MGLE01: A/S WELCH MEETING WITH LEBANESE FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 003341


NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/POUNDS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015
TAGS: PREL KDEM KPAL SY LE IS
SUBJECT: MGLE01: A/S WELCH MEETING WITH LEBANESE FOREIGN
MINISTER SALLOUKH

Classified By: JEFFREY FELTMAN, AMBASSADOR. REASON: SECTION 1.4 (B)


1. (C) Summary: On October 12, NEA A/S Welch, accompanied
by Ambassador and PolChief (notetaker),met with Lebanese
Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh at the Office of the Foreign
Minister in Beirut. With respect to the UN Mehlis
investigation into the murder of Rafiq Hariri, Salloukh said
the GOL would be willing to send a written request to the
UNSYG asking for extension of the Mehlis mandate to December

15. FM Salloukh spoke encouragingly of the results of his
recent diplomatic efforts in the region and during his U.S.
trip. Salloukh described the Lebanon-Syrian relationship as
one evolving into a relationship based on mutual respect. He
said his country's political class is holding its breath in
anticipation of the report of UNIIIC Chief Detlev Mehlis.
End summary.

Lebanon has strong support
internationally
--------------


2. (C) A/S Welch thanked Foreign Minister Salloukh for his
helpful statements on his return from meetings in New York,
in which Salloukh had portrayed positively Core Group efforts
in support of Lebanese reform. The Foreign Minister had
corrected inaccurate press reports that Lebanon was presented
with specific conditions and timetables on which
international assistance was to be conditioned. The Minister
graciously accepted A/S Welch's remarks saying, "one can't
trust what one reads in the press." The Minister explained
that upon his arrival on Lebanese soil in late September, he
taken the first opportunity to set the record straight on
Lebanon's engagement with its friends in the international
community. This was an important step in correcting the
impressions and expectations of the Lebanese people.
Salloukh said it was important to let people in Lebanon know
that the measures discussed in New York were measures
designed to help the Lebanese people, not hurt some other
party, nor succumb to foreign dictates. Of his own role in
New York, Salloukh said, "We carried out discussions in the
service of our country."


3. (C) A/S Welch encouraged the Foreign Minister to view
the United Nations as a partner in protecting Lebanon's
sovereignty. All the measures undertaken by the UN Security
Council speak of protecting and preserving Lebanese
sovereignty. A/S Welch asked the Foreign Minister about the
trip that he and the Prime Minister took to the UAE last
week. Salloukh said that bilateral discussions centered on a
review of Lebanese compliance with UN Security Council
resolutions, and the overall economic situation in Lebanon.
The Prime Minister also used the occasion to invite the UAE
to participate in the proposed donor meeting to take place in
Lebanon regarding international support for a Lebanese reform
program.


4. (C) A/S Welch described his recent visit to Saudi
Arabia, reassuring Salloukh that the Saudis were supportive
of Lebanon's independence. He added that Egypt was also
ready to support Lebanon and would be act as a good friend.
Turning to the larger regional context, A/S Welch told the
Foreign Minster that he had held meetings with Mahmoud Abbas
and Ariel Sharon. Abbas had assured A/S Welch that the
Palestinians in Lebanon would behave as guests of the GOL.
The Lebanese would be in charge of the security of refugee
camps and no Palestinians would undertake any action that
would undermine the security of Lebanon. Salloukh added that
Abbas had spoken to Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora by phone,
saying essentially the same thing, and adding that no
Palestinian weapons would be allowed outside of the Lebanese
refugee camps. Abbas also promised that the weapons inside
of the camps would be "organized and placed under control."
Ambassador Feltman noted that PM Siniora recently proposed
Lebanese diplomat Khalil Maqaoui to lead a commission for the
Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue. The Foreign Minister said he
knew Maqaoui, who had spent five years at the UN, and was
pleased to see him take the position. A/S Welch added, that
Sharon in a meeting with A/S Welch on October 11, had pledged
that the GOI had no interest in interfering in Lebanon.
Salloukh seconded this sentiment saying "we too don't want
any violation from either side of the border."

Syrian-Lebanese relations "active"
--------------


5. (C) When A/S Welch asked the Foreign Minister about the
state of the Lebanese-Syrian relationship, Foreign Minister
Salloukh answered ambiguously, "active". He went on to say
that Lebanon still respects Syria and deals with the Syrians
with respect. "They are our neighbor, and we have many
family as well as commercial connections with Syria. But
they must deal with us with mutual respect." Salloukh said
that Lebanon was in the process of reviewing its bilateral
agreements with Syria. The Syrians maintain that many of the
agreements are more beneficial to Lebanon than to Syria.
This may be literally true when reviewing the texts. But the
implementation of the agreements has been poor, Salloukh
explained. Practically speaking, Salloukh acknowledged,
there were no current problems between the two countries.
Traffic was moving smoothly in both directions across the
Lebanese-Syrian border. Salloukh stressed that Lebanon and
Syrian had to discuss bilateral issues openly. "We need to
open more doors." But Syria would have to accept that
Lebanon's decisions would be for Lebanon and "made in
Lebanon." Much, Salloukh said, will depend on the Mehlis
report when it is released. "Mehlis will clarify everything."

The Mehlis report
--------------


6. (C N/F) FM Salloukh began his discussion of the upcoming
Mehlis report by acknowledging that Lebanon is paralyzed in
anticipation of the report. "Journalists come to me and ask,
what will be in the report? How will we react? How can I
react to a report that has not been written?" Salloukh said
that he was concerned about two possible shocks to Lebanon
emanating from the Mehlis report. One shock will come if the
truth is revealed, and the guilty parties are identified. A
different kind of shock will result if the report is
ambiguous. Suspicions and doubts would remain and the
country might remain paralyzed by uncertainty.


7. (C/NF) Salloukh also refuted newspaper articles that
claimed he refused the PM's request that Salloukh draft a
letter to the UNSYG requesting an extension of Mehlis'
mandate. The Foreign Minister insisted that he had not been
asked to draft such a request, and that he would not have
refused the PM's request. But the Foreign Minister added
that such a request should not be needed as the resolution
mandating Mehlis' commission allowed for an extension by the
Secretary-General without further requests. A/S Welch
explained that a request from Lebanon for Mehlis' extension
would be helpful to the United Nations. Salloukh said the
Council of Ministers would discuss the issue of Mehlis'
extension in its next meeting scheduled for October 13. But
he added, "If the Secretary General needs a letter, I will
not hesitate." The Foreign Minister went on to say that the
GOL had no problem with UNSCR 1595, which created the Mehlis
commission. But he added that on "UNSCR 1559, we are working
on a mechanism, and the U.S. understands or concerns better
after our meetings in New York and Washington."


8. (C) A/S Welch assured Salloukh that the USG was prepared
to support Lebanon in its efforts to create a new future for
its people. We are also anticipating the results of the
Mehlis investigation, A/S Welch explained. But the policy of
the United States toward Lebanon would not change because of
the report results.


9. (U) This message has been cleared by A/S Welch.


FELTMAN