MGLE01: PSI: URGING PSI ENDORSEMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 001380 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR T, NP, AND NEA/ELA E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2012 TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM PGOV PHSA LE SUBJECT: MGLE01: PSI: URGING PSI ENDORSEMENT REF: STATE 50811 Classified By: DCM Christopher W. Murray. Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) an d (d). ¶1. (C) On May 3 DCM raised with MFA Acting Secretary General Boutros as-Sakr reftel issues concerning Lebanese participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). as-Sakr said that the GOL had received an invitation for the senior-level PSI meeting in Poland in June, and replied that Lebanon would be represented by its Ambassador in Warsaw. ¶2. (C) as-Sakr said that there is little suggestion that WMD or related materials pass through Lebanese territory, and accordingly, the GOL has not made this issue a high priority. (Comment: as-Sakr implied that currently contentious regional and domestic policy debates, several of which are security-related, would make this an inauspicious time to put PSI on the table for Cabinet decision or even discussion. End Comment.) He noted that the GOL has twice filed reports in follow-up to UNSCR 1540. FELTMAN