VZCZCXRO5785
PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHLB #3014/01 2611017
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 181017Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5642
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0300
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 003014 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARCHESE/HARDING 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2026 
 
TAGS: KCRM LE PREL PTER SY
SUBJECT: UNIIIC INVESTIGATION "CLOSING DOORS," MAKING 
PROGRESS 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey D. Feltman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (S)  Ambassador Feltman and econoff met on 16 September 
with UNIIIC head Serge Brammertz to discuss progress on the 
investigation ahead of the progress report due 29 September 
and UNIIIC investigator Peter Nicholson's visit to 
Washington later this month.  Brammertz was preoccupied 
with the administrative requirements of UNIIIC, proud that 
the Hizballah-Israel conflict had not slowed progress in 
the investigation, optimistic about GOL plans to move 
forward quickly with a tribunal, and open about his plans 
to leave UNIIIC when his already extended term expires in 
December.  While Brammertz did not preview the content of 
next report, he gave some detail about the process and 
progress of the investigation.  End Summary. 
 
CONFLICT HINDERED INVESTIGATION 
LESS THAN UN BUREAUCRACY 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Brammertz proudly announced that the conflict 
between Hizballah and Israel had not decreased Syrian or 
Lebanese cooperation or slowed progress in his 
investigation.  Although Brammertz is still seeking 
security assurances, UNIIIC staff are slowly returning from 
Cyprus, where they were based during the conflict.  The 
move should be completed by the end of September, but 
Brammertz plans to keep copies of the evidence and findings 
in Cyprus for security reasons.  Surprisingly, he cited 
administrative issues as his largest obstacle, describing 
30 to 40 percent of his time as spent on administrative 
issues such as hiring more investigators, finding adequate 
housing for his staff, and dealing with UN budget 
restrictions. He is currently operating without a Chief of 
Staff, but expects to have one beginning next week. 
 
¶3. (S) Brammertz hopes the investigation can conclude by 
June 2007, but he expects that, realistically, it could 
take an additional 2 or 3 years.  He cited a 20 percent 
vacancy rate at UNIIIC and an overwhelming number of 
investigative leads as reasons for the slow progress, but 
described the pace as similar to an investigation in 
Europe. 
 
GOL SAY THEY ARE MOVING 
QUICKLY TOWARD A TRIBUNAL 
------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Some of Brammertz's efforts to increase his staff 
may be in preparation for the creation of a tribunal; using 
the existing investigative staff as the core of a tribunal, 
he said, would speed the transition.  Brammertz reported 
that in his meeting with Prime Minister Siniora the 
previous day the PM said that he hopes to have Cabinet and 
Parliamentary approval for the tribunal before November, 
enabling implementation of the tribunal beginning early 
next year.  While Bramertz saw no evidence that either the 
GOL or UN had made progress finding a location or funding 
for a tribunal, he reiterated his reasoning that an early 
transition to a tribunal would have a symbolic effect, even 
if he could at this point give only a 50 percent chance 
that the tribunal might end with a conviction.  He cited 
the trial of Slobodan Milosevic in the former Yugoslavia as 
an example of a tribunal successfully run without the prior 
completion of an investigation. 
 
BRAMMERTZ MOVING ON 
------------------- 
 
¶5. (S) Brammertz said he will not seek a second extension 
of his term at UNIIIC, which ends on 31 December, another 
possible reason he is laying the administrative groundwork 
for transition to a tribunal early next year.  While 
Bramertz will return to the ICC, he believes most of his 
staff will remain with UNIIIC.  Asked by the Ambassador, he 
said that he could not expect member states of the ICC to 
tolerate his prolonged absence, and he is not prepared to 
resign from the ICC. 
 
INVESTIGATION SPECIFICS: 
"CLOSING DOORS" 
------------------------ 
 
¶6. (S) Brammertz said that his next report will include "no 
revelations", but will show some progress as new evidence 
has confirmed some of UNIIIC's earlier conclusions and 
closed some avenues of investigation.  Bramertz described 
how UNIIIC is gradually closing down some of its 20 
simultaneous avenues of investigation through a focus on 
forensics, phone records, and media to link suspects. 
Brammertz described the importance forensic evidence from 
the perpetrator, describing how the "28 part man" has 
become the "32 part man," with the discovery of more body 
parts at the crime scene.  Brammertz said new technology 
has increased the speed with which UNIIIC is able to trace 
phone records.  Brammertz has used these phone records to 
pressure Syrian officials to admit relationships they have 
previously lied about having.  As he has before, he also 
eluded to a media connection, which he would not elaborate 
on.  Brammertz was pleased to admit UNIIIC is "closing some 
doors," including its investigation of Bank Al-Medina. 
While Bank al-Medina touches many Syrian and Lebanese 
officials, Brammertz said, UNIIIC is only looking for links 
with the Hariri assassination. 
 
¶7. (S) Brammertz said there has been no progress 
investigating the four generals already arrested.  While 
there is still no solid evidence against General Jamil 
al-Sayyed, Brammertz believes that does not mean he was not 
involved or at least aware.  He mentioned that Samir 
Shehadeh, the target of a car bomb attack on September 5, 
has had no contact with the current commission team, 
leading Brammertz to believe that his attempted 
assassination was motivated by a personal grudge or by 
Al-Qaida or a Palestinian organization. 
 
LIMITED INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION 
-- FROM UNEXPECTED SOURCES 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (C)  Brammertz described Syrian cooperation as 
"generally satisfactory" and "cautiously positive."  In 
particular he reported he has used phone records to 
pressure Syrian officials to admit relationships they have 
previously lied about having.  However, Brammertz reported 
that he has not received answers to his request from nearly 
50 percent of countries.  Two unnamed European countries 
had been particularly problematic, he said.  Brammertz 
expressed appreciation for US assistance. 
 
FELTMAN