USUN DISCUSSION WITH SPANISH MOD OFFICIALS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 001011

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/11/2019
TAGS: PREL KPKO UN IS LE
SUBJECT: USUN DISCUSSION WITH SPANISH MOD OFFICIALS ON
UNIFIL

REF: STATE 105467

Classified By: Ambassador Alex D. Wolff for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Ambassador Wolff met on November 9 with a delegation
from the Spanish Ministry of Defense who were in New York to
meet with the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations
(DPKO) to discuss Spain's candidate for the UNIFIL Force
Commander position. Luis Cuesta, Secretary General of
Defense Policy, and Lieutenant General Jose Luis Lopez Rose,
Chief of Joint Defense Staff, were accompanied by the Spanish
Perm Rep Juan Antonio Yanez-Barnuevo, the Political
Counselor, and a MOD staffer. Cuesta emphasized that Spain
is ready to assume the UNIFIL command in January 2010, seeks
a smooth transition of command, and has started the
four-month training of the forces that would accompany the
Force Commander, including a protection and security company;
core headquarters staff; a helicopter group; civil-military
staff; and national staff. (Note: Ambassador Wolff spoke
with DPKO Under Secretary-General LeRoy on November 9 who
said that the UN is not going to ask the Italian government
to extend the current UNIFIL Force Commander, and both Israel
and Lebanon have backed away from their requests for such an
extension. End note.)


2. (C) Cuesta underscored that the Government of Spain
understands the complex environment in which UNIFIL operates.
He noted that the Spanish battalion's sector in the UNIFIL
area of operations is a potentially difficult area given that
it includes northern Ghajar, is on the Syrian border, and
near the Sheb'a Farms. Nevertheless, he said, the Spanish
forces have managed to keep the situation calm and stable.
He did note that Major General Asarta, one of the two Spanish
candidates for UNIFIL Force Commander (comment: and we
understand the leading candidate),served previously with
UNIFIL as a brigade commander. Cuesta said that the UN's
decision on which of the two Spanish candidates to name as
Force Commander is presently with the Secretary-General.


3. (C) Cuesta said that the GOS is aware of the possibility
that the Italian government could decide to pull out from
UNIFIL more Italian forces than just the headquarters group,
and that Spain is prepared to use its diplomatic resources to
generate third country provision of additional troops.
(Note: He clearly did not commit Spain to providing any
additional troops beyond the replacement headquarters group.
End note.) He commented that Spain's assumption of the EU
Presidency in January 2010 would also provide it with
additional leverage to mobilize further resources.
Ambassador Wolff relayed his understanding, per his November
6 conversation with Assistant Secretary-General Edmond Mulet,
that the Italian government has guaranteed to the UN that it
will not reduce its forces to UNIFIL at this time beyond
removing the headquarters group.


4. (C) Ambassador Wolff stressed to the delegation that the
next UNIFIL Force Commander will face a different set of
challenges than has the current UNIFIL Force Commander. He
noted the clear reintroduction of weaponry into Lebanon by
Hizballah and highlighted the increased rocket launches into
northern Israel from the UNIFIL area of operations. All
indicate that capacities are being built up for another
conflict, he stressed. UNIFIL needs to maintain a high
operational tempo in order maintain the calm, he said, and to
ensure the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to do their utmost in
the south. He also cited the need for candor with the
Council from the next UNIFIL Force Commander on where it is
being impeded, where it needs its mandate enhanced, and where
the LAF is not doing enough. General Lopez Rose commented
that while the LAF wants to do more and is willing to do
more, they do not have enough resources. He emphasized that
their main mission is north of the Litani river and the real
question is how weapons can be controlled there.
Rice