UNSC: UN OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS BRIEFS THE

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001149 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER LE SY UNSC SUBJECT: UNSC: UN OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS BRIEFS THE COUNCIL ON THE STATUS OF THE SPECIAL TRIBUNAL FOR LEBANON ¶1. (SBU) The United Nations Under Secretary-General/Legal Counsel Patricia O'Brien, briefed the Security Council December 4 on the progress made toward establishing the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) and the transition between the International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC) and the Tribunal. O'Brien noted that the proposed commencement of functioning of the Tribunal on March 1, 2009 will require the Council to extend IIIC's mandate by two months. The Prime Minister of Lebanon has written to the Secretary-General supporting the extension. (S/2008/764) O'Brien confirmed that sufficient funds have been received for the first year of operations but called for donations for years two and three. ¶2. (SBU) France, Italy, Libya, Belgium, and the UK all spoke and welcomed the report and the progress made to date. The Libyan DPR confirmed Libya would support the extension of IIIC's mandate. The Russian Permrep questioned how the SYG could decide on a start date for the Tribunal given that the report of the IIIC was so "brief and laconic." He also called for greater transparency of the Tribunal's Management Committee and the list of donors to the Tribunal. He, along with the Europeans and the Libyan DPR, called for more donations to the Tribunal. (Note: IIIC Commissioner Bellmare will brief the Council on his report on December 16. The French have informally circulated a draft resolution to extend the IIIC's mandate for two months. End Note.) Khahilzad