VZCZCXRO3265
OO RUEHBZ RUEHROV
DE RUCNDT #0438/01 1522147
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 012147Z JUN 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2003
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000438 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC
SUBJECT: BAN BRIEFS SECURITY COUNCIL ON BERLIN QUARTET 
MEETING 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  In a private meeting with the Security Council 
held June 1, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon briefed on the May 
30 meeting of the Quartet Principals in Berlin, tracking 
closely issues covered in the May 30 Quartet Statement.  He 
also mentioned the situation in Lebanon, expressing concern 
about the confrontation between the Palestinian militia Fatah 
al-Islam and the LAF, and reporting Prime Minister Siniora's 
gratitude for the adoption of UNSCR 1757 on the Special 
Tribunal.  Ban responded to a French question about Quartet 
discussions of an international monitoring mechanism to 
support a Gaza ceasefire with a description of the dim 
prospects for introduction of an international force (sic). 
He reported that UNSCO Michael Williams would travel again to 
the region.  Although the Secretary-General's statement 
implied Williams' trip related to his duties as UNSCO, in 
fact Williams intends to travel o/a June 9 to consult on the 
upcoming UNSCR 1701 report (which imposed a cessation of 
hostilities between Hizballah and Israel following last 
summer's war).  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  On the situation in Gaza, Ban noted that the Quartet had 
called for an end to Palestinian factional violence and urged 
all to act in support of Abu Mazen's call for a National 
Unity Government and for a ceasefire.  Ban said, 
parenthetically, that his Special Middle East Coordinator 
Michael Williams had advised him that the UN could not 
operate effectively in the territories without an end to the 
violence.  Ban also reported that the Quartet had called for 
an end to Qassam rocket attacks into southern Israel, and for 
the release of Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit.  At the same 
time, the Quartet had called for the release of Palestinian 
legislators and ministers, urged Israeli restraint, noted the 
dire economic circumstances of the Palestinian people, urged 
progress on movement and access issues, noted that the 
Temporary International Mechanism (TIM) had been extended for 
three months, and urged Israel to consider the resumption of 
the transfer of tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority. 
Ban then referred to June 1 press reports that suggested some 
tax revenues might be forthcoming.  He also mentioned that he 
had been pleased to see that "proof of life" had been 
provided for captured BBC correspondent Alan Johnston. 
 
¶3. Ban said that there were helpful bilateral and regional 
tracks in progress: planned meetings between Prime Minister 
Olmert and President Abbas, meetings on the margins of 
Quartet meetings with Arab countries and the parties, and the 
next meeting of the Quartet at the end of June.  He said that 
the Quartet saw the Arab Peace Initiative as a welcome 
political horizon that would complement the work of the 
Quartet. 
 
¶4. Ban touched briefly on Lebanon, noting that a full-fledged 
offensive seemed to be occurring at the Nahr El-Bared refugee 
camp.  He said he had spoken to Prime Minister Siniora and 
offered his full support.  Siniora in turn had expressed his 
appreciation for the Security Council's adoption of UNSCR 
1757 on the Special Tribunal.  Ban promised to consult 
closely with the Security Council and the government of 
Lebanon on the implementation of UNSCR 1757. 
 
Security Council Members React 
------------------------------ 
 
¶5. Most Security Council delegations limited their comments 
to thanking the Secretary-General for providing the briefing 
and reiterating their support for Quartet positions.  Qatar, 
South Africa and Indonesia, however, criticized the Quartet 
May 30 statement and Quartet positions.  While deploring 
Palestinian factional violence, Qatar stated that the root 
cause of the conflict is the continuing Israeli occupation of 
Palestinian territories and called on the Quartet to take 
"decisive action" to bring an end to that occupation.  South 
Africa said that while Pretoria welcomed language in the May 
30 statement addressing the problem of violence, South Africa 
would have preferred the statement to call on both sides to 
renounce violence.  South Africa also argued that the 
Quartet's support of a request that Israel transfer 
Palestinian tax revenues through the TIM would constitute a 
reversal of the Oslo agreement, put the Palestinians in the 
position of receiving financial assistance with its own 
money, render the Palestinian Authority dependent on an 
external mechanism, and effectively marginalize the 
Palestinian Authority.  Indonesia suggested the next Quartet 
statement should call on both sides to renounce violence so 
as to accurately reflect what was really happening on the 
ground, and urged the Quartet to consider "decisive action" 
to promote peace.  France welcomed the inclusion of regional 
partners and the Palestinians and Israelis in the upcoming 
meeting, and asked if the Quartet had considered the use of 
international observers to support a ceasefire in Gaza. 
 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000438  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶6. Ambassador Khalilzad welcomed the upcoming calendar of 
regional consultations, including the API follow-up meetings, 
the planned Olmert/Abbas meeting, and the June Quartet 
meeting in Cairo.  He also reaffirmed U.S. support for Prime 
Minister Siniora and the LAF in the confrontation with Fatah 
al-Islam. 
KHALILZAD