VZCZCXRO4218
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #0616/01 1930022
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 110022Z JUL 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4580
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000616 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER KPKO UNSC SY IS LE
SUBJECT: UNSC CONSULTATIONS ON 1701 REPORT: MEMBER STATES 
WELCOME DOHA AGREEMENT AND CALL FOR FURTHER 1701 
IMPLEMENTATION 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  During closed consultations on July 9, 
UN Under-Secretary-General (U/SYG) for Political Affairs Lynn 
Pascoe and Wolfgang Weisbrod-Weber, DPKO Asia and Middle East 
division director, briefed the Council on the June 27 SYG 
report on the implementation of UNSCR 1701.  U/SYG Pascoe 
reported that serious internal violence poses a significant 
threat to national unity in Lebanon but that the Doha 
Agreement and the election of President Michel Sleiman were 
positive steps.  Weisbrod-Weber urged continued Lebanese 
Armed Forces (LAF) capacity-building and respect for the Blue 
Line.  Most delegations welcomed progress on UNSCR 1701 
implementation and condemned violations of the resolution, 
including Israeli overflights of Lebanon, Israel,s failure 
to provide comprehensive data on cluster munitions, and the 
lack of progress on the disarmament of armed groups. 
Delegations called for engagement by the SYG on finding a 
solution to Sheba,a Farms, and some called for Israeli 
withdrawal from northern Ghajar.  France said that it was 
wise to delay discussion on any Council statement on UNSCR 
1701 until after discussions conclude on the draft resolution 
on Israeli settlements.  End summary. 
 
Secretariat Briefs Council on 1701 Report 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Briefing the Council at the start of consultations 
on July 9, U/SYG for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe said the 
Doha Agreement and the election of President Michel Sleiman 
were important intermediate steps towards 1701 
implementation, but the continuing presence of armed groups 
outside the control of the Lebanese state undermine the key 
goals of 1701 and threaten the stability of Lebanon.  (Note: 
Transcripts of his and Weisbold-Weber,s remarks were 
e-mailed to IO/UNP.  End Note.)  Pascoe said the sectarian 
clashes in Tripoli on July 9 and the May events were signs of 
the fragility of the process and the need for disarmament -- 
a fundamental part of the Council,s position on Lebanon -- 
and enforcement of the arms embargo, a key aspect of 1701. 
He said the SYG and the Council must insist on full 
compliance with the embargo by all states, including Iran and 
Syria.  He noted GOL efforts on border management but 
reported that the border between Lebanon and Syria is still 
porous and breaches are possible.  He announced that the 
Lebanon Independent Border Assessment Team (LIBAT) will 
travel to the region July 16-31 and report back to the UNSC 
in August.  Pascoe noted Syrian President Asad,s statements 
offering to normalize diplomatic relations with Lebanon after 
a Lebanese government is formed.  He urged both Syria and 
Lebanon to begin the process of border demarcation.  On the 
issue of Sheba,a Farms, he noted that the SYG is willing to 
intensify diplomatic efforts and will explore all possible 
options, including Siniora,s Seven Point Plan.  He 
reiterated that a viable solution cannot be imposed on the 
parties since all the parties must agree to it.  He welcomed 
the prisoner exchange agreement but did not go into detail 
about its implementation. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Wolfgang Weisbrod-Weber, director of DPKO,s Asia 
and Middle East division, then briefed on aspects related 
specifically to UNIFIL and reiterated that both parties 
continue to affirm their commitment to implement UNSCR 1701. 
He highlighted the need to restore the capabilities of the 
LAF in the UNIFIL area of operations and expressed concern 
that many units have been deployed out of the UNIFIL area, 
limiting the ability of the LAF and UNIFIL to ensure that the 
area south of the Litani River is not used for hostile 
activities.  Weisbrod-Weber welcomed progress on the 
operational integration of Lebanese naval units and UNIFIL,s 
Maritime Task Force.  On Ghajar, he said that progress on the 
withdrawal of the IDF from areas on the basis of UNIFIL,s 
proposal was urgently needed.  He called the IDF presence 
north of the Blue Line an ongoing violation of UNSCR 1701 and 
a source of tension.  He said that Force Commander Graziano 
held preliminary discussions with the Lebanese on UNIFIL,s 
proposal and intends to hold discussions with Israeli 
representatives.  Weisbold-Weber stressed that both parties 
have a responsibility to respect the Blue Line in its 
entirety and said the parties should continue to invest in 
visibly marking the Blue Line.  He also noted daily Israeli 
violations of Lebanese airspace as well as Israel,s lack of 
cooperation in providing information on cluster munitions 
technical strike data. 
 
Israeli Overflights Broadly Denounced 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Nearly all delegations expressed concern about 
Israel,s overflights of Lebanon.  While underscoring 
Israel,s concern with smuggling activity in southern 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000616  002 OF 003 
 
 
Lebanon, the UK called overflights a breach of 1701, which 
undermines the GOL.  Russia, France, China, Indonesia, 
Croatia, and Costa Rica said overflights violate Lebanese 
sovereignty and undermine the credibility of the LAF and 
hinder UNIFIL,s ability to carry out its mandate.  South 
Africa and Belgium said that Israeli violations of Lebanon,s 
air space heighten tensions, increase the risk of 
confrontation, and must be stopped.  Libya, in denouncing 
overflights, criticized the SYG for not calling such 
violations &flagrant8 as he had with the presence of armed 
elements in the UNIFIL area.  Burkina Faso and Vietnam made 
only passing references to overflights along with a list of 
other violations. 
 
Many Delegations Call on Israel to 
Provide Cluster Munitions Data 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  France, China, Russia, South Africa, Burkina Faso, 
Libya, Vietnam, and Indonesia called on Israel to satisfy the 
SYG,s request for detailed strike data of cluster bombs and 
other munitions.  Amb Khalilzad called on all sides to 
cooperate with the SYG to resolve outstanding issues, 
including the location of cluster bomb munitions in southern 
Lebanon. 
 
Ghajar: Calls for Israeli Withdrawal 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Many delegations, including France and Indonesia, 
addressed the issue of Ghajar and called on Israel to 
withdraw from that part of the village north of the Blue 
Line.  Russia called on UNIFIL to play an important role in 
ending the Israeli occupation.  The UK described UNIFIL,s 
Ghajar proposal as potentially confidence-building.  Italy 
called on both parties to let the SYG know their views on the 
UNIFIL proposal as it could be a model for other contested 
areas.  Libya denounced &Israeli occupation of Sheba,a8 
and Ghajar, calling both flagrant violations of 1701 and 
noting that their non-resolution prevented GOL implementation 
of the Seven Point Plan.  Amb Khalilzad raised Ghajar as an 
outstanding issue, calling all sides to cooperate with the 
SYG. 
 
Sheba,a Farms: Questions About Proper Approach 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  The issue of Sheba,a Farms was mentioned by 
several delegations, including France, Vietnam, and Belgium. 
Most supported the work of the SYG to find a diplomatic 
solution.  The UK welcomed the SYG,s decision to push for 
progress on the Sheba,a Farms.  Russia said that no solution 
will be effective without the withdrawal of Israeli military 
infrastructure from the area.  Italy noted the importance of 
the UN cartographer,s report, while Croatia argued that 
progress on the issue could not be separated from the 
principles of 1701.  South Africa urged the 
&prioritization8 of the Sheba,a Farms and reiterated that 
the problem is not with Syria or Lebanon since they have 
&long agreed that Sheba,a is a part of Lebanon.8  Rather, 
the problem is with Israel,s refusal to withdraw from 
Lebanese territory.  Costa Rica noted that every four months 
Sheba,a Farms is raised in the same tones but not resolved 
and that the causes of the conflict must be treated.  Libya 
called on the SYG to intensify his efforts.  Amb Khalilzad 
took note of the SYG,s intention to strengthen the 
diplomatic process to deal with Sheba,a Farms in the context 
of full implementation of 1701.  He also welcomed Siniora,s 
April 2 letter on Sheba,a, which cited UN cartographer,s 
work on geographic definition of Sheba,a as a good basis for 
discussion. 
 
Delegations Note Lack of Progress on Disarmament 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Many delegations noted the lack of progress on the 
disarmament of armed groups in Lebanon, but different views 
were expressed as to how to address the issue.  France, 
Burkina Faso, and Italy addressed the issue more generally, 
highlighting the threat of armed groups to Lebanon,s 
stability and stressing the importance of disarmament. 
Libya, Russia, and Indonesia reiterated that disarmament must 
be dealt with through a Lebanese political process without 
foreign interference.  Belgium called for enhancing the 
ability of the LAF to take control and called the hindrance 
of UNIFIL movements unacceptable.  China said that the 
targeting of UNIFIL forces should attract the Council,s 
attention.  Costa Rica noted that the clashes in May 
demonstrated the capacity of Hizballah to deploy advanced 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000616  003 OF 003 
 
 
weaponry in the streets.  Russia expressed skepticism about 
reports of illegal arms transfers into south Lebanon since 
the conclusion of the July 2006 war.  Amb Khalilzad, 
supported by Croatia, expressed concern about illegal arms 
transfers and called for the disarmament of all militias in 
accordance with UNSCRs 1559 and 1701.  He also called on 
UNIFIL to do their utmost to ensure 1701 is respected. 
 
LIBAT and Border Demarcation 
---------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Amb Khalilzad called for the normalization of 
Lebanese-Syrian relations, especially the reciprocal 
establishment of embassies and border delineation.  He said 
that full border delineation remains the only permanent 
solution to the Sheba,a Farms issue.  Russia welcomed 
President Asad,s stated willingness to normalize 
Syrian-Lebanese diplomatic relations and called on Syrian 
authorities to take action to ensure border control.  Russia, 
France, and Belgium also expressed support for the mission to 
assess the implementation of LIBAT recommendations.  China 
and Indonesia welcomed UNIFIL efforts to visibly mark the 
Blue Line. 
Khalilzad