MIDDLE EAST: ARABS PUSHING UNSC RESOLUTION ON

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000519 SIPDIS SENSITIVE FOR NEA AND IO FRONT OFFICES E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER KWBG KPAL IS PA SUBJECT: MIDDLE EAST: ARABS PUSHING UNSC RESOLUTION ON ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS ¶1. (SBU) USUN has learned that the Arab Group at the UN met at the expert-level on June 11 to discuss a Saudi proposal to table a draft resolution in the UN Security Council criticizing recent Israeli settlement activity. According to friendly delegations in the Arab Group, the Palestinian Observer Mission presented several amendments to the Saudi-drafted text during the June 11 meeting, which were generally welcomed by the group. The Libyan delegation plans to circulate a revised text to the Arab Group on June 12. (Note: USUN will forward the draft to the Department once we receive it. End Note.) If Arab capitals approve the text on June 12 or June 13, Arab PermReps in New York are expected to approach Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) members of the UNSC to seek their support for the draft (this would include South Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam, Panama, and Burkina Faso). If the NAM Council members support the draft text, which USUN assesses as likely, the Arabs are expected to then approach European members of the Council to attain the required nine votes. Word of this draft resolution has already spread across UN missions in New York. Arab diplomats friendly to USUN expect the resolution to be tabled in the Security Council, with at least the requisite nine votes in support, by the middle of next week (June 18) at the latest. Khalilzad