VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0435 1352337
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 142337Z MAY 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4284
INFO RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT IMMEDIATE 1375
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE IMMEDIATE 9032

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000435 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER UNSC SY LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON TRIBUNAL:  MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE DISCUSSES 
BUILDING, STAFFING, AND FUNDING ISSUES 
 
REF: A. USUN 384 
 
     ¶B. STATE 33659 
     ¶C. IO/USUN EMAIL (REINEMEYER/WILCOX)-05/08/08 
     ¶D. USUN 239 
     ¶E. USUN 171 
     ¶F. USUN 1138 (2007) 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  BEGIN SUMMARY:  At its meeting on May 9, the 
Management Committee for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon 
(STL) continued to make progress on issues relating to 
staffing and funding, as well as the management of 
construction needed to prepare the building that will house 
the STL.  The UN Secretariat subsequently advised USUN that 
the Russian Federation has contributed USD 500,000 to the 
STL.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Committee members discussed the revised proposal 
for managing the construction/refurbishment project at the 
building the Dutch government has provided to house the STL 
(refs A-B).  In response to USUN's question about whether the 
proposal provided for independent review of the project 
construction (ref C), STL Registrar Vincent explained that 
Phil Mitnick, an architect and construction expert on loan to 
the STL from the International Criminal Tribunal for 
Yugoslavia, would function in that capacity.  Vincent also 
agreed to leave open the possibility of engaging independent 
consultants as needed. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Committee members also commented on the draft 
financial regulations and rules for the STL, which the UN 
Secretariat prepared (refs D-F).  The draft financial 
regulations and rules are based on the UN's financial 
regulations and rules, with appropriate modifications to 
reflect the STL's specific circumstances, and will provide an 
oversight mechanism for the STL's finances.  Once the 
Committee has approved the draft regulations and rules, 
Vincent can establish an account for the STL.  With donors' 
consent, the UN can then transfer contributions from the UN 
Trust Fund for the STL to the STL account, allowing the STL 
to save the 13 percent administrative fee that the UN 
assesses on contributions to its trust funds. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Committee also discussed the proposed 
application for the STL to join the UN Joint Staff Pension 
Fund, which the UK Committee Chairman subsequently submitted 
to the Fund. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) STL Registrar Vincent also briefed members on his 
plans to post a ten-person advance team in The Hague, 
comprising legal, budgetary, information technology, human 
resources, security/safety, and building management experts. 
Vincent explained that the team can begin working in The 
Hague after the STL assumes the lease for the AIVD Building, 
the Committee approves the financial rules and regulations 
for the STL, approves the STL's staff regulations and rules, 
and approves the budget.  Vincent said he expected to provide 
the draft staff regulations and rules and budget to the 
Committee soon. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The Committee will meet again on May 16. 
Khalilzad