Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 64621 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 09USUNNEWYORK1005, IRAN: COUNCIL CONSIDERS ISRAELI SEIZURE OF ARMS

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09USUNNEWYORK1005.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09USUNNEWYORK1005 2009-11-09 15:00 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED USUN New York
VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #1005 3131500
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091500Z NOV 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7559
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHII/VIENNA IAEA POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001005 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM MNUC ETTC KNNP IR UNSC
SUBJECT: IRAN: COUNCIL CONSIDERS ISRAELI SEIZURE OF ARMS 
 
1.  SUMMARY: In November 6 Security Council consultations, 
Ambassador DiCarlo drew the Council's attention to a letter 
from Israel reporting that Israel had found arms being 
shipped from Iran to Syria in violation of UNSCR 1747.  She 
noted with concern that this was the third reported sanctions 
violation this year involving arms being shipped between Iran 
and Syria.  The United States, DiCarlo said, expected the 
Security Council's Iran Sanctions Committee ("1737 
Committee") to investigate.  The UK and France also expressed 
concern and urged the Committee to review this pattern of 
reported violations.  Russia agreed the 1737 Committee should 
investigate, adding that Israel had also suggested the 
shipment might violate UNSCR 1701's ban on arms transfers to 
non-state actors in Lebanon.  China and Mexico said the 
Council should not discuss the matter until the Committee 
considers it.  Libya alleged that Israel's actions were an 
attempt to divert attention from the Goldstone Report and 
that its inspection of the vessel was an illegal act of 
"piracy."  Japanese Perm Rep Takasu, chair of the 1737 
Committee, said the Committee had a duty to consider the 
matter.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  In closed consultations of the Security Council on 
November 6, Ambassador DiCarlo drew the Council's attention 
to a letter the Israeli Perm Rep had sent the day before to 
the President of the Security Council about Israel's 
discovery of arms being shipped from Iran to Syria.  She 
noted that Israel had reported its discovery of hundreds of 
tons of Iran-origin arms (rockets, missiles, mortars, 
grenades, small arms / light weapons) being shipped in 
violation of Security Council resolution 1747.  (NOTE: UNSCR 
1747 prohibits Iran from exporting arms and related materiel 
and the procurement of such items by other countries.  END 
NOTE).  DiCarlo highlighted the role of the Islamic Republic 
of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), which she said had been 
involved in previous sanctions violations.  Noting that this 
was the third reported violation of UNSCR 1747 this year 
involving arms being shipped from Iran to Syria, she 
explained that the United States expects the Security 
Council's Iran Sanctions Committee ("1737 Committee") to 
investigate this information on an urgent basis and take 
appropriate action.  Due to the scope and serial nature of 
these reports, she said, the matter is of grave concern to 
the Council. 
 
3.  UK Deputy Perm Rep Parham also called the find a matter 
of serious concern and said the 1737 Committee should 
investigate this "pattern of violations."  France Political 
Counselor Bonne said the arms shipment would worsen tensions 
in the region and highlighted the fact that it was not an 
isolated incident.  He pointed to IRISL's role in these 
recent violations and noted that the 1737 Committee had 
already called on states to exercise vigilance with respect 
to IRISL.  The Committee should do more, he said, than just 
"write letters to which there are no replies." 
 
4.  Russian Deputy Perm Rep Dolgov said that the 1737 
Committee should investigate, but noted that the foreign 
ministers of Iran and Syria had both denied publicly these 
allegations.  He pointed to Israel's assertion that there was 
a violation of UNSCR 1701's ban on transfers to non-state 
actors in Lebanon and that this incident must be seen in its 
proper context.  He also suggested that the many letters 
Lebanon has sent on alleged violations should also be 
considered in that context.  Chinese Deputy Perm Rep Liu and 
Mexican Perm Rep Heller both said that the Council should not 
discuss the matter until the Committee considers it. 
 
5.  Libyan counselor Gebreel claimed that Israel's letter was 
part of a "systematic attempt" to divert attention from the 
Goldstone Report, with the aim of encouraging the UN to turn 
a blind eye to Israel's violations of international law. 
Asserting that maritime authorities in the two ports involved 
-- Damietta, Egypt and Latakia, Syria -- had denied that arms 
were being shipped, he called Israel's boarding of the ship 
to be an act of "piracy" and further alleged that Israel was 
not within its rights to conduct the inspection. 
 
6.  Japanese Perm Rep Takasu, chair of the 1737 Committee, 
said the Committee had a duty to deal with this issue.  He 
added that the Israel mission intended to send a formal 
report to the Committee in the coming days.  (NOTE: The 
Israeli mission has told USUN that they plan to submit a 
detailed report to the Committee sometime early the week of 
November 9.  END NOTE.) 
Rice