VZCZCXRO8864
PP RUEHBC RUEHBZ RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUCNDT #0495/01 1700038
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 190038Z JUN 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2094
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000495
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC IS SY LE
SUBJECT: SECURITY COUNCIL STATEMENTS ON LEBANON
1. (U) During the past week, the Security Council has issued
three statements on the situation on Lebanon. The Council
issued a press statement June 18 condemning the rocket attack
from Lebanon into Israel; a Presidential Statement (PRST)
June 13 condemning the assassination of Lebanese
parliamentarian Walid Eido; and a PRST June 11 following UN
envoy Roed-Larsen's latest report on implementation of UNSCR
1559, including attention to the issues of militias and arms
smugglimg. (Text of the statements begins in para 3 below.)
2. (SBU) In the next two weeks the Security Council expects
to receive reports from the UN Secretariat on the Lebanon
Border Assessment Team mission, which recently visited
Lebanon to review the issue of arms smuggling, and a periodic
report on implementation of UNSCR 1701, which is also
expected to address the question of Sheba'a Farms. The form
of a Council reaction to these scheduled reports is not yet
determined. Since the May 30 vote on UNSCR 1757 (which
provided for the establishment of the Special Tribunal to
investigate the assassination of former Lebanese Prime
Minister Rafiq Hariri), several delegations that abstained on
that measure -- including Russia, South Africa, Qatar, and
Indonesia -- have displayed increasing reluctance to support
Council action in favor of the Siniora government. They also
allege that the Council affords disproportionate attention to
Lebanese issues when compared with Council action on other
Middle East crises.
3. (U) BEGIN TEXT: PRESS STATEMENT 18 June 2007
The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the
rocket attack launched against Israel from Southern Lebanon
on 17 June 2007, which constitutes a serious breach of the
cessation of hostilities and a flagrant violation of
Resolution 1701 (2006).
The members of the Security Council noted the condemnation of
this attack by the Government of Lebanon and commended the
determination and commitment of the Government of Lebanon to
bring to justice the perpetrators of this attack.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their full
support to the Lebanese Government and army in their efforts
to ensure security and stability throughout Lebanon. They
reiterated their call upon all parties concerned to respect
the Blue Line in its entirety and to exercise utmost
restraint, and underlined the need for full implementation of
SCR 1701 (2006), including through the full support to UNIFIL
in carrying out its mandate.
END TEXT OF PRESS STATEMENT.
4. (U) BEGIN TEXT: PRST LEBANON 13 JUNE 2007
The Security Council unequivocally condemns the terrorist
attack in Beirut on 13 June 2007 which killed at least nine
persons, including Member of Parliament Walid Eido, and
injured several others. The Security Council expresses its
deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the
victims and to the people and Government of Lebanon.
The Security Council commends the determination and
commitment of the Government of Lebanon to bring to justice
the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of this and other
assassinations and underlines its determination to support
the Government of Lebanon in its efforts to this end.
The Security Council condemns any attempt to destabilise
Lebanon through political assassination or other terrorist
acts. The Security Council reiterates its full support to the
ongoing efforts by the Government and people of Lebanon to
combat terrorism, solidify democracy and institutions through
national dialogue, and extend the authority of the Lebanese
government throughout its territory.
The Security Council calls upon all parties in Lebanon and
the region to show restraint and a sense of responsibility
with a view to preventing any further deterioration of the
situation in Lebanon. The Security Council urges all States,
in accordance with its resolutions 1373 (2001), 1566 (2004)
and 1624 (2005) to cooperate fully in the fight against
terrorism.
The Security Council reaffirms its previous calls upon all
parties concerned to cooperate fully and urgently with the
Security Council for the full implementation of all relevant
resolutions concerning the restoration of the territorial
integrity, full sovereignty and political independence of
Lebanon.
The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to
continue to follow closely and report regularly to the
USUN NEW Y 00000495 002 OF 002
Council on the situation in Lebanon.
END TEXT OF 13 JUNE PRST.
5. (U) BEGIN TEXT: 5TH UNSG REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF
RESOLUTION 1559
The Security Council recalls all its previous resolutions on
Lebanon, in particular resolutions 1559 (2004), 425 and 426
(1978), 520 (1982), 1680 (2006), and 1701 (2006), as well as
the statements of its president on the situation in Lebanon,
in particular the statements of 18 June 2000, 19 October
2004, of 4 May 2005, of 23 January 2006, of 30 October 2006,
of 12 December 2006 and of 17 April 2007.
The Security Council welcomes the fifth semi-annual report to
the Security Council of 7 May 2007 on the implementation of
resolution 1559 (2004).
The Security Council reiterates its full support for the
legitimate and democratically-elected Government of Lebanon,
calls for full respect for the democratic institutions of the
country, in conformity with its constitution, and condemns
any effort to destabilize Lebanon. The Security Council
calls upon all Lebanese political parties to show
responsibility with a view to preventing, through dialogue,
further deterioration of the situation in Lebanon.
Recognizing the need to hold free and fair presidential
elections in conformity with the Lebanese constitution and
without any foreign interference and influence, the Security
Council urges political parties in Lebanon to relaunch a
national dialogue with the aim to reach an agreement to
settle all political issues.
The Security Council reaffirms its strong support for the
territorial integrity, sovereignty, unity, and political
independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized
borders and under the sole and exclusive authority of the
Government of Lebanon.
The Council condemns the ongoing criminal and terrorist acts
in Lebanon, including those perpetrated by Fatah al-Islam,
and fully supports the efforts carried out by the Lebanese
Government and army to ensure security and stability
throughout Lebanon. The Council underlines the need to
protect and give assistance to the civilian population,
notably the Palestinian refugees. The Council reiterates that
there should be no weapons in Lebanon without the consent of
its Government and no authority other than that of its
Government.
The Security Council notes with appreciation that further
progress has been made towards the implementation of
resolution 1559 (2004), in particular through the extension
of the authority of the Government of Lebanon throughout its
territory, particularly in the South, but it also notes with
regret that some provisions of resolution 1559 (2004) have
yet to be fully implemented, particularly the disbanding and
disarming of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias, the strict
respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity,
and political independence of Lebanon, and free and fair
presidential elections conducted according to the Lebanese
constitutional rules, without any foreign interference and
influence.
The Security Council reiterates its deep concern at mounting
information by Israel and other states of illegal movements
of arms into Lebanon, and in particular across the
Lebanese-Syrian border, and looks forward to the conclusions
of the Lebanon Independent Border Assessment Team. It
reiterates its call for the strict respect for Lebanon's
sovereignty and territorial integrity, including its air
space.
The Security Council reiterates its call for the full
implementation of resolution 1559 (2004) and urges all
concerned states and parties as mentioned in the report to
cooperate fully with the Government of Lebanon, the Security
Council, and the Secretary-General to achieve this goal.
The Security Council reaffirms its support to the
Secretary-General and his Special Envoy in their efforts and
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dedication to facilitate and assist in the implementation of
all provisions of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006) and
looks forward to the Secretary General's next report on
implementation of resolution 1701 (2006) and to his further
recommendations on the relevant outstanding issues.
END TEXT OF 11 JUNE PRST.
WOLFF