Note for the file
Lebanon – 425 – France
- On 9 April, Mr. Annabi met with Mr. Philippe Thiebaud, ‘DPR of France to the United Nations, who had come to inform Mr. Annabi about the French and Syrian views on the decision of
1 April 1998 by the Israeli Ministerial Committee for National Security to accept Resolution 425 with certain conditions.
- Thiebaud said that his Ambassador or perhaps President Chirac would be in touch with the Secretary-General with regard to the views of France. The general sense, however, was that it would be premature to take any steps in response to the Israeli decision, since this could well have counterproductive effects. In particular, Syria should be involved in a general settlement. While France would be pleased to coordinate with the United Nations, at present it favored a careful approach, lest Syria be given an excuse to block the entire peace-process.
- Mr. Thiebaud then gave a brief on the visit by Syrian Vice-President Khaddam and Foreign Minister Sharaa to Paris, which took place on 5 April. In a meeting with President Chirac, they had expressed their concerns about the statement by the Secretary-General from Beijing. President Chirac had come to the defense of the Secretary-General by saying that the Secretary-General could not possibly not welcome a decision to implement a United Nations resolution. In general, Syria1 questioned the intentions of the Israeli government. It felt that the Israeli proposal was designed as a ploy to kill the Israeli-Arab peace-process and to place the blame for Israel’s refusal to withdraw on the Arab countries. Peace in the region could only be established through a comprehensive settlement and Israel was wrong if it thought that it could exclude Syria. With regard to the role of the United Nations, the Secretary-General should avoid being associated with the proposal. In particular, the! United Nations should not take any initiative to strengthen UNIFIL. 4. [ Mr. Thiebaud asked whether the United Nations was doing any contingency planning. In reply, Mr. Annabi said that this would clearly be premature. At present, the Secretariat was only reflecting on the present situation. Mr. Thiebaud then speculated that the issue would be with us for some time to come.
Adriaan Verheul
16 April 1998
- Mr. Prendergast, Miyet, Mr. Annabi, Mr. Knutsson, Mr. Hutter, Mr. Kawakami