UNSC: RUSSIANS MOVING FORWARD WITH PLANS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000421

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (ADDED UN SEC COUNCIL)

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2019
TAGS: PREL UNSC KWBG KPAL IS RS
SUBJECT: UNSC: RUSSIANS MOVING FORWARD WITH PLANS FOR
COUNCIL MINISTERIAL ON MIDDLE EAST, MAY 11

REF: USUN NEW YORK 362

USUN NEW Y 00000421 001.3 OF 002


Classified By: Ambassador Susan E. Rice for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Ambassadors Rice and Wolff met bilaterally with
Russian Perm Rep Churkin and Deputy Perm Rep Dolgov on April

23. Ambassador Churkin confirmed that his government plans
to send out invitations April 24 to its proposed May 11
Council ministerial meeting on the Middle East. He said only
UN Security Council members would be invited to participate
in the meeting. (Note: In order to make it a
ministerial-level meeting, the Security Council President, at
the Foreign Minister-level, must formally issue invitations
to his Council counterparts to participate in a meeting. End
note.) Churkin noted that while the Secretary-General would
brief the Council, per the usual format of the Council's
monthly briefings on the Middle East, the Russians also
planned to invite Quartet Representative Tony Blair to the
meeting. Churkin said he did not think Council members would
object since there has been an outstanding invitation since
last fall for Blair to brief the Council.


2. (C) Churkin emphasized that Russia's priority is the
Council ministerial meeting followed by a luncheon for heads
of delegation. Churkin said he understood that capitals were
still discussing the possibility of a Quartet meeting in New
York on May 11 and welcomed such a meeting. (Comment:
Russian expert Gleb Desiatnikov told PolOff after the meeting
that the ministerial meeting could be switched to the
afternoon to accommodate a morning Quartet meeting. End
comment.) Ambassador Rice noted that we are still waiting
for instructions from Washington on our own participation in
the Council ministerial meeting. Churkin said that his
delegation had received indications of likely foreign
minister participation from the following other delegations:
UK, France, Japan, Turkey, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Austria.
He said the Chinese Foreign Minister is likely to attend
since he is now traveling in the Middle East.


3. (C) Churkin shared with Ambassador Rice the text (see
para four) of the draft Presidential Statement (PRST) his
delegation would like the Council to adopt on May 11. He
emphasized that the PRST language is drawn from previous
Quartet statements, as well as UNSCR 1850. He said that his
delegation is open to comments from the United States before
disseminating it to other P-5 members. Though the text could
be tightened, Churkin urged that it not be shortened too much
since they believe a PRST for a ministerial meeting must be
of a certain length.


4. (SBU) Begin draft text:
Statement by the President of the United Nations Security
Council on the Situation in the Middle East

The Security Council stresses, that the Middle East peace
process reached an important junction. Vigorous diplomatic
action is needed to attain the goal set by the international
community - lasting peace in the region, based on the
enduring commitment to mutual recognition, freedom from
violence, incitement and terror, consistent implementation of
a permanent two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict.

In this context the Security Council recalls all its previous
resolutions on the Middle East, in particular resolutions 242
(1967),338 (1973),1397 (2002),1515 (2003),1850 (2008),
1860 (2009),the Madrid principles and the Arab peace
initiative.

The Security Council supports the Quartet in fulfilling its
task of providing assistance and advice to the parties aiming
at achieving just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the
Middle East.

The Security Council reiterates its commitment to the
irreversibility of the bilateral negotiations built upon
previous agreements and obligations, calls once again on the
parties to restart the talks on all tracks and in the
multilateral format aimed at resolving all outstanding
issues, including all core issues, without exceptions.

The Security Council further calls upon Israel and the
Palestinian National Authority to fulfill their obligations
under the Performance-based Road map and Agreement on
movement and access, refrain from all steps that could
undermine confidence or prejudice the outcome of negotiations.

The Security Council supports the Palestinian National
Administration that is committed to the Quartet principles,
the Arab peace initiative and respects the obligations of the
Palestinian Liberation Organization. It calls for assistance
in development of the Palestinian economy and providing the

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resources necessary to the Palestinian institution-building
in preparation for statehood. It endorses the decisions taken
at Sharm el-Sheikh international meeting in February this
year, which was dedicated to reconstruction and rebuilding of
Gaza.

The Security Council recalls its support for Egypt,s efforts
to promote the internal Palestinian dialogue leading to the
reunification of Gaza and the West Bank within the framework
of the legitimate Palestinian National Authority.

The Security Council reiterates its support for the proposal
of the Russian Federation to convene an international meeting
on the Middle East peace process in Moscow in 2009 and calls
upon the international community to provide support needed
for the successful convening and conduct of this forum.
End draft text.
Rice