Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BEIRUT797
2008-05-29 16:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beirut
Cable title:  

LEBANON: UNSCOL CONCERN ABOUT IMPACT ON TRIBUNAL

Tags:  PREL PGOV PINR PTER PREF UNSC LE SY 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6194
OO RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHLB #0797 1501603
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 291603Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2099
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 2427
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 000797 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA, H/FO;
IO FOR A/S SILVERBERG AND PDAS WARLICK
L/AN FOR HAHS;
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER/GAVITO;
USUN FOR WOLFF/PHEE/KUMAR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/29/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PTER PREF UNSC LE SY
SUBJECT: LEBANON: UNSCOL CONCERN ABOUT IMPACT ON TRIBUNAL
OF NEW CABINET

Classified By: CDA Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4 (b),(d)

SUMMARY
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 000797

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA, H/FO;
IO FOR A/S SILVERBERG AND PDAS WARLICK
L/AN FOR HAHS;
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER/GAVITO;
USUN FOR WOLFF/PHEE/KUMAR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/29/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PTER PREF UNSC LE SY
SUBJECT: LEBANON: UNSCOL CONCERN ABOUT IMPACT ON TRIBUNAL
OF NEW CABINET

Classified By: CDA Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4 (b),(d)

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) The office of the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon
in Beirut is concerned that opposition members of the new
Lebanese cabinet may seek to impede the UN SYG's effort to
establish the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, says the UNSCOL
chief of staff. The new UN Special Representative, Johan
Verbeke, arrives in Beirut June 4 and likely will focus on
election reform, border issues, rule of law and Palestinian
matters. End Summary.


2. (C) The chief of staff for the Special Coordinator for
Lebanon (UNSCOL),Jack Christofides, expressed concern to DCM
on May 28 that there may be trouble getting the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon launched if opposition members of the
still-to-be-formed new Lebanese cabinet seek to obstruct it.
Christofides pointed out that UNSCR 1757 which created the
Tribunal says that the UN SYG will establish it in
consultation with the GOL. Christofides hypothesized that
the members of the "blocking third" of the cabinet from the
opposition may seek to obstruct GOL cooperation on issues
such as Lebanon's financial contribution to the Tribunal or
the handover to the Tribunal of the cases of the four
generals detained in 2005. While Ban Ki-moon probably could
move ahead on the Tribunal without GOL endorsement, he might
feel more constrained politically.


3. (C) Christofides said the new Special Coordinator, Belgian
diplomat Johan Verbeke, arrives in Beirut June 4. Given the
completion of the Doha Agreement, Christofides expects
Verbeke to be less involved than his predecessor, Geir
Pederson, in work on the Lebanese political impasse and will
focus more on election reform, border issues, rule of law and
Palestinian matters. In his first weeks, Verbeke will
concentrate on the draft of the UNSCR 1701 report due to UN
headquarters by mid-June and also attend the Nahr al-Barid
donors conference in Vienna June 22-23. Christofides says
Verbeke will travel to Israel and also may go to Syria in his
first weeks.


4. (C) Christofides talked about other areas in which UNSCOL
may seek a role in the post-Doha environment. He expects the
new Lebanese cabinet to be weak or divided, with the result
that more decisions will be pushed to President Sleiman for
resolution than would be the case otherwise. He said the UN
is interested in helping Sleiman with defense strategy, which
Christofides said is part of UNSCR 1701.


5. (C) The UNSCOL chief of staff said a new Lebanon
Independent Border Assessment Team (LIBAT) mission would be
arriving in Lebanon in the coming weeks and may also go to
Damascus. Noting that the Doha agreement called for
establishment of an independent election commission to
organize the 2009 parliamentary election, Christofides said
the UN would be able to serve in that role. He said UNSCOL
has requested a UN election reform team to come to Lebanon to
discuss that with UNSCOL staff.


6. (C) Christofides meets with Hizballah regularly, most
recently just after the violence involving Hizballah's forces
in early May. He sensed that that Hizballah needed to
recover from that fighting and noted that there is a rumor
Hizballah lost more people in the fighting than it had
indicated. Christofides said much of UNSCOL's recent
discussions with Hizballah concerned access to the area
around UNSCOL's offices, since Hizballah severely limited
access during the recent conflict.

COMMENT
--------------


7. (C) Negotiations on the cabinet for the national unity
government begin May 30. Embassy will watch for signals that
the opposition members of that cabinet are seeking to
undermine establishment of the Special Tribunal. End comment.

SISON