Cablegate: Unsc: Un Office of Legal Affairs Briefs The

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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #1149 3432016
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 082016Z DEC 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5490
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 1514
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 0424

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001149

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PTER LE SY UNSC
SUBJECT: UNSC: UN OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS BRIEFS THE
COUNCIL ON THE STATUS OF THE SPECIAL TRIBUNAL FOR LEBANON

1. (SBU) The United Nations Under Secretary-General/Legal
Counsel Patricia O'Brien, briefed the Security Council
December 4 on the progress made toward establishing the
Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) and the transition between
the International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC)
and the Tribunal. O'Brien noted that the proposed
commencement of functioning of the Tribunal on March 1, 2009
will require the Council to extend IIIC's mandate by two
months. The Prime Minister of Lebanon has written to the
Secretary-General supporting the extension. (S/2008/764)
O'Brien confirmed that sufficient funds have been received
for the first year of operations but called for donations for
years two and three.

2. (SBU) France, Italy, Libya, Belgium, and the UK all
spoke and welcomed the report and the progress made to date.
The Libyan DPR confirmed Libya would support the extension of
IIIC's mandate. The Russian Permrep questioned how the SYG
could decide on a start date for the Tribunal given that the
report of the IIIC was so "brief and laconic." He also
called for greater transparency of the Tribunal's Management
Committee and the list of donors to the Tribunal. He, along
with the Europeans and the Libyan DPR, called for more
donations to the Tribunal. (Note: IIIC Commissioner Bellmare
will brief the Council on his report on December 16. The
French have informally circulated a draft resolution to
extend the IIIC's mandate for two months. End Note.)
Khahilzad

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