VZCZCXRO3019
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #0768/01 2262049
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 142049Z AUG 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7075
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000768 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPKO UN IS LE
SUBJECT: UNIFIL TCC MEETING: DPKO AGAIN HIGHLIGHTS 
HIZBALLAH ARMS CACHE EXPLOSION AND OBSTRUCTIONS OF MOVEMENT 
 
REF: USUN NEW YORK 721 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: On August 13, Assistant Secretary-General 
for Peacekeeping Operations Mulet briefed Security Council 
members and troop contributing countries (TCCs) in a private 
meeting on the July 14 explosion of an arms cache in 
southern Lebanon and obstruction of UNIFIL's movement and 
initial investigation.  The briefing was nearly identical to 
Under Secretary-General Alain Le Roy's briefing to Council 
members in consultations on July 23.  Mullet said the cache 
represented a clear violation of UNSCR 1701, that the arms 
were in "good order" and actively maintained, and that the 
evidence indicates the arms were Hizballah's.  Mulet said 
UNIFIL fully complied with its mandate during the Khirbat 
Selim incident and stressed that it had worked in tandem with 
the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) during the entire time of the 
incident and the subsequent investigation.  Mulet highlighted 
UNIFIL's forthcoming comprehensive review and that the 
Maritime Task Force is stretched to its limit.  End Summary. 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On August 13, Security Council members and UNIFIL 
troop contributing countries (TCCs) met in a private meeting 
in advance of the Security Council's August 20 consultation 
on UNIFIL's mandate renewal.  Assistant Secretary-General for 
Peacekeeping Operations Edmund Mulet briefed on the July 14 
explosion of an arms cache in southern Lebanon at Khirbat 
Selim and the obstruction of UNIFIL's movement and 
investigation near the site.  The briefing was nearly 
identical to Under Secretary-General Alain Le Roy's briefing 
to Council members in consultations on July 23 (reftel). 
Mulet said the cache represented a clear violation of UNSCR 
1701, that the arms were in "good order" and actively 
maintained, and there were indications that they were under 
the control of Hizballah. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Mulet also noted that on July 18, 14 UNIFIL 
peacekeepers were lightly injured when over 100 civilians 
obstructed UNIFIL's access to a suspicious house one 
kilometer from the Khirbat Selim site and that the crowd 
included members of Hizballah.  Mulet also briefed on the 
events leading to the Blue Line violation by Lebanese 
civilians in the vicinity of Kfar Shouba on July 17.  TCC 
Qatar raised IDF activities in the Shebaa Farms area which 
Lebanese civilians had protested on July 17.  Mulet responded 
that the Shebaa Farms area is south of the Blue Line and 
outside of UNIFIL's area of operations.  Nevertheless, UNIFIL 
had contacted the parties, he said, and urged maximum 
restraint.  Mulet noted that the IDF had removed immediately 
(and before the July 17 protest) the flags which had caused 
concern.  TCC Qatar also asked about progress on mine 
clearance.  Mulet noted that 280 sites that are more than 500 
meters from known strike locations have been identified from 
the cluster munitions data provided in May by Israel.  These 
sites now must be surveyed. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) When asked by TCC India if UNIFIL had complied with 
its mandate during the Khirbat Selim incident, Mulet 
responded that UNIFIL had fully complied with its mandate 
since it had worked in tandem with the Lebanese Armed Forces 
(LAF) during the entire time of the incident and the 
subsequent investigation.  Mulet noted, however, that UNIFIL 
does have the ability to independently carry out tasks to 
make sure the area of operations is not used for hostile 
means. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Mulet highlighted UNIFIL's forthcoming 
comprehensive review, announced in the Secretary-General's 
August 6 letter to Council members.  He said it would be an 
assessment of the force structure, assets, and requirements, 
and underlined when questioned by TCC India, that it would 
not include a review of UNIFIL's mandate or concept of 
operations.  France asked Mulet for the LAF's troop levels in 
the area of operations since in 2006 the Council had 
anticipated there would be 15,000 troops in the area.  Mulet 
said that while they did not have the exact figures there 
were three LAF brigades in the area, totaling approximately 
5,000 troops. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Mulet followed up on the summary of the Maritime 
Task Force (MTF) in the Secretary-General's August 6 letter. 
He underscored that the MTF is stretched to its limit with 
only seven of the required twelve vessels.  He did note that 
Indonesia does plan to contribute an additional corvette 
class vessel.  He thanked Belgium and France for their recent 
leadership tours of the MTF and said Germany would be 
assuming the lead on September 1 for a three-month period. 
He issued an appeal for TCCs to make more maritime assets 
available which was echoed by Italy. 
 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000768  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶7.  Note: The following countries contribute troops to 
UNIFIL: Belgium, Brunei, China, Croatia, Cyprus, El Salvador, 
France, FYR of Macedonia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, 
Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, 
Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, 
Qatar, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Spain, 
Tanzania, and Turkey.  End Note. 
RICE