VZCZCXRO0854
OO RUEHBZ RUEHROV
DE RUCNDT #0971/01 3112208
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 072208Z NOV 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2988
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000971 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER KPKO SY LE IS
SUBJECT: LEBANON: UNSC AGREES THAT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS 
MUST TAKE PLACE BY NOV 24 
 
REF: STATE 151231 
 
 ¶1. (SBU) Summary.  During a private meeting of the Security 
Council November 5, UNSC Resolution 1559 Special Envoy Terje 
Roed-Larsen reported that the political crisis that had 
"paralyzed" Lebanon since November 2006 had made it very 
difficult to achieve further progress towards the 
implementation of resolution 1559.  He decried reports of 
militia re-armament in Lebanon, which had led to "tangible 
fears" of a new civil war, and called for a Lebanese-led 
political process to disarm all Lebanese and non-Lebanese 
militias -- including Hizballah.  Larsen noted that several 
member states in the region had corroborated GOL charges of 
illegal arms transfers across the Syrian-Lebanese border, and 
called on Iran and Syria to comply with all relevant UNSC 
resolutions.  Turning to Lebanon's upcoming presidential 
elections, he emphasized that a new President must be elected 
by November 24, 2007, and that alternate scenarios involving 
two rival governments or a vacuum in the presidency are not 
acceptable.  In terms of other steps to fully implement 
resolution 1559, Larsen listed the establishment of 
diplomatic relations between Syria and Lebanon, the 
delineation of borders between the two countries, and an end 
to Israeli overflights.  In response to member state 
interventions, he reviewed the history of the Sheba'a Farms 
area and agreed that the upcoming Annapolis meeting should be 
"as comprehensive as possible." 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary, cont'd.  Although UNSC members repeated 
familiar positions about the role of Syria in Lebanon, nearly 
all said that presidential elections must take place by the 
constitutionally-mandated date of November 24, 2007.  The P-3 
urged the Lebanese to work towards selecting a candidate who 
enjoys the "broadest possible support."  Amb Khalilzad noted 
that Lebanon had elected several presidents with less than 
two-thirds support and urged the international community to 
refrain from advocating a specific electoral outcome.  Russia 
cautioned against "pitting one Lebanese faction against 
another" and complained that the UN had "singled out Syria" 
in its reports and focused "too much attention on Hizballah" 
at the expense of other re-armament by other militias.  South 
Africa delivered a vitriolic anti-Israeli intervention in 
which it claimed that the "source of tension between Syria 
and Lebanon is the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine, 
the Golan Heights, and the Sheba'a Farms."  Arguing that all 
conflicts in the Middle East are interconnected, Russia and 
Italy emphasized that the Annapolis meeting should be both 
inclusive and comprehensive.  After the consultations, the 
Indonesian PermRep read out a press statement on behalf of 
the Council that recalled the need to hold free and fair 
presidential election in Lebanon in conformity with the 
country's constitution and without any foreign interference 
or influence.  End Summary. 
 
Larsen Offers Bleak Outlook 
--------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Reviewing events in Lebanon since his last report to 
the Council six months ago in April 2007, Larsen argued the 
political crisis that had "paralyzed" the country since 
November 2006 had made it very difficult to achieve further 
progress towards the implementation of resolution 1559.  The 
"most disconcerting" reports of the past several months, he 
said, pertained to the re-arming of militias.  These reports 
had led to "tangible fears" of a new civil war and had caused 
the SYG to renew his call for a Lebanese-led political 
process to address the issue of disarmament.  In this 
context, Larsen noted that the SYG had received "new 
information" that Hizballah had re-armed beyond its July 2006 
capabilities, which he said lent "particular importance" to 
reports of breaches of the arms embargo.  Recalling that 
Lebanon and Syria had traded accusations about support for 
militant groups in Lebanon, Larsen nonetheless noted that 
several member states in the region had corroborated reports 
of illegal arms transfers from Syria into Lebanon, and urged 
all regional parties to cooperate with the GOL and the UNSC 
on this issue. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Turning to Lebanon's upcoming presidential 
elections, Larsen emphasized that a new President must be 
elected by the constitutionally- mandated date of November 
24, 2007.  Neither the prospect of two rival governments -- 
the 1988-90 manifestation of which he described as the "most 
unfortunate political development" in Lebanon's recent 
history -- or a vacuum in the Presidency were acceptable. 
Asked how the Security Council could help encourage a 
solution to Lebanon's political impasse, Larsen suggested 
that the Council impress upon all key players the need to 
avoid either of two aforementioned scenarios.  Noting that 
the first and second attempts to convene Parliament had 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000971  002 OF 003 
 
 
failed, Larsen reported that Lebanese political leaders 
continue to meet to try to agree on a compromise candidate, 
whom the SYG had said should enjoy the "broadest possible 
support."  As far as the UN is concerned, he said, the UNSCR 
1559 call for free and fair presidential elections held in 
accordance with Lebanon's constitution and without any 
foreign interference or influence must be upheld. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Besides disarmament and presidential elections, 
Larsen described the establishment of diplomatic relations 
between Syria and Lebanon, the delineation of borders between 
the two countries, and an end to Israeli overflights of 
Lebanon as remaining steps to fully implement resolution 
¶1559.  In response to comments by South Africa about the 
"illegal Israeli occupation of the Sheba'a Farms," Larsen 
reminded Council members that by endorsing the Blue Line in 
2000, the Council had effectively decided that the Sheba'a 
area does not come under Lebanese sovereignty.  Although 
Lebanon had expressed reservations about the Blue Line in 
2000, it had agreed to respect the line in its entirety 
pending border delineation with Syria, and the UNSC should 
ensure this commitment endures.  Although the SYG presented 
new cartographic information about Sheba'a in his report on 
UNSCR 1701, which contains "conclusions" about its location 
and territorial definition, Larsen emphasized that this new 
information does not change the fact that this issue can 
resolved permanently only after Syria and Lebanon delineate 
their border.  In response to member state interventions, 
Larsen agreed that many conflicts in the Middle East are now 
interconnected, and therefore suggested that the upcoming 
Annapolis meeting should be "as comprehensive as possible." 
 
P-3 Coordinate Positions on Elections 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The U.S., France, and the UK sounded similar notes 
on the upcoming Lebanese presidential elections.  (Note: USUN 
reinforced reftel demarche on the USG position on the 
elections with the French and UK Missions before the UNSC 
session.  End Note.)  All three delegations emphasized that 
the elections must take place by November 24 and that all 
other scenarios are unacceptable.  The P-3 also urged the 
Lebanese to work towards selecting a candidate who enjoys the 
"broadest possible support."  Amb Khalilzad, noting that 
several presidents in Lebanon's history had been elected with 
less than two-thirds support, also underscored that the 
international community should refrain from advocating a 
specific electoral outcome.  French DPR LaCroix reported that 
French FM Kouchner had engaged his Syrian and Iranian 
counterparts to remind them that Lebanon's elections must be 
allowed to take place without foreign interference.  He also 
reported that French President Sarkozy's Diplomatic Advisor 
and Chief of Staff had traveled to Damascus on November 4-5 
to deliver the same message directly to Syrian President Asad. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Besides the presidential elections, Amb Khalilzad 
highlighted several other aspects of resolution 1559 that 
must still be implemented.  The French and British 
representatives, while briefly mentioning "troubling" charges 
of Syrian interference relayed by PM Siniora, focused mostly 
on the presidential elections.  Decrying the overall 
atmosphere of intimidation and politically-motivated violence 
that has characterized Lebanon's political crisis, Amb 
Khalilzad noted charges that Syria had supported Fatah 
al-Islam in an effort to topple the GOL, and called on Syria 
to abide by all relevant UNSC resolutions.  He highlighted 
illegal arms transfers across the Syrian-Lebanese border, 
called on Hizballah to disarm, and supported the SYG's 
expectation that Syria and Iran would cooperate in this 
process.  Amb Khalilzad also urged Syria to finally establish 
diplomatic relations with Lebanon and to honor President 
Asad's commitment to the SYG to begin the process of border 
delineation. 
 
Others Push for Dialogue and Consensus 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Although nearly every delegation agreed that 
elections should take place by November 24, Russia and Qatar 
led several countries in emphasizing that the presidential 
election should be resolved on the basis of national dialogue 
and reconciliation.  In a relatively mild statement, Qatar 
urged the UNSC to support "all Lebanese parties" in their 
push for national harmony.  Russia emphasized that "any" 
foreign interference could only exacerbate the situation and 
cautioned the international community against "pitting one 
Lebanese faction against another."  Neither Russia nor Qatar, 
however, explicitly urged the Lebanese to agree on a 
"consensus" candidate.  China agreed there should be no 
vacancy in the office of the Presidency and expressed hope 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000971  003 OF 003 
 
 
for a "consensus" president.  Italian PR Spatafora opined at 
length (and seemingly extemporaneously) on the history of the 
Lebanese confict and the need for a "compromise" candidate to 
resolve the current political impasse.  South Africa warned 
the UNSC to approach the situation in Lebanon with "extreme 
caution" and to "refrain from taking sides in the conflict." 
 
And Question Focus on Hizballah and Syria 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Several delegations also criticized Israel for its 
overflights and questioned the Secretariat's handling of 
accusations against Syria and Hizballah.  Although Russia at 
first welcomed the UNSCR 1559 report as "objective," PermRep 
Churkin added that the resolution should be fully implemented 
"without any tendentious interpretations," and maintained 
that the UN should "not single out Syria" for criticism since 
charges were also levelled against other states in the 
report.  Russia also complained that focusing "too much 
attention on Hizballah" with "scant attention" paid to 
re-armament by other militias "was not appropriate."  South 
Africa delivered a vitriolic anti-Israeli intervention, 
claiming that the "source of tension between Syria and 
Lebanon is the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine, the 
Golan Heights, and the Sheba'a Farms."  South Africa added 
that any allegation of illegal arms transfers requires 
accompanying proof, in the absence of which UN references to 
such charges "are not helpful."  Of note, Qatar said that it 
was "dismayed" by reports of arms trafficking, and "refused" 
any violation of Security Council resolutions.  Russia, 
Qatar, and South Africa all argued that establishment of 
diplomatic relations and delineation of borders are bilateral 
issues between Syria and Lebanon and should be resolved 
through dialogue. 
 
Annapolis Should Be Comprehensive, Inclusive 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Arguing that the solution to Lebanon's woes lies in 
"bringing in the regional players without recrimination," 
Russia expressed hope that the upcoming Annapolis meeting 
would "resolve all outstanding Arab-Israeli issues." 
Although Italian PR Spatafora did not explicitly say that the 
Annapolis meeting should be comprehensive and inclusive, he 
asked Larsen several different ways whether the problems of 
Lebanon and the rest of the region were interconnected and 
had to be tackled at the same time.  Spatafora also wondered 
whether the Security Council could do anything to encourage 
"compromise" in Lebanon and among its regional neighbors.  In 
response to Spatafora's questions, Larsen expressed his view 
that the Annapolis meeting "should be as comprehensive as 
possible." 
 
Council Adopts Press Statement 
------------------------------ 
 
¶11. (SBU) After the consultations, the Indonesian PermRep 
read the following statement to the press on behalf of the 
Council: 
 
-- Members of the Security Council have had a briefing from 
Mr. Roed-Larsen, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on 
the implementation of resolution 1559, and welcomed the sixth 
semi-annual report on the implementation of resolution 1559 
(2004). 
 
-- Members of the Security Council reaffirmed their strong 
support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, unity, 
and political independence of Lebanon within its 
internationally recognized borders and under the sole and 
exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon. 
 
-- They recalled the need to hold free and fair presidential 
elections in conformity with the Lebanese constitution and 
without any foreign interference and influence. 
 
-- They reaffirmed the need for all parties to resolve all 
political issues on the basis of reconciliation and national 
dialogue. 
 
-- Members of the Security Council reaffirmed their strong 
support to the Secretary-General and his Special Envoy in 
their efforts to facilitate and assist the implementation of 
resolution 1559 (2004). 
Khalilzad