VZCZCXRO9744
PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHHE #0800 2261321
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 141321Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2300
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0370
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0049

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000800 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2013 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS EUN FI
SUBJECT: FURTHER FINNISH RESPONSE TO UNSC RESOLUTION 1701 
 
REF: A. HELSINKI 798 
 
     ¶B. STATE 132517 
 
Classified By: PolChief Gregory Thome, Reasons 1.4 (b and d). 
 
¶1. (U) As indicated Reftel A, the GOF welcomed UNSC 
Resolution 1701; the text of the Finnish Foreign Ministry's 
Statement on Behalf of the EU Presidency has been forwarded 
to the Department.  In a subsequent conversation with 
PolChief July 14, Office Director for the Middle East Eija 
Rotinen offered several additional comments. 
 
¶2. (C) The GOF acknowledges the hard work that went into 
crafting a resolution that has won the support of Lebanon, 
Israel, Hizbollah and the Arab League.  1701 did what needed 
immediate doing: it ended the violence, Rotinen said. 
However, she continued, Finland shares US concerns that 
winning wide support for 1701 required avoiding a hard 
discussion within the resolution of exactly how 1559 is to be 
implemented.  The GOF understands that Hizbollah must be 
disarmed if there is to be any long-term peace.  However, 
many potential troop-contributing nations might balk at the 
idea of being called upon to forcefully disarm an unwilling 
Hizbollah;  "if the mandate for the international force is 
too strong, it might prove hard to fulfill the commitment" of 
15,000 troops, Rotinen said.  She agreed that much hard work 
remained, both in carefully crafting the terms of reference 
for the international force and in convincing the 
international community to fulfill this mission. 
 
¶3. (C) For its part, the GOF will support a strong 
disarmament mandate and intends to contribute troops. 
President Tarja Halonen and Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja 
have publicly called for a Finnish contribution of about 200 
soldiers, and Rotinen confirmed that the GOF is preparing 
legislation to request a supplemental budget authorization 
from Parliament.  She expressed some concern that the death 
of a Finnish UNIFIL officer in early August may become an 
issue during the Parliamentary debate.  However, our early 
soundings with key MPs indicate generally wide support for a 
GOF contribution. 
WARE