Source: http://www.un.int/usa/06_196.htm http://www.un.int/usa/06_196.htm
Date: August 5, 2006

USUN PRESS RELEASE #  196(06)   
August 5, 2006 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Remarks by Ambassador John R. Bolton, U.S. Representative to the United Nations, on the Situation in the Middle East, at the Security Council stakeout, August 5, 2006 
Ambassador Bolton: I know that you have heard from Ambassador de la Sablière, and I certainly endorse his description of where we stand. We have obviously worked very hard together here in New York, and between our capitals over the past several days. We think we have produced a text that is suitable for action by the Security Council as soon as other Council members are prepared to act on it. We think this is the kind of positive step that grows out of Secretary Rice’s trip to the region last weekend. It begins the process of putting in place the foundation for a lasting solution to the problem. Obviously this resolution alone isn’t that solution, but it’s the beginning and builds on the work the Secretary accomplished. We will have consultations here today. We’ll see what the initial reactions are. We are prepared to move as quickly to adopt the resolution as other Council members are prepared and we’ll see what those reactions are.

Reporter: (Inaudible) Hezbollah has already issued it’s reaction and is saying as long as there is one Israeli soldier on Lebanese land, and I’m not even talking about the Shebaa land I’m talking about the land that has been occupied in recent fighting, they will continue to fight. The resolution is obviously missing a timetable for the Israeli withdrawal from the Lebanese occupied land recently and I understand that your position this is going to come simultaneously with the formation of international forces. Where does this leave us?

Ambassador Bolton: I don’t think I’ll comment on what Hezbollah may or may not have said, but I think the important thing we need to do here today is to begin to get the reactions of other Council members. Obviously this is going to be an important discussion here. I think everybody needs to take an appropriate look at this document. I know it’s taken us some time to produce it, and I think in fairness, people are going to need to read it, reflect on it overnight, and I hope everybody will reflect on it and then we’ll be prepared to move. Yes, sir.

Reporter: How long do you expect it will take between now and the time of the deployment of an international force in southern Lebanon and also do you expect any countries will be willing to participate in this force as long as there is any kind of hostilities in the area?

Ambassador Bolton: I don’t really think I’m in a position today to make a prediction on the timing of deployment, but we’re prepared to see what the reaction is here today, and then we’ll have to build on that. I think the objective is to bring a lasting solution and to do that as quickly as possible.

Reporter: Why do you think that Israel, you’ve heard from the Hezbollah side, why do you think that Israel would stop fighting when it calls on Israel only to stop offensive actions when it characterizes all the actions taken in Lebanon as defensive?

Ambassador Bolton: Well, I think if you read the text of the draft, operative paragraph one, it does call for a full cessation of hostilities which of course is what President Bush and Secretary Rice’s objective has been. Building on in particular two aspects: one, that Hezbollah stop all attacks and second, that Israel stops offensive military operations and I think that is-those are the steps that are called for at the outset. This is not a resolution that provides the comprehensive solution. I’m sure there are aspects of it that are displeasing to almost everyone, but the point is that this is a way to get started and that’s what we hope to do.

Reporter: Who will lead the diplomatic negotiations? It’s not clear. Do you expect the Secretary General to sort of conduct a shuttle mission? Will he only be supporting U.S. and other countries’ efforts to reach a settlement? Could you give us some sense of how that’s going to play out?

Ambassador Bolton: I think the diplomatic activity is really already underway in a variety of countries, the United States of course, France, Great Britain and others. There’s no one recipe that’s going to bring this to a successful conclusion. I think there are a range of diplomatic activities underway and I think they should all be encouraged. Yes, sir.

Reporter: Now in all the differences you’ve had with the French side to get to what we are today, how would you personally qualify what we have, this script? Is it a compromise? Is it a deal? What’s the headline you would put on it?

Ambassador Bolton: Probably a pretty boring headline. I’d say this is a fusion text. We wanted to-we have always had the same strategic objectives, we and the French and the British and many others. There were obviously some different approaches to the resolution of the problem, but we felt that for maximizing the overall chances to do what we all fundamentally want to do-which is not return to the status quo ante, we want this to be a transformational solution that moves the region beyond the problem that has existed for so many years-so we felt that it was very important for France and the United States and Britain and others to stay together on this. And I think we’ve accomplished that in this text. I hope other members of the Security Council will approve of it, join as co-sponsors and that we can move on it quickly. But in fairness to them, they are just seeing it a few hours ago, they need to check with their capitals and get their reactions, and we’ll see and then…

Reporter: Under a second resolution that would follow this, could you talk about a Chapter VII mandate that would be given to the international force?

Ambassador Bolton: We expect the force would have a Chapter VII mandate. Yes, sir.

Reporter: Clearly it has been established that without effective United Nations intervention and involvement there is going to be no ceasefire, absolutely. So after this resolution has been adopted, how long will it take to end hostilities? Do you have any timetable at all?

Ambassador Bolton: Well, I think it depends on the reactions to the parties. We’re prepared to move quickly if the next stage, the next resolution would be appropriate even in a matter of days, we’d be prepared to do that. We want to move as quickly as the members of the Council are prepared to move.

Reporter: What is the significance of mentioning Shebaa Farms twice in this draft resolution? Because it was pointed out by the Ambassador of France. And how much did you really coordinate with other governments, such as the Lebanese government and the Israeli government during negotiations? And what do you do with Hezbollah saying at the outset “I’m not playing this?” So what do you do? Do you go ahead and adopt it or do you have plan B? What should we think when you adopt a resolution that is rejected already?

Ambassador Bolton: It is fundamental to Resolutions 1559 and 1680 that the borders of Lebanon be delineated and demarcated so that the government of Lebanon can exercise full sovereign control over that territory, and the implementation of 1559 and 1680 are, I think, central and basic to the long term solution that we’re seeking, and that’s why that reference is in there. In terms of consultations, we have certainly been in close consultation with the governments of Lebanon and Israel at the ministerial level and at levels below that throughout, so we’re hoping that those governments which are reviewing the text now will be able to find in support of it. I’m going to have to go in now. I’ll try to come back later. Thank you very much.