VZCZCXRO2110
OO RUEHAST
DE RUCNDT #1226/01 1672117
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 162117Z JUN 06
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9361
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 001226 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC SY LE
SUBJECT: UNSC EXTENDS UNIIIC MANDATE AND ALLOWS BRAMMERTZ 
TO EXPAND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE INTO 14 NON-HARIRI 
INVESTIGATIONS 
 
REF: A. STATE 97692 
 
     ¶B. STATE 96279 
 
USUN NEW Y 00001226  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  The UN Security Council voted unanimously 
on June 16 to adopt UNSCR 1686 (text contained in ref A), 
which extends the mandate of the UN International Independent 
Investigation Commission (UNIIIC) until 15 June 2007 and 
"supports the Commission's intention" to extend further its 
technical assistance to the Government of Lebanon in its 
investigations of the other 14 terror attacks committed in 
Lebanon since October 2004.  During an open briefing to the 
Council on June 15, UNIIIC head Serge Brammertz hewed closely 
to his most recent report to the UNSC in outlining progress 
in the investigation but refusing to name any names. 
Speaking after Brammertz, Lebanese MFA official Assaker 
thanked the Council for its support and praised Brammertz for 
his professionalism.  Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Mekdad, 
also praising the "objectivity and professionalism" of 
UNIIIC's latest report, noted that Brammertz had 
characterized Syrian cooperation with the Commission as 
satisfactory and warned that "certain parties" were trying to 
exploit the UNIIIC's efforts to pressure Syria. 
 
¶2. (SBU) During closed consultations of the Council following 
the open briefing, member states were united in support of 
the Commission but split on the issues of Syrian cooperation 
and expanding technical assistance to the other 14 attacks. 
While suggesting it is more realistic to expect the 
investigation to conclude after one year rather than six 
months, Brammertz expressed hope the Commission would 
register "significant progress" by September 2006.  He 
averred that 5-10 additional staff members would be 
sufficient to provide the Lebanese expanded technical 
assistance on the other 14 attacks.  During a bilateral 
meeting with Ambassador Sanders, Brammertz rejected the idea 
that the tribunal could only be established once the 
Commission concludes its investigation and noted that the 
tribunal's prosecutor could continue the investigation. 
 
Open Briefing Contains Few Surprises 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) During the open briefing to the Council, Brammertz 
delivered remarks that hewed closely to his recent report and 
contained no surprises.  He outlined progress on the 
forensics investigation into the Hariri assassination and 
concluded that the attack had been a targeted assassination. 
Brammertz reiterated that Syrian cooperation with the UNIIIC 
had been "generally satisfactory."  While arguing there were 
links in intent and modus operandi between the Hariri attack 
and the other 14 attacks in Lebanon since October 2004, 
Brammertz admitted that he could not yet point to any 
evidentiary links.  Warning that "no progress" would be made 
in these inquiries without increased international support, 
he argued that the Commission should adopt "a more proactive 
role" in extending technical assistance to the GOL. 
Brammertz acknowledged the high expectations for progress in 
the UNIIIC investigation and promised that the Commission 
would focus in the months ahead on identifying the 
perpetrators behind the Hariri attack. 
 
¶4. (U) Speaking after Brammertz, Lebanese MFA 
Secretary-General Boutros Assaker thanked the UNSC for its 
 
SIPDIS 
support in the Hariri investigation and praised the 
Commissioner for his professionalism and seriousness. 
Assaker expressed hope that UNIIIC assistance would enable 
the GOL to determine responsibility for the other 14 attacks 
as well.  He "noted with interest" how the UNIIIC report had 
characterized cooperation from "relevant parties" named in 
the report, and "encouraged the continuity of this 
cooperation."  Assaker praised current consultations between 
the GOL and the UN Secretariat to draft an agreement 
establishing the tribunal, which he said all Lebanese "await 
with concern and anticipation." 
 
¶5. (U) Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mekdad, who 
asked to address the Council after learning that Lebanon had 
made the same request, praised the "objectivity and 
professionalism" of the UNIIIC report.  He observed that the 
report deemed Syrian cooperation with the Commission 
satisfactory, and he pledged that Syria would respond to all 
future requests made by the UNIIIC.  Mekdad warned that 
"certain parties, inside or outside the region," hoped to 
exploit the Commission's work by jumping to a priori 
conclusions in an effort to pressure the SARG.  He argued 
that the UNSCRs establishing the Commission require 
cooperation from all member states -- not just Syria -- and 
 
USUN NEW Y 00001226  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
he opined that UNIIIC should continue to operate in a 
confidential manner and take the time it needs to bring the 
 
SIPDIS 
investigation to the next stage. 
 
Member States All Support UNIIIC 
But Split on Expanded Mandate and Syria 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) During closed consultations, all UNSC member 
expressed support for an extension of UNIIIC's mandate.  Most 
delegations characterized Brammertz's report and briefing to 
the Council as professional and detailed.  Qatar expressed 
hope that the Commission's next report would contain its 
conclusions about responsibility for Hariri's assassination. 
Russia argued that the tribunal established to try those 
responsible for this crime should be based on both Lebanese 
and international law, while Peru averred that the court 
should have as much Lebanese participation as possible. 
Japan asked whether the Commission would be able to conclude 
its investigation within one year, and also asked how the 
Commission's functions would change once the tribunal is 
established. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Council members offered divergent assessments of 
Syrian cooperation with the UNIIIC.  Ambassador Sanders, 
drawing from ref B, demanded that Syria provide comprehensive 
responses to the Commission's questions in all instances -- 
not just some.  The UK, France, and Denmark joined the U.S. 
in insisting that Syria "fully and unconditionally" cooperate 
with the Commission.  Surprisingly, China, while noting that 
Syria's cooperation had become "more satisfactory," 
encouraged the SARG to "fully cooperate" with the Commission. 
 Russia, Qatar, and Greece all praised Syrian cooperation 
with the UNIIIC as "positive," while Japan expressed hope 
that Syria's cooperation would continue. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Similar divisions were apparent in the Council on 
the issue of whether the UNIIIC should expand its technical 
assistance to the GOL in its investigations into the other 14 
terror attacks committed in Lebanon since October 2004. 
France and Denmark joined the U.S. in supporting the 
Commission's intent to provide expanded technical assistance. 
 While Qatar and Argentina also expressed support for 
continued technical assistance, they questioned how much 
additional aid the Commission planned to grant the GOL. 
Russia and Japan argued that the priority of the UNIIIC's 
efforts should be the Hariri assassination, and they both 
said they expected Lebanon to strengthen its own capacity 
largely on its own.  Even the UK observed that 
UNSCR 1644's authorization for technical assistance still 
applied and that resources should mainly go towards the 
Hariri investigation. 
 
Brammertz Slightly More 
Forthcoming in Private 
---------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) After member states delivered their interventions 
during closed consultations, Brammertz offered a bit more 
detail on his timeline for progress in the investigation. 
While 
suggesting it is more realistic to expect the investigation 
to conclude after one year than six months, he hoped the 
Commission would register "significant progress" by September 
-- including completion of forensic analysis and substantial 
progress in analyzing the communications records it recently 
received.  On the issue of Syrian cooperation, Brammertz 
suggested his efforts to send the Syrians "concrete requests" 
with "realistic timetables" had helped elicit maximum 
cooperation.  He also mentioned that he holds technical 
meetings with them every six to eight weeks to ensure the two 
sides are communicating well. 
 
¶10. (SBU) On the issue of providing technical assistance for 
the other 14 cases, Brammertz deflected concerns about the 
extent of this expanded support by suggesting that "we are 
not speaking of large numbers" of additional staff.  He 
suggested 5-10 additional staff members would be sufficient, 
with 2-3 focused on forensics, 2-3 on analysis, and 3-4 on 
investigations.  Brammertz appealed to the Council to 
interpret "technical assistance" in the widest possible way, 
to include the Commission conducting interviews if necessary 
and extending its forensics capabilities to the GOL for 
evidence collected in the other 14 investigations.  During a 
bilateral meeting with Ambassador Sanders on June 13, 
Brammertz said a formal expansion of UNIIIC's mandate -- if 
it becomes necessary -- would have to await SYG Annan's 
 
USUN NEW Y 00001226  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
report on that issue per UNSCR 1644.  He estimated that 
report might be ready by September 2006. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Brammertz declined to offer many more details on 
the transition from the the UNIIIC to the tribunal during the 
closed Council consultations -- except to say that no final 
decisions had been made and the SYG would report on UN-GOL 
negotiations -- but he was more forthcoming during the 
bilateral meeting with Ambassador Sanders.  During the 
bilateral meeting, he rejected the notion that the tribunal 
could only be established once the Commission has completed 
its investigation.  Noting that the UNIIIC has organized its 
work in a way that will enable a smooth handover to a 
prosecutor's office, Brammertz suggested the prosecutor could 
continue the investigation if the Commission had not yet 
reached final conclusions.  If the UNIIIC's mandate is 
eventually expanded to include the other 14 attacks, but the 
Commission concludes its work before those investigations are 
complete, Brammertz suggested the prosecutor could have the 
discretion to continue those investigations or refer them 
back to the GOL. 
BOLTON