UNSC UNANIMOUSLY EXTENDS UNIFIL'S MANDATE AMID

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000704 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPKO UNSC IS LE SUBJECT: UNSC UNANIMOUSLY EXTENDS UNIFIL'S MANDATE AMID UNEXPECTED DEBATE REF: STATE 119263 ¶1. (U) The UN Security Council unanimously approved resolution 1773 on 24 August 2007 to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) until 31 August 2008. (Note: The full text of the resolution is contained in reftel and can be found on the UN website. End Note.) The U.S., France, Italy, the UK, Belgium, Slovakia, and Peru co-sponsored the resolution. France, Italy, Belgium, and Ghana delivered explanations of vote (EOVs) that mainly welcomed the Council's unanimous support for UNIFIL and praised the peacekeeping mission for its role in securing peace in southern Lebanon. They also paid tribute to the seven UNIFIL peacekeepers killed in the line of duty over the past several months. Although Lebanon and Israel participated in the meeting, they did not speak. ¶2. (U) In its EOV, South Africa voiced support for UNIFIL but complained that the resolution should not have included "sensitive" issues "unrelated" to UNIFIL's mandate that were "selectively drawn" from the Council's previous statements. (Note: South Africa was most likely referring to language in the resolution on the abducted Israeli soldiers and Lebanese prisoners detained in Israel. End Note.) Qatar and Indonesia emphasized that all parties must fulfill their responsibilities under resolution 1701. Indonesia defined this to mean that Israel should give the UN detailed data on its use of cluster munitions in south Lebanon and cease its practice of overflying Lebanese territory. ¶3. (U) Amb Wolff delivered an EOV that expressed support for UNIFIL but emphasized the need for progress on other issues remaining in UNSCR 1701 implementation -- including disbanding and disarming of militias, compliance with the arms embargo, and the unconditional and immediate release of the two abducted Israeli soldiers. In a last-minute intervention, Russia took exception to comments by "other member states" about reports of weapons smuggling into Lebanon. These issues, Russian DPR Scherbak averred, "do not relate to the resolution." He pointed out that Russia could have pressed to include language on "other issues" as well, such as the use of cluster bombs, but had decided to support the resolution as a "compromise" text. KHALILZAD