COUNCIL ADOPTS LEBANON STATEMENT AFTER QATAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000651 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2017 TAGS: PREL PTER UNSC KPKO SY IS LE SUBJECT: COUNCIL ADOPTS LEBANON STATEMENT AFTER QATAR RELENTS ON CRITICIZING HIZBALLAH Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay M. Khalilzad, per 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) The UN Security Council adopted a Presidential Statement (PRST) on August 3 in response to the Secretary-General's latest report on the implementation of SIPDIS resolution 1701 as well as the report of the Lebanon Independent Border Assessment Team (full text of PRST below). The PRST was adopted after Qatar dropped its objection to criticizing Hizballah for its recent statement threatening Israel. Russia and China worked to ensure the text did not explicitly call on Syria and Iran to respect the arms embargo in UNSCR 1701 nor arrange for LIBAT to become a &permanent entity.8 South Africa and Indonesia warned they would insist on tougher language on Israeli overflights and cluster bomb data in the Council,s next action on Lebanon. Given the contentious negotiations on the PRST, France, Belgium, and Italy informed USUN that their capitals will seek a technical rollover of the UNIFIL mandate in August 2007, without contentious political language that in their view could jeopardize unanimous Council support for the peacekeeping mission. Following adoption of the PRST, a UN Secretariat official told USUN that Hizballah expressed its SIPDIS displeasure to UN officials in Beirut that the UNSC does not take account of Hizballah "cooperation" with UNIFIL in south Lebanon and only seeks to admonish the group. End Summary. Differences Among Traditional P-3 Opponents in UNSC -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Soon after introducing the draft PRST in the Council, USUN reached a bilateral agreement with Russia on the draft statement that put helpful pressure on other countries. This agreement helped split the traditional group of countries that oppose P-3 initiatives on Lebanon in the Council, as became clear when Russia broke with Qatar during UNSC consultations on August 2 by calling the statement &balanced8 and supporting its immediate adoption. During bilateral talks with USUN, Russia was concerned most about avoiding an explicit call on Syria and Iran to respect the arms embargo in UNSCR 1701 and on ensuring that LIBAT did not become a &permanent entity.8 Russia also joined China, Indonesia, South Africa, Qatar, Panama, Congo, and even Belgium and Italy, in supporting language from the SYG's report calling on Israel to cease its overflights of Lebanon, which the UN characterizes as violations of UNSCR 1701, and to give the UN detailed data on its use of cluster munitions in south Lebanon. The UN argues that the absence of this data threaten civilians and UNIFIL. After the Council agreed to use previously agreed language on these issues, Indonesia and South Africa warned that they would insist on stronger language on these subjects when the Council next acts on Lebanon. Panama, Peru, and Ghana complained about the length of the statement and the Council,s &excessive" focus on Lebanon. Qatar Defends Hizballah -------------- ¶3. (C) Even after the other 14 Council members expressed support for the draft PRST, Qatar objected to the statement -- reportedly on orders from Qatari Foreign Minister Hamid bin Jassim -- on the grounds that the Council should not refer to statements by Hizballah SYG Nasrallah. It would not be conducive to political dialogue in Lebanon for the UNSC to criticize individual parties, Qatari PR Nasser argued. Ambassador Khalilzad argued that the statement would not be balanced if it addressed Israeli overflights but ignored comments from Hizballah that indicated clear violations of resolution 1701. Another reason for Qatar,s obstructionism, as Qatari PR Nasser mentioned privately to Ambassador Khalilzad, was that Qatar was still upset that the U.S. blocked a Qatar-drafted PRST the last week of July 2007 on the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Hizballah Complains About PRST -------------- ¶4. (C) Just after the statement was adopted, UN Department of Political Affairs (DPA) officer Alma Saliu (please protect) approached Poloff to report that Hizballah official Wafiq Safa had asked UN officials in Beirut earlier that day to relay a complaint about the PRST to UNSC delegates in New York. (Note: Saliu declined to specify which UN officials had spoken to Safa, but she clarified that it was not/not Geir Pedersen. End Note.) Safa reportedly argued that the Security Council always chooses to condemn Hizballah rather than to note its &cooperation8 with UNIFIL in southern Lebanon. Saliu said that UN officials in Beirut did not interpret Safa,s comments as a threat, but could not be sure USUN NEW Y 00000651 002 OF 003 about Hizballah's intentions. Europeans Favor UNIFIL Technical Rollover -------------- ¶5. (C) After the contentious negotiations on the PRST, delegates from France, Belgium, and Italy informed USUN that their capitals would seek a technical rollover of UNIFIL,s mandate in August 2007 without any contentious political language in the resolution. The British also expressed support for this position, although they said London had yet to transmit final instructions. These officials contended it would be at least as difficult to negotiate political language in the resolution extending UNIFIL,s mandate as in the PRST, and emphasized that as troop contributing countries to UNIFIL, they want to preserve Council unanimity in support of the peacekeeping operation at all costs. Text of Presidential Statement -------------- ¶1. The Security Council recalls its previous resolutions and statements on Lebanon. It welcomes the report of the Secretary-General of 28 June 2007 (S/2007/392). It reaffirms SIPDIS its strong support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity, and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally-recognized borders and under the sole and exclusive authority of its Government. The Council encourages efforts towards national reconciliation and political dialogue. It 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 Council also reiterates its full support for the efforts carried out by the Lebanese Army to ensure security and stability throughout Lebanon and reaffirms that there should be no weapons or authority in Lebanon other than that of the Lebanese State. ¶2. The Security Council reiterates its attachment to the full implementation of all provisions of resolution 1701 (2006) and urges all concerned parties to cooperate fully with the Security Council and the Secretary-General to achieve a permanent cease-fire and a long-term solution as envisioned in the resolution. It also takes note of the Government of Lebanon,s letter, in which it reaffirmed its commitment to the role of UNIFIL, and asked for the renewal of its mandate. The Council reaffirms its full support for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), condemns all terrorist attacks against it, and calls on all parties to abide by their obligation to respect the safety of UN personnel. It also emphasizes the need for UNIFIL to enhance its investigative capacity in response to the attacks. The Council welcomes the tripartite arrangements referred to in the report, notes the commitments to reach an agreement on the northern part of Ghajar, and encourages the parties to cooperate with UNIFIL to visibly mark the Blue Line. It expresses its deep concern at the increase in Israeli violations of Lebanese air space and appeals to all parties concerned to respect the cessation of hostilities and the Blue Line in its entirety. ¶3. The Security Council, in this context, expresses grave concern at persistent reports of breaches of the arms embargo along the Lebanon-Syria border. It expresses concern at any allegation of rearming of Lebanese and non Lebanese armed groups and militias and reiterates that there should be no sale or supply of arms and related materiel to Lebanon except as authorized by its Government. In this regard, it expresses concern about the recent statement by Hezbollah that it retains the military capacity to strike all parts of Israel, and calls on all parties to refrain from statements and activities that could jeopardize the cessation of hostilities . The Council takes note of the detailed information conveyed by the Government of Lebanon about the dangerous activities of armed elements and groups, in particular PFLP-GC and Fatah Intifada, and reiterates its call for the disbanding and disarmament of all militias and armed groups in Lebanon. It underscores the obligation of all member states, in particular in the region, to take all necessary measures to implement paragraph 15 of resolution 1701 to enforce the arms embargo. ¶4. The Security Council welcomes the recommendations of the Lebanon Independent Border Assessment Team (LIBAT) and looks forward to their implementation. It requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Government of SIPDIS Lebanon, to assess their implementation and to regularly update the Council on this issue in his regular reports on USUN NEW Y 00000651 003 OF 003 the implementation of resolution 1701, including as appropriate and in coordination with the Government of Lebanon, on the basis of follow-up field visits. The Council welcomes the assistance provided by donors to help the Government of Lebanon to secure its borders and encourages further such assistance, including by continuing to provide equipment and border security experts. Underlining that Syria and Lebanon share responsibility for controlling their border, it notes that the Government of Syria has stated that it has taken measures, reiterates its call on that Government to take further measures to reinforce control at the border, and looks forward to additional proposals in this regard in light of the Secretary-General,s visit to Syria. The Council also calls for enhanced cross-border cooperation to secure the Syrian-Lebanese border. ¶5. The Security Council emphasizes the need for greater progress on all the principles and elements required for a permanent ceasefire and long-term solution identified in resolution 1701. The Council expresses deep concern that Hizballah has not returned the two Israeli soldiers it abducted, or even provided proof of life, and calls for their immediate and unconditional return. It further encourages efforts to urgently settle the issue of Lebanese prisoners detained in Israel. ¶6. The Council expresses deep concern at the presence of unexploded ordnance in south Lebanon and renews its support for the Secretary General,s request to Israel to provide to the United Nations detailed data on its use of cluster munitions in southern Lebanon. ¶7. The Security Council, bearing in mind the relevant provisions of resolutions 1559 (2004),1680 (2006),and 1701 on the delineation of the Syrian-Lebanese border, looks forward to the re-activation of the Syrian-Lebanese boundary committee. It takes note of the solid progress made by the cartographer towards a provisional determination of the geographical extent of the Shabaa Farms and welcomes the Secretary-General,s intention to engage in further SIPDIS discussions with the parties on the Shebaa Farms area, including on its territorial definition, that will strengthen a diplomatic process aimed at resolving this key issue in accordance with the relevant provisions of resolution 1701. It also reiterates its appreciation for the process launched by the Secretary-General to investigate the implications of the interim proposal contained in the seven-point plan of the Government of Lebanon regarding the Shebaa farms area. Recalling paragraph 62 of the Secretary-General,s report, the Council underlines that progress should also be made on all the other issues identified in operative paragraph 10 of resolution 1701. In this regard, the Security Council requests, pursuant to resolution 1701, that the Secretary-General continue to develop, in liaison with SIPDIS relevant actors and the concerned parties, proposals to implement the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, and resolutions 1559 (2004),1680 (2006),including disarmament. ¶8. The Security Council stresses the importance of, and the need to achieve, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on all its relevant resolutions including its resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967 and 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973. KHALILZAD