AMBASSADOR RICE'S MAY 13 BILATERAL MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000504 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR USUN/W, IO AND NEA. PLEASE PASS TO NSC FOR SHAPIRO AND KUMAR E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2019 TAGS: PREL UN KPAL KWBG LE IS SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RICE'S MAY 13 BILATERAL MEETING WITH LEBANESE PERM REP SALAM Classified By: Ambassador Susan E. Rice for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Ambassador Rice met with Lebanese Perm Rep Nawaf Salam on May 13 for their first bilateral meeting. Ambassador Salam reviewed the electoral playing field in Lebanon ahead of the June 7 parliamentary elections. He expressed appreciation for Ambassador Rice's statements in the Council on Lebanon and the tone of the U.S. statement during the Council Middle East ministerial meeting on May 11. ¶2. (C) Since their meeting was prior to the Security Council's May 13 consultations on the Gaza Board of Inquiry report, Ambassador Rice pressed Ambassador Salam for help with the Arab Group given its insistence on pursuing a Council resolution on the Gaza Board of Inquiry report, while the U.S. was trying to make progress, at Arab states' request, on the peace process. Salam said it would be hard for the Arabs not to show follow-up action on the Board of Inquiry report but understood the difficulties it caused the United States and the peace process. Both agreed it would be best if the Libyan draft resolution on the subject was simply set aside. (Note: Later that day in consultations, the Security Council decided not to pursue a product and to ask the Secretary-General to keep members informed, as he deems appropriate, of his progress on implementing the Board's recommendations. End note.) ¶3. (C) Ambassador Salam described the Israeli government's May 12 hand-over to UNIFIL of cluster munitions strike data as a "good step" and called for progress on Sheba'a and Ghajar. He said, "Hizballah would be happy to see Israel stay there because it justifies their arms" and urged that there be a diplomatic option. On the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Salam thanked the United States for its pledge of USD 6 million for the second year and asked if the United States could continue to encourage the Gulf states to make a firm pledge for years two and three. Rice