VZCZCXRO9331
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #0624/01 1770056
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 260056Z JUN 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6773
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000624 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KWBG KPAL UN IS LE
SUBJECT: UNSC: MONTHLY MEETING ON THE MIDDLE EAST 
 
REF: STATE 64642 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: The Security Council held its monthly 
meeting on the Middle East on June 23.  UN Special 
Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Serry briefed 
the Council and highlighted the concerted push to create the 
conditions for re-launching negotiations for a two state 
solution.  He emphasized the unresolved crisis in Gaza but 
noted the drop in violence during the reporting period.  He 
commended the peaceful holding of elections in Lebanon and 
hoped cabinet formation would take place expeditiously and 
calmly.  Council members in the follow-on consultations 
echoed Serry's theme that now is a critical opportunity to 
move forward on the peace process and highlighted both 
President Obama's June 4 and Prime Minister Netanyahu's June 
14 speeches and the upcoming Quartet meeting.  Council 
members uniformly called for a complete freeze on settlement 
activities and pressed for implementation of UNSCR 1860 in 
Gaza.  The Russian Perm Rep highlighted the Moscow conference 
and said it would not be a photo op but should "give real 
momentum" to the Israel-Palestinian track and provide a 
"horizon" for Israeli-Syrian and Israel-Lebanese talks. 
Council members also commended Lebanon for holding free and 
fair parliamentary elections and called for all parties to 
uphold Council resolutions on Lebanon.  End summary. 
 
UNSCO briefing to Council 
------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace 
Process (UNSCO) Robert Serry briefed the Council on June 23 
during its monthly meeting on the Middle East.  (Note: The 
full text of Serry's briefing can be found at 
www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/scact2009.htm and click on 
S/PV.6150 for June 23, 2009.  End note.)  He reviewed key 
developments in the region since the Council's last meeting 
on the subject on May 11.  He noted the upcoming Quartet 
meeting and Arab Follow-up Committee meetings in Trieste; the 
Arab Foreign Ministers meeting in Cairo; and Prime Minister 
Netanyahu's meeting with Special Envoy Mitchell as a 
"concerted push to secure the required commitments and 
actions from the parties to create conditions for 
re-launching efforts for a two state solution."  He referred 
to President Obama's June 4 speech and Prime Minister 
Netanyahu's June 14 acceptance of a Palestinian state "but 
under stringent conditions related to territory, security, 
refugees, Jerusalem, and the character of the State of 
Israel."  He noted the Israeli government's failure to 
implement a freeze on settlement activity, despite the 
removal of three outposts, and the continuing settler 
violence directed at West Bank Palestinians. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Serry noted Palestinian President Abbas' response 
to Netanyahu that there must be a settlement activity freeze 
before negotiations can resume and Prime Minister Fayyad's 
June 22 speech outlining the intention to build the 
institutions of a Palestinian state in two years.  He 
stressed that the Palestinian Authority's (PA) immediate 
challenge is financial and called on all Member states to act 
swiftly to fulfill pledges and commit to additional budget 
support for the PA.  He called for Israel to ease closure 
measures.  He referred to the PA's continuing efforts to 
reform its security services and criminal justice system and 
the violent confrontations with Hamas in the West Bank during 
the month.  He stressed that "building Palestinian statehood 
on the basis of divided societies, separate institutions, and 
competing legitimacies is unsustainable."  He called on Hamas 
to re-evaluate its position on the two-state solution, its 
use of violence against civilians, and its need to "commit to 
genuine political pluralism."  He called on Fatah to reform 
internally. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Serry underscored that the unresolved crisis in 
Gaza negatively impacts the peace process and everyday life 
in Gaza and UNSCR 1860 must be implemented.  He noted that 
there was a drop in violence during the reporting period and 
believe there might be an opportunity to shift the dynamics. 
He commended Egyptian efforts to close down tunnels and 
confiscate weapons but noted Israel's assessment (which the 
Secretariat cannot independently verify) of the numbers of 
weapons that have entered Gaza since the end of the actual 
conflict: at least 330 mortars, 37 rockets, 40 anti-tank 
weapons, 46 anti-tank missiles, and 17 tons of explosives. 
He described how conditions for the civilian populations 
remain grave with the overall quantity and range of goods 
"grossly insufficient to support normal economic and social 
activity." He noted that no reconstruction materials have 
entered Gaza, though the Secretary-General did present a 
proposal to Defense Minister Barak to kick start UN 
construction work on housing, health, and education 
facilities which was developed in consultation with the PA 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000624  002 OF 003 
 
 
and the Gaza business community.  He said Israel had named a 
new negotiator for CPL Shalit, whose third anniversary in 
captivity took place on June 22.  Serry also mentioned that 
he had met with Justice Goldstone when he arrived in Gaza via 
the Rafah crossing and noted that Israel "has not extended 
cooperation to this mission." 
 
¶5.  (SBU) On the regional issues, he noted Special Envoy 
Mitchell's visits to Lebanon and Syria.  He reiterated the 
Secretary-General's congratulations to the people of Lebanon 
for the peaceful conduct of parliamentary elections.  Since 
the elections, he noted that "a climate of dialogue and 
cooperation has prevailed in Lebanon."  He noted that with 
the Syrian Ambassador's arrival in Beirut on May 29, both 
countries now operate functioning embassies in each other's 
capitals.  He briefly referred to the large number of arrests 
in Lebanon over allegations of spying for Israel, and the 
June 16 assassination of a low-ranking Fatah member in the 
Ain el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp but said that the camp 
remains calm, as it did during the elections.  He noted that 
the UNIFIL area of operations remained generally quiet, 
though Israeli air violations continued on an almost daily 
basis.  He closed by describing the period ahead as an 
opportunity "to ensure that commitments made are commitments 
monitored and commitments kept." 
 
Council consultations stress critical 
time to move forward on peace process 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) A majority of Council members during the Council's 
follow-on consultations on June 23 took up Serry's theme that 
now is a critical opportunity to move forward on the peace 
process.  (Note: Ambassador Rice delivered U.S. remarks 
contained in reftel.  End note.)  Costa Rica, Mexico, 
Croatia, Uganda, France, Japan, Turkey, and the UK all 
welcomed the U.S. government's active efforts on the peace 
process, particularly President Obama's June 4 speech in 
Cairo.  The French Perm Rep noted that rarely has there been 
such consensus on the need for resolution of the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Japan, Turkey, and Croatia 
called on both parties to adhere to their Road Map 
obligations.  The Russian Deputy Perm Rep stressed that 
negotiations between the two parties should not begin with "a 
clean slate" but should be on the basis of previous UN 
resolutions and the Road Map.  The UK Perm Rep said that the 
European Union is ready to contribute to "post-conflict 
arrangements."  The Russian Deputy Perm Rep noted that Russia 
is working with Israel and Jordan to provide security 
assistance to the PA. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) A large number of Council members also welcomed, 
though some more tepidly than others, Israeli Prime Minister 
Netanyahu's June 14 address.  The Russian Deputy Perm Rep 
noted that there were "some positives" in the address, 
including Netanyahu's stated willingness to negotiate on the 
basis of two states, but stressed that those two states must 
be viable.  However, Council members unanimously stressed the 
need for a freeze on settlement activity, including natural 
growth.  Many also called for an end to housing demolitions, 
especially in East Jerusalem. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The Libyan Acting Perm Rep focused his remarks on 
the daily suffering of the Palestinian people.  He quoted 
from President Obama's June 4 speech about Palestinian 
suffering and the rights of a Palestinian state to exist, 
just as does an Israeli state.  He commented that he looked 
forward to the President's speech becoming policy.  He 
characterized Prime Minister Netanyahu's June 14 speech as a 
response to President Obama's speech with Netanyahu clearly 
conditioning the existence of a Palestinian state as a 
demilitarized state without control of its airspace or 
borders, while Israel alone has the right to defensible 
borders and keeps Jerusalem as its unified capital.  He 
commented that he does not see any solution on the horizon 
except at the expense of the Palestinian people but then 
noted that the Palestinian have nothing left to concede. 
 
Gaza/Palestinian reconciliation 
------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) While some noted the drop in violence during the 
last month, many continued to voice concern about the 
continuing rockets attacks and Israeli actions in Gaza and 
called for a full implementation of UNSCR 1860, including the 
consolidation of a cease-fire and the re-opening of the 
crossings.  The French Perm Rep reiterated the need for a 
monitoring mechanism at the crossings.  Costa Rica called for 
greater access by UN officials to Gaza and an end to the 
illicit trafficking of arms into Gaza.  Both the UK and 
France noted Israel CPL Shalit's continued captivity.  The UK 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000624  003 OF 003 
 
 
Perm Rep noted his government's deep concern with regard to 
the breaches of international humanitarian law during the 
Gaza conflict.  A number of states, including Turkey and 
Austria, commented on the need for Palestinian reconciliation 
and that there could be no viable Palestinian state without 
Gaza. 
 
Arab and international efforts 
------------------------------ 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Several members, including Japan, Austria, and 
France, called on the Arab states to move forward on the Arab 
Peace Initiative (API).  Vietnam said that it was heartened 
by the Arab states' commitment to the API.  A majority 
recognized the work of the Quartet and hoped that the June 26 
Quartet meeting would further reinvigorate the process.  The 
Russian Deputy Perm Rep said he believed the Quartet and Arab 
Follow-up Committee should meet on a regular basis. He 
elaborated on the Moscow conference, noting that the Russian 
government continues to work on "this important forum" which 
he stressed would not be a photo op.  He said he believed it 
would happen this year and that it should "give real 
momentum" to the Israel-Palestinian track and provide a 
"horizon" for Israeli-Syrian and Israel-Lebanese talks. 
 
Council members on Lebanon 
-------------------------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Austria, Costa Rica, Croatia, France, Mexico, 
Japan, Turkey, Vietnam, Uganda, Burkina Faso, and Russia 
specifically commended Lebanon for the holding of free and 
fair parliamentary elections on June 7 and hoped that Lebanon 
would continue on the path of reform and progress and fully 
implement UNSCR 1701.  Vietnam, in a remarkably harsh overall 
statement towards Israel, commented that it was "irritated" 
by Israel's continued overflights of Lebanon. 
RICE