VZCZCXYZ0006
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #8243 2031915
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211910Z JUL 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS STATE 078243 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: IS LE PREL UNSC
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE: MIDDLE EAST BRIEFING, JULY 22 
 
 ¶1. (U) This is an action message.  USUN is authorized to 
draw from the points in para 2 below during the Middle 
East Briefing scheduled for July 22. 
 
¶2. (U) Begin points: 
 
-- I thank Under-Secretary Pascoe for today's briefing on 
the situation in the Middle East.  I would like to make 
four points with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian peace 
process and then turn to the situation in Lebanon. 
 
-- First, achieving a peaceful, two-state solution to the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a key priority.  We 
remain committed to achieving a peace agreement before the 
end of the year.  President Bush and Secretary Rice's 
intense personal engagement on this issue demonstrates 
their commitment to fulfilling the promise of Annapolis. 
 
-- While the ongoing bilateral talks remain confidential 
at the parties' request, they are serious, substantive 
negotiations that are addressing the core issues. 
 
-- The Quartet is playing a key role in supporting the 
parties' efforts through coordinated, international 
engagement.  When it meets again in September at the 
General Assembly, the Quartet will consider the timing 
and agenda of a meeting in Moscow to lend support to the 
process launched in Annapolis, after further consultations 
with the parties.  We welcome our European partners' 
strong support for this process, as reiterated at the 
recent Union of the Mediterranean summit, and look forward 
to constructive cooperation through the Quartet to support 
the parties in their dialogue. 
 
-- Separately, Israel and Syria are continuing their 
indirect peace talks under the auspices of Turkey.  We 
hope these talks will be a forum to raise the breadth of 
Syria's activities of concern, including its support for 
terrorist groups and its facilitation of foreign fighters 
entering Iraq.  The United States will continue to focus 
on the Israeli-Palestinian track. 
 
-- Second, Palestinian capacity building is key to the 
success of this process.  The Palestinian Authority is in 
dire straits financially, with a projected budget deficit 
of over $500 million in 2008.  The U.S. has delivered on 
much of our $555 million pledge made in Paris last 
December, including $150 million in direct budgetary 
assistance.  We urge others, particularly governments 
in the region, to increase their commitments. 
 
-- We are working hard to support the parties' efforts to 
improve security for Palestinians and Israelis, and 
improve humanitarian conditions for the Palestinians. 
U.S.-trained Palestinian police have deployed to Jenin in 
coordination with Israeli authorities, and are working to 
uphold law and order and crack down on terrorism.  We 
applaud their efforts in difficult circumstances to 
restore order and confiscate illicit weapons. 
 
-- Third, we remain committed to a Palestinian state in 
the West Bank and Gaza.  We will not abandon the people 
of Gaza. 
 
-- We condemn the efforts by Hamas and other groups to 
usurp violently the lawful authority of the Palestinian 
government in Gaza.  Hamas can be part of a peaceful 
process only by accepting the principles outlined by the 
Quartet: renunciation of violence and terror, recognition 
of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements between 
the parties, including the Roadmap. 
 
-- Finally, we reiterate our deep concern at continuing 
Israeli settlement activity, and call on Israel to freeze 
settlement activity, and dismantle outposts erected since 
March 2001, consistent with its Roadmap obligations. 
Settlement activity is having a negative effect on 
the atmosphere for negotiations and has the potential 
 to harm them going 
forward. 
 
-- Turning to Lebanon, the United States views full 
implementation of resolutions 1559 and 1701 and the Doha 
Agreement as essential to safeguard Lebanon's independence 
and security, and notes the Secretary-General's recent 
report on the implementation of resolution 1701. 
 
-- We welcome the recent formation of a National Unity 
Government and have stated our determination to continue 
to work with Lebanese authorities to strengthen 
its state institutions. 
 
-- We also welcome the recent announcement in Paris 
that Syria and Lebanon have agreed to exchange diplomatic 
missions.  Full normalization of relations must include 
the delineation of the Lebanese-Syrian border, and we call 
on the Secretary-General to engage with Syria and Lebanon 
to encourage immediate progress on this issue. 
 
-- We strongly support the Lebanese Armed Forces and 
Internal Security Forces in their efforts to restore 
calm.  Events in Lebanon in early May demonstrated yet 
again the serious threat posed by armed groups outside the 
control of the State.  As provided in resolution 1701 
there must be no weapons in Lebanon other than those of 
the state.  The international community must stand with 
Lebanon's legitimate government in insisting on the 
authority of the state and on the illegitimacy of 
militias, such as Hizballah, that undermine that authority 
in defiance of this Council. 
 
-- We remain concerned also at persistent reports of 
breaches of the arms embargo along the Lebanon-Syria 
border, and note the Secretary-General's observation that 
full implementation of the arms embargo is an 
indispensable provision of resolution 1701 that must be 
observed immediately, comprehensively and without 
exception.  Regional parties, such as Iran and Syria, 
maintaining ties with Hizballah and other illegal 
militias in Lebanon are obliged to respect and abide 
fully by the arms embargo on Lebanon. 
 
-- We welcome the Secretary General's intention to 
strengthen the diplomatic process aimed at dealing with 
the issue of the Sheba'a Farms, and urge him to engage 
directly with Israel, Lebanon and Syria on this issue.  We 
also strongly support the work of UNIIIC and look forward 
to the establishment of a Special Tribunal for Lebanon. 
 
End points. 
RICE