VZCZCXRO1880
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ
DE RUEHHE #0933 2561357
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131357Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2469
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 0077
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 0053
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0626

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000933 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER IS LE ECON FI
SUBJECT: MAINTAINING THE MOMENTUM ON LEBANON:  FINNISH 
RESPONSE 
 
REF: STATE 148157 
 
¶1. (U) Charge delivered subject demarche to Finnish MFA 
Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Markus Lyra 
September 13.  She underscored the need for the 
international community to help the Lebanese Government 
gain sovereignty over its own territory; US efforts to 
provide humanitarian and reconstruction assistance; the 
importance of international efforts to prevent the inflow 
of arms into Lebanon now that Israel had moved to lift 
the blockade; and the international community's other 
commitments under UNSCR 1701.  Charge also took the 
opportunity to thank the GOF for its 240-troop 
contribution to UNIFIL and for the key leadership role it 
played, in its capacity as EU President, in urging robust 
contributions from other EU member states. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Lyra fully shared our views, especially 
regarding the importance of maintaining the strong 
international consensus that currently exists in support 
of the GOL.  The EU should have as many as 5000 troops on 
the ground in the next few days -- a development that 
complements the very positive step Israel took in lifting 
the blockade.  Lyra added that, with the lifting of the 
blockade, more pressure must be placed on Syria.  The 
international community must monitor Syria's behavior 
very closely, and cannot afford to "over-interpret" its 
willingness to play a positive role.  The UN, EU and US 
must find a means of convincing Damascus to permit a 
robust UNIFIL presence along its border, he said. 
According to Lyra, Germany has offered Syria a border 
training project that the EU believes could have positive 
impact on how Syria handles its commitment to 1701. 
The GOF also supports the UNSYG's effort to resolve 
outstanding issues surrounding Shebba Farms. 
HYATT