LEBANON: UNSC AGREES THAT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000971 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER KPKO SY LE IS SUBJECT: LEBANON: UNSC AGREES THAT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS MUST TAKE PLACE BY NOV 24 REF: STATE 151231 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. During a private meeting of the Security Council November 5, UNSC Resolution 1559 Special Envoy Terje Roed-Larsen reported that the political crisis that had "paralyzed" Lebanon since November 2006 had made it very difficult to achieve further progress towards the implementation of resolution 1559. He decried reports of militia re-armament in Lebanon, which had led to "tangible fears" of a new civil war, and called for a Lebanese-led political process to disarm all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias -- including Hizballah. Larsen noted that several member states in the region had corroborated GOL charges of illegal arms transfers across the Syrian-Lebanese border, and called on Iran and Syria to comply with all relevant UNSC resolutions. Turning to Lebanon's upcoming presidential elections, he emphasized that a new President must be elected by November 24, 2007, and that alternate scenarios involving two rival governments or a vacuum in the presidency are not acceptable. In terms of other steps to fully implement resolution 1559, Larsen listed the establishment of diplomatic relations between Syria and Lebanon, the delineation of borders between the two countries, and an end to Israeli overflights. In response to member state interventions, he reviewed the history of the Sheba'a Farms area and agreed that the upcoming Annapolis meeting should be "as comprehensive as possible." ¶2. (SBU) Summary, cont'd. Although UNSC members repeated familiar positions about the role of Syria in Lebanon, nearly all said that presidential elections must take place by the constitutionally-mandated date of November 24, 2007. The P-3 urged the Lebanese to work towards selecting a candidate who enjoys the "broadest possible support." Amb Khalilzad noted that Lebanon had elected several presidents with less than two-thirds support and urged the international community to refrain from advocating a specific electoral outcome. Russia cautioned against "pitting one Lebanese faction against another" and complained that the UN had "singled out Syria" in its reports and focused "too much attention on Hizballah" at the expense of other re-armament by other militias. South Africa delivered a vitriolic anti-Israeli intervention in which it claimed that the "source of tension between Syria and Lebanon is the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine, the Golan Heights, and the Sheba'a Farms." Arguing that all conflicts in the Middle East are interconnected, Russia and Italy emphasized that the Annapolis meeting should be both inclusive and comprehensive. After the consultations, the Indonesian PermRep read out a press statement on behalf of the Council that recalled the need to hold free and fair presidential election in Lebanon in conformity with the country's constitution and without any foreign interference or influence. End Summary. Larsen Offers Bleak Outlook -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Reviewing events in Lebanon since his last report to the Council six months ago in April 2007, Larsen argued the political crisis that had "paralyzed" the country since November 2006 had made it very difficult to achieve further progress towards the implementation of resolution 1559. The "most disconcerting" reports of the past several months, he said, pertained to the re-arming of militias. These reports had led to "tangible fears" of a new civil war and had caused the SYG to renew his call for a Lebanese-led political process to address the issue of disarmament. In this context, Larsen noted that the SYG had received "new information" that Hizballah had re-armed beyond its July 2006 capabilities, which he said lent "particular importance" to reports of breaches of the arms embargo. Recalling that Lebanon and Syria had traded accusations about support for militant groups in Lebanon, Larsen nonetheless noted that several member states in the region had corroborated reports of illegal arms transfers from Syria into Lebanon, and urged all regional parties to cooperate with the GOL and the UNSC on this issue. ¶4. (SBU) Turning to Lebanon's upcoming presidential elections, Larsen emphasized that a new President must be elected by the constitutionally- mandated date of November 24, 2007. Neither the prospect of two rival governments -- the 1988-90 manifestation of which he described as the "most unfortunate political development" in Lebanon's recent history -- or a vacuum in the Presidency were acceptable. Asked how the Security Council could help encourage a solution to Lebanon's political impasse, Larsen suggested that the Council impress upon all key players the need to avoid either of two aforementioned scenarios. Noting that the first and second attempts to convene Parliament had USUN NEW Y 00000971 002 OF 003 failed, Larsen reported that Lebanese political leaders continue to meet to try to agree on a compromise candidate, whom the SYG had said should enjoy the "broadest possible support." As far as the UN is concerned, he said, the UNSCR 1559 call for free and fair presidential elections held in accordance with Lebanon's constitution and without any foreign interference or influence must be upheld. ¶5. (SBU) Besides disarmament and presidential elections, Larsen described the establishment of diplomatic relations between Syria and Lebanon, the delineation of borders between the two countries, and an end to Israeli overflights of Lebanon as remaining steps to fully implement resolution ¶1559. In response to comments by South Africa about the "illegal Israeli occupation of the Sheba'a Farms," Larsen reminded Council members that by endorsing the Blue Line in 2000, the Council had effectively decided that the Sheba'a area does not come under Lebanese sovereignty. Although Lebanon had expressed reservations about the Blue Line in 2000, it had agreed to respect the line in its entirety pending border delineation with Syria, and the UNSC should ensure this commitment endures. Although the SYG presented new cartographic information about Sheba'a in his report on UNSCR 1701, which contains "conclusions" about its location and territorial definition, Larsen emphasized that this new information does not change the fact that this issue can resolved permanently only after Syria and Lebanon delineate their border. In response to member state interventions, Larsen agreed that many conflicts in the Middle East are now interconnected, and therefore suggested that the upcoming Annapolis meeting should be "as comprehensive as possible." P-3 Coordinate Positions on Elections -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The U.S., France, and the UK sounded similar notes on the upcoming Lebanese presidential elections. (Note: USUN reinforced reftel demarche on the USG position on the elections with the French and UK Missions before the UNSC session. End Note.) All three delegations emphasized that the elections must take place by November 24 and that all other scenarios are unacceptable. The P-3 also urged the Lebanese to work towards selecting a candidate who enjoys the "broadest possible support." Amb Khalilzad, noting that several presidents in Lebanon's history had been elected with less than two-thirds support, also underscored that the international community should refrain from advocating a specific electoral outcome. French DPR LaCroix reported that French FM Kouchner had engaged his Syrian and Iranian counterparts to remind them that Lebanon's elections must be allowed to take place without foreign interference. He also reported that French President Sarkozy's Diplomatic Advisor and Chief of Staff had traveled to Damascus on November 4-5 to deliver the same message directly to Syrian President Asad. ¶7. (SBU) Besides the presidential elections, Amb Khalilzad highlighted several other aspects of resolution 1559 that must still be implemented. The French and British representatives, while briefly mentioning "troubling" charges of Syrian interference relayed by PM Siniora, focused mostly on the presidential elections. Decrying the overall atmosphere of intimidation and politically-motivated violence that has characterized Lebanon's political crisis, Amb Khalilzad noted charges that Syria had supported Fatah al-Islam in an effort to topple the GOL, and called on Syria to abide by all relevant UNSC resolutions. He highlighted illegal arms transfers across the Syrian-Lebanese border, called on Hizballah to disarm, and supported the SYG's expectation that Syria and Iran would cooperate in this process. Amb Khalilzad also urged Syria to finally establish diplomatic relations with Lebanon and to honor President Asad's commitment to the SYG to begin the process of border delineation. Others Push for Dialogue and Consensus -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Although nearly every delegation agreed that elections should take place by November 24, Russia and Qatar led several countries in emphasizing that the presidential election should be resolved on the basis of national dialogue and reconciliation. In a relatively mild statement, Qatar urged the UNSC to support "all Lebanese parties" in their push for national harmony. Russia emphasized that "any" foreign interference could only exacerbate the situation and cautioned the international community against "pitting one Lebanese faction against another." Neither Russia nor Qatar, however, explicitly urged the Lebanese to agree on a "consensus" candidate. China agreed there should be no vacancy in the office of the Presidency and expressed hope USUN NEW Y 00000971 003 OF 003 for a "consensus" president. Italian PR Spatafora opined at length (and seemingly extemporaneously) on the history of the Lebanese confict and the need for a "compromise" candidate to resolve the current political impasse. South Africa warned the UNSC to approach the situation in Lebanon with "extreme caution" and to "refrain from taking sides in the conflict." And Question Focus on Hizballah and Syria -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Several delegations also criticized Israel for its overflights and questioned the Secretariat's handling of accusations against Syria and Hizballah. Although Russia at first welcomed the UNSCR 1559 report as "objective," PermRep Churkin added that the resolution should be fully implemented "without any tendentious interpretations," and maintained that the UN should "not single out Syria" for criticism since charges were also levelled against other states in the report. Russia also complained that focusing "too much attention on Hizballah" with "scant attention" paid to re-armament by other militias "was not appropriate." South Africa delivered a vitriolic anti-Israeli intervention, claiming that the "source of tension between Syria and Lebanon is the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine, the Golan Heights, and the Sheba'a Farms." South Africa added that any allegation of illegal arms transfers requires accompanying proof, in the absence of which UN references to such charges "are not helpful." Of note, Qatar said that it was "dismayed" by reports of arms trafficking, and "refused" any violation of Security Council resolutions. Russia, Qatar, and South Africa all argued that establishment of diplomatic relations and delineation of borders are bilateral issues between Syria and Lebanon and should be resolved through dialogue. Annapolis Should Be Comprehensive, Inclusive -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Arguing that the solution to Lebanon's woes lies in "bringing in the regional players without recrimination," Russia expressed hope that the upcoming Annapolis meeting would "resolve all outstanding Arab-Israeli issues." Although Italian PR Spatafora did not explicitly say that the Annapolis meeting should be comprehensive and inclusive, he asked Larsen several different ways whether the problems of Lebanon and the rest of the region were interconnected and had to be tackled at the same time. Spatafora also wondered whether the Security Council could do anything to encourage "compromise" in Lebanon and among its regional neighbors. In response to Spatafora's questions, Larsen expressed his view that the Annapolis meeting "should be as comprehensive as possible." Council Adopts Press Statement -------------- ¶11. (SBU) After the consultations, the Indonesian PermRep read the following statement to the press on behalf of the Council: -- Members of the Security Council have had a briefing from Mr. Roed-Larsen, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on the implementation of resolution 1559, and welcomed the sixth semi-annual report on the implementation of resolution 1559 (2004). -- Members of the Security Council reaffirmed their 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. -- They recalled the need to hold free and fair presidential elections in conformity with the Lebanese constitution and without any foreign interference and influence. -- They reaffirmed the need for all parties to resolve all political issues on the basis of reconciliation and national dialogue. -- Members of the Security Council reaffirmed their strong support to the Secretary-General and his Special Envoy in their efforts to facilitate and assist the implementation of resolution 1559 (2004). Khalilzad