-year anniversary of Palestinian
elections that brought Hamas to power, Gambari reported that
international aid to the Palestinians has actually increased;
what is different is that aid is mostly bypassing the
Palestinian government. He argued that without greater
freedom of access and movement and an active peace process,
aid could only contain the spread of grievances and
instability.


5. On Lebanon, Gambari noted the Secretary-General's
participation in the Paris III conference, the UN's strong
support of Lebanon and the need to break the political
impasse through dialogue. Gambari concluded, "none of us can
afford another year like the last one in Lebanon and the
Middle East" and reported that the new Secretary-General
considers next week's Quartet meeting as an important
opportunity to re-energize the peace process and implement
all relevant Security Council resolutions.

Security Council Members Comment
--------------


6. Following Gambari's presentation, Security Council members
met privately and expressed appreciation and support for
Secretary Rice's efforts to reinvigorate the Middle East

SIPDIS
political process, conveyed high expectations for the
February 2 meeting of the Quartet, and reiterated their
support for the Roadmap. Per reftel points, Ambassador Wolff
welcomed recent encouraging developments on the
Israeli-Palestinian track. On Lebanon, Ambassador Wolff said
that the Administration would seek Congressional approval for
a substantial assistance package for Lebanon. He also
expressed U.S. concern about developments in Lebanon,
especially the use of violence, threats, and intimidation,
urging restraint and a return to dialogue.


7. France, in its statement, called for an expansion of the

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Quartet to include key regional actors, endorsed the Arab
Peace Initiative of 2002, and called for the organization of
an international conference "to provide a solid foundation
for efforts to bring about a solution to the situation in the
Middle East." Russia, seconded the convening of an
international conference, noting that it had offered to host
such a meeting more than a year ago. South Africa
highlighted U/SYG Gambari's report that the situation was
still dire in the West Bank. That view was seconded by
Indonesia, which called for an extension and argued that the
current impasse "requires an unprecedented step by all."
South Africa also said that while the Israeli release of USD
100 million was appreciated, all the retained money should be
released as it belonged to the Palestinians. In its remarks,
Qatar took pains to make clear that the concept of an interim
Palestinian state with provisional borders is unacceptable
and unilateral, calling for a "just, permanent, and
comprehensive" agreement.


8. On Lebanon, all Council members expressed concern about
the current violence and urged all parties to return to
dialogue to resolve political differences. Responding to an
Italian question on the status of the Shebaa Farms, Gambari
said that Lebanese PM Siniora wanted the issue resolved so as
to deprive Hizballah of its continuing justification for its
actions. He said that UN cartographers are preparing a
report on Shebaa Farms that will be delivered in March as
part of the expected UNSCR 1701 report. Responding to a
question about the role of the UN in the Quartet, Gambari
said that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hoped to help
revitalize the political process, while acknowledging that
there is no substitute for dialogue between the parties.
WOLFF