VZCZCXRO6967
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #0764/01 2352203
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 222203Z AUG 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4857
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000764 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KPAL KWBG UNSC IS PA LE
SUBJECT: UNSC: MIDDLE EAST CONSULTATIONS TAME THIS MONTH, 
GIVEN FOCUS ON GEORGIA 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: U/SYG Lynn Pascoe briefed the Security 
Council during an open meeting on the Middle East on August 
¶20.  He stressed that the benefits of the cease-fire have not 
translated into an improvement of everyday living conditions 
in Gaza.  He welcomed the planned release of 200 Palestinian 
prisoners by Israel and highlighted the two shootings of 
Palestinian children by Israeli forces in the West Bank using 
live ammunition.  On Lebanon, he said the UN looks forward to 
working with the Lebanese government to meet its objectives 
on the national dialogue process and encouraged Lebanon and 
Syria to move quickly on border delineation.  After Pascoe's 
briefing, the Council moved to closed consultations where the 
majority of delegations echoed Pascoe's remarks, including 
those on continuing Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, Israeli 
settlement activity, and condemnation of the August 14 attack 
in Tripoli.  Ambassador Wolff called on the Secretary General 
to dispatch a technical team to Israel, Lebanon, and Syria on 
the Sheba'a Farms issue to discuss the cartographer's report 
and next steps and then report back to the Council.  The 
South African Permanent Representative suggested that the 
Security Council invite the Quartet to update the Council in 
September.  End summary. 
 
U/SYG Pascoe: Gaza cease-fire 
has not yielded better 
conditions for population 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) U/SYG Lynn Pascoe briefed the Security Council 
August 20 on developments in the Middle East over the last 
month, noting the internal Palestinian violence in Gaza and 
its potential consequences for UN operations.  Overall, he 
stressed that normal life in Gaza remains very difficult and 
the benefits of a cease-fire have not translated into an 
improvement in the everyday living conditions of the 
population.  While he described a 75 percent increase in 
truck shipments into Gaza, he noted that they represented 
only 54 percent of the May 2007 level.  He highlighted the 
continued pumping of Gaza sewage into the Mediterranean and, 
after the South Africans raised that it was a lack of 
equipment issue, noted that the UN is seized with finding a 
solution to this problem.  He welcomed Israeli plans to 
release 200 Palestinian prisoners but also flagged the two 
shootings of Palestinian children by Israeli forces in the 
West Bank using live ammunition.  He briefed on the 
continuing Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank, 
including outside the footprint of established settlements. 
He urged donors to fulfill their assistance pledges to the 
Palestinian Authority, given the anticipated budgetary 
shortfall in September. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) On Lebanon, he welcomed the cabinet statement; the 
vote of confidence; and President Sleiman's intention to 
start the National Dialogue process.  Pascoe stressed that 
the UN looks forward to working with the Lebanese government 
to meet its objectives.  On the Sleiman/Asad meeting in 
Damascus, he encouraged the two parties to move immediately 
forward with border delineation.  He vigorously condemned the 
August 14 bombing in Tripoli.  He noted that UNIFIL continues 
its operations south of the Litani River.  He listed the 
upcoming meetings in September, on the margins of the UNGA: 
(1) the Quartet; (2) the Secretary-General's Iftar; and (3) 
the Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) where he hoped progress 
could be made on the actual delivery of pledges to the PA, 
given the budget crisis. 
 
U.S. remarks 
------------ 
 
¶4.  (SBU) In his remarks during the Council's closed 
consultations, Ambassador Wolff began by first describing the 
ongoing talks between the Israelis and Palestinians as 
sincere, substantive negotiations that are addressing the 
core concerns and remain confidential at the parties' 
request.  While the U.S. is focused on that track, Israel and 
Syria continue their indirect talks and we support those 
efforts, he said, but the breadth of Syria's activities of 
concern must be addressed.  Second, he stressed that 
Palestinian capacity-building is key to the success of the 
process.  The Palestinian Authority is in dire straits 
financially, he said, and urgently needs additional financial 
support, and encouraged regional governments with outstanding 
commitments, especially those around the table, to assist. 
Third, he condemned the violent efforts by Hamas and other 
groups to usurp the lawful authority of the PA in Gaza, in 
sharp contrast to the improving situation in the West Bank. 
He stressed that the Quartet's principles remain 
determinative: renunciation of violence and terror, 
recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements 
between the parties.  Finally, he welcomed the opening by 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000764  002 OF 002 
 
 
Israel of two checkpoints in the West Bank and the announced 
intention to release 200 Palestinian prisoners but also 
reiterated our deep concern at continuing Israeli settlement 
activity and called on Israel to freeze this activity and 
dismantle outposts erected since March 2001. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) On Lebanon, he said that the U.S. views full 
implementation of UNSCR 1559 and 1701, as well as the pledges 
made in the Doha Agreement as essential to the safeguard of 
Lebanon's sovereignty and security.  He welcomed the August 
14 announcement on the establishment of diplomatic relations 
between Syria and Lebanon and called for a normalization of 
relations, including the delineation of the Lebanese-Syrian 
border.  He called on the Secretary General to engage with 
Syria and Lebanon to encourage immediate progress on this 
issue.  He noted U.S. concern with the reports of breaches of 
the arms embargo on the Lebanon-Syria border and noted the 
Secretary-General's observation that full implementation of 
the arms embargo is an indispensable provision of UNSCR 1701 
and that regional group, especially Iran and Syria, 
maintaining ties with Hizballah and other groups in Lebanon 
are obliged to respect and fully abide by the arms embargo. 
He conveyed condolences for the August 14 attack and stressed 
that the international community must stand with the GOL and 
insist on the authority of the state.  He urged the Secretary 
General to send engage directly with Israel, Lebanon, and 
Syria on the Sheba'a Farms issue, including by dispatching a 
technical mission to visit the three countries to discuss the 
cartographer's report and next steps and then report back to 
the Council. 
 
South Africans suggest UNSC briefing 
by Quarter Rep Tony Blair in September 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The South African Permanent Representative 
suggested that the Security Council invite the Quartet to 
update the Council in September.  When Mr. Pascoe later 
responded to this comment, he said he would speak with 
Quartet Representative Tony Blair about briefing the Council. 
 
 
Members on Israeli-Palestinian 
negotiations and Israeli settlement 
activity; concern about Gaza conditions 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) On Israeli-Palestinian issues, most delegations 
welcomed the continuing negotiations but voiced concern that 
an agreement would not be reached before the end of the year. 
 All delegations highlighted the potential harm from 
continuing Israeli settlement activity.  Costa Rica stated 
that settlements had grown by a factor of six since the 
Annapolis conference.  Many states, including Vietnam, 
highlighted the continued obstacles to movement in the West 
Bank and the crossing closures into Gaza and called for an 
end to such restrictions.  France highlighted Israel's 
decision to re-open the Kerem Shalom crossing.  Several 
delegations, including Libya and South Africa, highlighted 
the large number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, as 
compared to the 200 scheduled for release.  The UK deplored 
the violence instigated by Hamas in Gaza.  Russia noted the 
need for a "unitary" Palestinian Authority.  Most delegations 
welcomed the continuing talks between Israel and Syria under 
the auspices of Turkey. 
 
Calls for implementation of 
Lebanon-Syria border delineation; 
condemnation of Tripoli attack 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) On Lebanon, the majority of delegations welcomed 
the new government and the vote of confidence it received. 
Delegations also welcomed the joint Syrian and Lebanese 
decision to delineate their borders, with Croatia expressing 
hope for a swift process.  There was uniform condemnation of 
the August 14 attack in Tripoli.  Burkina Faso used the 
Tripoli bombing as an example to call upon all actors in the 
region to exercise restraint given the tension in the 
international community. 
Khalilzad