LEBANON: GHAJAR: UNIFIL COMMANDER GRAZIANO ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000512

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA
ALSO FOR IO/ A A/S WARLICK
P FOR DRUSSELL AND RRANGASWAMY
USUN FOR WOLFF/GERMAIN/SCHEDLBAUER
DOD/OSD FOR FLOURNOY, KAHL, AND DALTON
NSC FOR SHAPIRO, MCDERMOTT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: GHAJAR: UNIFIL COMMANDER GRAZIANO ON
GHAJAR PROPOSAL

Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.
4
(b) and (d)

SUMMARY
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1. (C) In a May 6 meeting at UNIFIL HQ, General Claudio
Graziano, Force Commander for UN Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL),emphasized that the current UNIFIL proposal for
Israeli withdrawal from northern Ghajar is "unchangeable," in
his view. He noted that the June 7 parliamentary elections
will be a crucial moment. Graziano cautioned if the current
proposal is not approved quickly, the next Lebanese
government could reject it. Graziano assessed the Israelis
are committed to the proposal for withdrawal, and noted that
Israeli Ambassador David Walzer, the focal point in the
Israeli MFA for civilian issues related to the withdrawal
proposal, told him some new ideas might "surprise" UNIFIL.


2. (C) USG for UN Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy, who
co-chaired the meeting, said he wanted to maintain UNIFIL
troop levels in Lebanon, despite the increasing demand for
peacekeeping forces worldwide. On Ghajar, he noted Israel
needed to send a "clear signal" so the process can move
forward. End Summary.

UNIFIL PROPOSAL UNCHANGEABLE
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3. (C) In a May 5 UNIFIL operational update, co-chaired by
USG for UN Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy and attended
by the Ambassador and Poloff, along with Ambassadors from
troop contributing countries and members of the Security
Council, Force Commander General Claudio Graziano confidently
professed there would be no alterations to UNIFIL's proposal
for Israeli withdrawal from northern Ghajar, despite Israeli
attempts to attach conditions to the plan. He said "no other
concessions" would be offered by the Lebanese government.
Graziano emphasized the Israelis must take the proposal "as
is," and if they did not accept it before the June 7
parliamentary elections in Lebanon, there might not be
another opportunity.

DETAILS CAN BE WORKED OUT
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4. (C) Graziano mentioned that despite PM Siniora's May 4
statement to the press, there was no change in the GOL's
position on UNIFIL's proposal. (Note: Siniora said Israeli
announcements that the withdrawal plans were a sign of
support for the Siniora government were "a ploy to create
discord among the Lebanese. End note). Graziano opined that
while Israel is "committed" to the proposal, moving forward
quickly was not a number one priority in the new Israeli
government. While some implementation problems remain to be
resolved, Graziano insisted moving forward is key to counter
any donor country perceptions that the UNIFIL mission is a
waste of money.


5. (C) Graziano recounted comments from his most recent
meeting in Israeli, saying that Israeli Minister of Defense
Ehud Barack and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) support the
proposal, and the Israeli Foreign Ministry is working on the
technical issues. Graziano explained that these ministers
and IDF officials will meet again May 7 in Jerusalem and
afterwards will call Graziano to give a readout on the Ghajar
discussions. He reiterated comments he received from Israeli
Ambassador David Walzer, the focal point in the Israeli MFA
for civilian issues related to UNIFIL's proposal, that ideas
will come from the Israeli side during the May 7 meeting that
will "surprise you."

LE ROY: UNIFIL IS ESSENTIAL
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6. (C) Le Roy noted the relative stability and peace in
Lebanon since the 2006 war and how UNIFIL was winning

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Lebanese "hearts and minds." He noted his desire to keep
UNIFIL manpower at current levels or more despite the recent
notification by the Polish government that it would
withdrawal its forces from UNIFIL in 2009 due to budgetary
constraints. Le Roy praised UNIFIL's efforts on the Ghajar
issue and said a "clear signal" from the Israelis is
important, but he did not expect anything substantial to
appear until some time closer to Israeli PM Netanyahu's May
17 meeting with President Obama.

WHAT A NEW GOVERNMENT MIGHT BRING
--------------


7. (C) Le Roy spoke of his earlier meeting with Speaker
Berri. He recounted that Berri believed the majority would
change to March 8, but by only a few members. Le Roy noted
that Berri insisted with a March 8 majority, there would be
more support and cooperation for implementing UNSCR 1701.

UNIFIL TRAINING LAF IN CIVIL AFFAIRS
--------------


8. (SBU) UNIFIL Poloff John Malloy gave a short briefing on
UNIFIL efforts to train Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) personnel
in civil affairs by means of a "train the trainer" program.
The program will involve in-house training in conflict
mediation and community outreach, with the goal of developing
enough capacity that the LAF can eventually develop its own
doctrine for civil-military affairs in the various
confessional communities. The program will begin at the end
of May at UNIFIL HQs in Naqoura with a select group of LAF
officers.


9. (SBU) Malloy also noted the initial construction phase of
a Blue Line road that will run mostly parallel to the current
Blue Line demarcations. The purpose of the road is to ease
access to the border area and zones between the technical
fences. UNIFIL hopes to complete the first phase involving
linking it to the first of 11 current Blue Line crossing
junctions by the end of the summer.

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


10. (C) UNIFIL Political Advisor Milos Strugar informed
Ambassador May 8 that Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister and
Israeli Director General MFA had told General Graziano and
U/S Le Roy the day before that there were indeed "new ideas"
and that "in general," UNIFIL and the GOI "see eye-to-eye."
The devil is always in the details," commented Strugar. The
UNIFIL assessment is that the GOI Cabinet will review the
Ghajar withdrawal issues at today's cabinet meeting (May 8)
in anticipation of the Israeli PM's upcoming trip to
Washington. UNSCOL Michael Williams departs for Israel May
10 to meet MFA officials, focusing on UNSCR 1701 issues as
well as Ghajar. End comment.

SISON