Cablegate: Unsc Instructions for February 26 Consultations

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DE RUEHC #8360 0552116
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O 242113Z FEB 08
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TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
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UNCLAS STATE 018360

SIPDIS

SIPDIS, SENSITIVE
NSC FOR KARA MCDONALD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPAL IS LE
SUBJECT: UNSC INSTRUCTIONS FOR FEBRUARY 26 CONSULTATIONS
ON MIDDLE EAST

1. (SBU) Mission is instructed to draw from the points in
para. 2 below in discussing events in the Middle East
during the consultations to be held Tuesday morning,
February 26 in the UN Security Council.

2. (U) Begin points:

The United States is committed to the process begun at
Annapolis, and we continue to work to support progress on
four tracks: implementing the Roadmap, building economic
and institutional capacity, encouraging regional support,
and promoting bilateral negotiations between the parties.
I'd like to focus on some of the progress that has been
made so far.

On implementation of the Roadmap, General Fraser, who
leads the U.S. effort to monitor progress on
Roadmap implementation, has just returned from his second
trip to the region for meetings with the parties.

On the capacity building track, we are looking forward to
the planned conference in Bethlehem in May that will
discuss public-private partnerships, with an intent to
attract investment in the area. The conference that
Germany recently offered to host will focus on increasing
investment for capacity building in the Palestinian
justice sector. Both events reflect the determination of
the international community to support the parties'
efforts and help lay the foundation for a two-state
solution to this conflict.

On the bilateral negotiations track, both parties are
committed to this process and we would like to applaud the
vigorous discussions that are underway, as well as
discourage any actions that could prejudice final status
discussions. We urge Israel and the Palestinians to work
to improve conditions on the ground and build confidence.

We remain concerned about the humanitarian plight of the
Gaza Palestinians who continue to suffer under the Hamas
regime which gained control as a result of an illegal coup
against the legitimate institutions of the Palestinian
Authority. The rockets and mortars being fired into
Southern Israel are unacceptable and must stop. We
welcome the ongoing dialogue between Egypt, Israel and the
Palestinians on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and
stress the importance of working to support their efforts
to find a solution that: (1) ensures Israeli, Palestinian
and Egyptian security, (2) meets the humanitarian needs of
the Gazans, (3) puts the legitimate Palestinian Authority
in control of Gaza borders and crossings, and
(4) works to bring about conditions that will allow for
the implementation of the 2005 Agreement on Movement and
Access.

The United States continues to provide basic humanitarian
assistance to Palestinians living in Gaza via ongoing
USAID programs and annual UN Relief and Works Agency
(UNRWA) contributions. In FY 2007, we contributed over
$154 million to UNRWA.

Turning to Lebanon, last week marked the anniversary of
the assassination of former Prime Minister Hariri. To
demonstrate our commitment to promote justice in Lebanon,
Secretary Rice announced that the U.S. intends to double

SIPDIS
its contribution to the Lebanon Tribunal from $7 million
to $14 million, subject to the necessary Congressional
notification procedures. We welcome the Secretary
General's statement of February 13 announcing the
establishment of the Management Committee and outlining
the steps that have been taken to make the Tribunal a
reality. The U.S. hopes the Tribunal will help deter
further political assassinations, end an era of fear for
Lebanese citizens and impunity for the perpetrators of
these crimes, and help protect the sovereignty of
Lebanon. We urge all states to show their support for the
Tribunal by making a contribution to fund future years'
operations. Even symbolic contributions are useful signs
of the support of the international community for Lebanon.

I would also like to recognize that Lebanon's parliament
had been scheduled to meet today, February 26, to elect a
new president for Lebanon. The United States continues to
support immediate presidential elections in Lebanon, held
without foreign interference and precondition. It is
unacceptable that Syria, Iran, and their allies continue to
interfere in Lebanon's political process and to block the
election of a new President. Their actions are destabilizing
and threatening to Lebanon's security and to that of the
region. Until such time as a new president takes office,
the United States has full confidence in the legitimate
Lebanese Government in managing the affairs of the state
and in the Lebanese Armed Forces in continuing to provide
security.
RICE

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