VZCZCXYZ0012
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #4373 1502158
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 302150Z MAY 07
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 7457
INFO RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT IMMEDIATE 6006

UNCLAS STATE 074373 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNSC LE PTER
SUBJECT: VOTING INSTRUCTIONS: SPECIAL TRIBUNAL FOR LEBANON 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request. USUN is instructed to 
vote for and co-sponsor the resolution on the Special 
Tribunal for Lebanon. USUN may draw from the explanation 
of vote (EOV) in para 2 below. End action request. 
 
¶2. (U) Begin EOV text. 
 
I would now like to make a few remarks in my national 
capacity. 
 
 
We welcome the adoption of resolution xxxx on the 
establishment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. 
 
By adopting this resolution, the Council has demonstrated 
its commitment to the Lebanese people to ensure that there 
shall be no impunity for political assassinations or terrorism. 
 
Those who killed Rafiq Hariri and so many others will be 
brought to justice and held responsible for their crimes. 
 
Establishing the tribunal will also serve to deter future 
political assassinations. Those who might be tempted to 
commit similar crimes will know there will be consequences 
for perpetuating Lebanon's troubled history of political 
violence and intimidation. 
 
It was necessary and right for the Council to act now. 
Those who oppose justice for the murderers and terrorists 
bent on destabilizing Lebanon have delayed the establishment 
of the tribunal long enough. The Council approved the tribunal 
agreement and statute on November 21, 2006. Since that time, 
the legitimate government and the democratically-elected 
parliamentary majority have tried every possible means to convince 
the Speaker of Parliament to fulfill his constitutional 
responsibility to convene parliament so that final action on 
the tribunal could be taken. But to no avail. 
 
Several influential parties visited Lebanon in an effort 
to find a framework in which parliament could be 
convened. These include the Arab League, UN Legal Counsel 
Nicolas Michel, and the Secretary-General himself. After 
five months of tireless efforts to reach a solution to the 
impasse facing his country, Prime Minister Siniora sent 
the Secretary-General a letter on May 14 asking that the 
matter be put before the Security Council to take a 
binding" decision to establish the Special Tribunal.    The 
Secretary-General endorsed the Prime Minister's request 
 
SIPDIS 
one day later after concluding that all diplomatic efforts 
had been exhausted. 
 
No one can say that the Lebanese Government, the 
Secretary-General, or the Security Council failed to 
 
SIPDIS 
pursue every possible option short of Council action to 
establish the tribunal. But those opposed to the tribunal 
made sure there were no such options available. 
 
We have heard many voices warn of the risks to peace and 
stability in Lebanon. Many already see in the violence of 
recent months an effort to intimidate the Lebanese majority 
 
from pursuing justice for Hariri and others victims of political 
assassination. In the days ahead, we urge all parties to act 
responsibly and abide by their obligations to support Lebanon's 
sovereignty and political independence. Efforts to destabilize 
Lebanon will not be tolerated. 
 
The time has come for the international community to support the 
efforts of Lebanon's majority to seek justice on behalf of its 
martyred citizens. For our part, we concluded that failure to 
support Lebanon's democratic majority was unacceptable. There car 
be no peace and stability without justice. 
 
In conclusion, the United States reaffirms our support for 
Lebanon. With the passage of this resolution, we are 
confident that the Security Council will live up to its 
commitment to support Lebanon in its pursuit of justice. 
 
 
End EOV text. 
RICE