VZCZCXYZ0017
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #1922 0681900
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091844Z MAR 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE IMMEDIATE 0000

UNCLAS STATE 021922 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
USUN FOR SCHEDLBAUER AND SIMONOFF 
HAGUE FOR MANNING 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER UNSC LE SY IS
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE: POINTS FOR USE IN UNSCR 1701 
CONSULTATIONS, MARCH 10 
 
¶1. (U) USUN should draw from the points in para 2 during the 
U.S. intervention in UNSCR 1701 consultations on March 10, 
¶2009.  Department requests that USUN seek further guidance if 
the final statement differs significantly and substantively 
from the points below. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Begin points: 
 
-- We welcome this report and its strong reaffirmation of the 
international community's support for the sovereignty, unity, 
territorial integrity, and political independence of Lebanon 
within its internationally-recognized borders and under the 
exclusive authority of its Government. 
 
-------------- 
ROCKET ATTACKS 
-------------- 
 
-- Rocket attacks are serious violations of resolution 1701 
that threaten to ignite renewed hostilities with Israel that 
would be devastating for Lebanon and the region.  These 
attacks clearly demonstrate the presence of weapons in 
Lebanon and the continuing danger of armed groups outside of 
government control.  The United States joins the Secretary 
General and the Lebanese government in condemning these 
attacks, and urges further action to prevent similar attacks 
in the future. 
 
-- The United States commends UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed 
Forces' (LAF), quick response to the rocket attacks, and 
their increased operational tempo and patrolling during the 
period of heightened tension, as well as the commitment of 
President Sleiman and other senior Lebanese officials to 
prevent further attacks.  We urge the Lebanese government to 
maintain a significant LAF presence in this area of 
operation. 
 
-- We remain concerned by the continued reporting of cases 
where the local population have impeded UNIFIL's full freedom 
of movement.  The LAF's successful intervention to resolve 
such incidents underscores the need for Lebanese forces to 
maintain a significant presence in UNFIL areas of operation. 
 
-- We also think the time ripe to push for additional forces 
to let UNIFIL reach its maximum authorized strength of 15,000 
troops. 
 
-- We call upon member states to join us in increasing the 
capabilities of the LAF through the provision of both 
training and equipment, so that it may more effectively exert 
its authority throughout the whole of Lebanon and contribute 
to the full implementation of resolution 1701. 
 
---------------------------------- 
ARMED MILITIAS AND OUTSIDE SUPPORT 
---------------------------------- 
 
-- The very existence of armed groups is an impediment to the 
free and fair conduct of elections, especially in light of 
the events of May 2008 in which Hizballah and other 
opposition parties brazenly resorted to force to achieve 
their political objectives. 
 
-- Lebanese civilians will only have lasting security when 
Hizballah, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine 
- General Command (PFLP-GC), Fatah el-Intifada, and other 
militias disarm and the democratically-elected Lebanese 
government becomes the sole political and military authority 
in the country. 
 
-- We note the Secretary General's call for the Government of 
Lebanon to dismantle existing PFLP-GC bases.  We call on 
Syria, as a chief benefactor of the PFLP-GC, to encourage 
that group to dismantle its bases along the Lebanese-Syrian 
border, as well as within Lebanon proper. 
 
---------- 
THE BORDER 
---------- 
 
-- While we join the Secretary General in welcoming the steps 
taken by the Lebanese government to reactivate Lebanon's 
delegation to the Lebanese-Syrian border committee, we are 
disappointed that the Syrian government has yet to follow 
suit. 
 
-- Delineation of the border is a critical step toward 
stopping cross-border flows of contraband and weapons and, we 
believe, it is in the interests of both Syria and Lebanon. 
We urge the Council to make this an urgent priority, and 
encourage the Secretary General to offer his assistance to 
the parties if it would speed their bilateral work. 
 
-- As noted by the reports of the Lebanon Independent Border 
Assessment Team, border control has gotten marginally better 
along Lebanon's northern frontier.  Still, we note with 
disappointment that Lebanese security services have yet to 
interdict a single cross-border weapons shipment since 2006, 
despite Hizballah's assertions that it has more than rearmed 
with weapons smuggled into Lebanon in contravention of 
resolution 1701's arms embargo. 
 
------------- 
THE BLUE LINE 
------------- 
 
-- We call upon both Israel and Lebanon to fully respect the 
Blue Line, and commend UNIFIL's work in investigating 
instances of Blue Line violations, defusing tensions between 
Lebanese and Israeli security services, and working to 
visibly mark the Blue Line in cooperation with the parties. 
 
-- Similarly, we welcome the Secretary General's personal 
intervention and continued work of his representative in 
Lebanon, Michael Williams, as well as UNIFIL General 
Graziano, on the issue of northern Ghajar.  We urge Israel to 
comply with its obligations under resolution 1701 to withdraw 
fully its forces from Lebanese territory while working 
diligently on a solution to the complex humanitarian issues 
involved. 
 
-------------------- 
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS 
-------------------- 
 
-- We welcome the diplomatic engagement between Lebanon and 
Syria and wish to reiterate our support for the establishment 
of full diplomatic relations as called for by resolution 1680 
and as agreed between Presidents Sleiman and Asad in 2008. 
We look to Syria to reciprocate Lebanon's step of naming an 
ambassador to Damascus.  Full normalization must also include 
delineation of the Lebanese-Syrian border, as both sides have 
agreed, and an end to Syrian support for armed groups in 
Lebanon. 
 
-- The United States will continue to raise its voice in 
support of the forces of democracy, sovereignty, and reform 
in Lebanon, and it will continue to oppose those who would 
undermine the Lebanese state and its ability to chart its own 
destiny. 
 
End points. 
CLINTON