VZCZCXRO9702
OO RUEHBZ RUEHROV
DE RUCNDT #0704 2362225
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 242225Z AUG 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2511
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000704 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPKO UNSC IS LE
SUBJECT: UNSC UNANIMOUSLY EXTENDS UNIFIL'S MANDATE AMID 
UNEXPECTED DEBATE 
 
REF: STATE 119263 
 
¶1. (U) The UN Security Council unanimously approved 
resolution 1773 on 24 August 2007 to extend the mandate of 
the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) until 31 
August 2008.  (Note: The full text of the resolution is 
contained in reftel and can be found on the UN website.  End 
Note.)  The U.S., France, Italy, the UK, Belgium, Slovakia, 
and Peru co-sponsored the resolution.  France, Italy, 
Belgium, and Ghana delivered explanations of vote (EOVs) that 
mainly welcomed the Council's unanimous support for UNIFIL 
and praised the peacekeeping mission for its role in securing 
peace in southern Lebanon.  They also paid tribute to the 
seven UNIFIL peacekeepers killed in the line of duty over the 
past several months.  Although Lebanon and Israel 
participated in the meeting, they did not speak. 
 
¶2. (U) In its EOV, South Africa voiced support for UNIFIL but 
complained that the resolution should not have included 
"sensitive" issues "unrelated" to UNIFIL's mandate that were 
"selectively drawn" from the Council's previous statements. 
(Note: South Africa was most likely referring to language in 
the resolution on the abducted Israeli soldiers and Lebanese 
prisoners detained in Israel.  End Note.)  Qatar and 
Indonesia emphasized that all parties must fulfill their 
responsibilities under resolution 1701.  Indonesia defined 
this to mean that Israel should give the UN detailed data on 
its use of cluster munitions in south Lebanon and cease its 
practice of overflying Lebanese territory. 
 
¶3. (U) Amb Wolff delivered an EOV that expressed support for 
UNIFIL but emphasized the need for progress on other issues 
remaining in UNSCR 1701 implementation -- including 
disbanding and disarming of militias, compliance with the 
arms embargo, and the unconditional and immediate release of 
the two abducted Israeli soldiers.  In a last-minute 
intervention, Russia took exception to comments by "other 
member states" about reports of weapons smuggling into 
Lebanon.  These issues, Russian DPR Scherbak averred, "do not 
relate to the resolution."  He pointed out that Russia could 
have pressed to include language on "other issues" as well, 
such as the use of cluster bombs, but had decided to support 
the resolution as a "compromise" text. 
KHALILZAD