SETTLEMENTS UNSCR: USUN REQUESTS DEMARCHE TO PARIS

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000605 SIPDIS FOR S, P, IO AND NEA FRONT OFFICES E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/08/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KPAL KWBG IS PA SUBJECT: SETTLEMENTS UNSCR: USUN REQUESTS DEMARCHE TO PARIS TO SUPPORT ALTERNATE TEXT REF: USUN 598 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay M. Khalilzad, per 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 4. ¶2. (C) The Arab Group decided on July 8 to put their revised draft resolution condemning Israeli settlements in blue, "so that it can be voted on soon," according to the press release they put out after their meeting. (Note: The text of the draft resolution was e-mailed to IO and NEA. End Note.) The Qatari PermRep, however, told Amb Khalilzad on July 8 that the Arab Group would not push for an immediate vote. The press release also said the Arab Group "remains open to receive constructive views on this matter," although the group has repeatedly made clear its intention to keep the text focused on Israeli settlements, instead of negotiating a comprehensive UNSCR on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After the Arab Group decision, Libya called for an expert-level meeting on its resolution at 3 pm on July 9 and Ambassadorial-level consultations to follow on the morning of July 10. The UNSC also has consultations on Lebanon (UNSCR 1701) scheduled for the morning of July 9. ¶3. (C) Pending overnight confirmation from Paris, the French plan to propose amendments to the Arab draft during the expert-level meeting on July 9, which would serve to isolate the U.S. and UK. (Note: The amendments the French Mission reportedly received from Paris on July 8 only pertained to the existing preambular paragraphs, but the Mission has requested clearance to propose additional operative paragraphs as well. End Note.) UKUN and USUN have strongly protested to the French Mission that this approach will split the P-3 and increase the chance the U.S. will veto the draft resolution -- an outcome France reportedly wants to avoid -- but French diplomats here say Paris refuses to support tabling an alternate text at this time due to concerns about Arab participation in the July 13/14 Euro-Med summit. The UK remains willing to support an alternate text and will demarche Paris overnight to argue that France should not/not try to amend the Arab text and should instead support an alternate draft. Croatia is also inclined to support the U.S. or UK in putting forth an alternate text. Among Europeans, Belgium and Italy are undecided, but are leaning towards supporting the revised Arab draft. ¶4. (C) ACTION REQUEST: Despite earlier U.S. efforts to urge the French to support an alternate draft resolution and help avoid the prospect of a U.S. veto, the French Mission remains intent on working on the basis of the Arab resolution. USUN therefore requests a high-level demarche to Paris, at the level of a phone call from the Secretary, by OOB July 9 to convince the French not to amend the Arab draft and to support an alternate text instead. We believe that convincing the French to support our alternate text is the best way to maximize our chance of denying the Arabs the nine votes they need to force a U.S. veto (because Belgium and Italy may take their cue from France). ¶5. (C) COMMENT: Whether or not the French heed our demarche, USUN believes we must table our alternate text during UNSC consultations that will start at 10 am on July 9, before the Libyans convene their experts meeting later that day and delegations have the opportunity to amend the Arab draft to our disadvantage. In presenting an alternate text, however, we must be prepared to accept the possibility that our draft resolution may succeed -- that the UNSC could ultimately adopt a comprehensive resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for the first time in five years. Per reftel, unless USUN receives instructions to the contrary by OOB July 9, we plan to table our alternate text (contained in reftel) in the Security Council later that morning. Khalilzad