MGLE01: AOUN DISCUSSES SUMMER PLANS; PROMISES TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 002292

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR CA/OCS; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WERNER/SINGH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2016
TAGS: CASC IS KDEM KPAL LE PGOV PTER
SUBJECT: MGLE01: AOUN DISCUSSES SUMMER PLANS; PROMISES TO
HELP ON KLOTZ CASE

Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey D. Feltman. Reason: Section 1.4 (d)
.

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C/NF) In a July 7 meeting with the Ambassador and
econoff, MP Michel Aoun was optimistic that his new
television station would garner a strong sudience and earn a
profit. Aoun, along with his adviser Gibran Bassil,
commented on Suleiman Franjieh's controversial recent
statements, saying that these are part of Lebanese politics.
When former President Elias Hrawi dies, Aoun said he intended
to send flowers to the family and a representative to the
funeral, despite their history of political conflict.
Regarding the national dialogue, Aoun believed Hizballah was
sincere in its pledge to keep the Blue Line quiet during
Israel's military operation in Gaza. He said the status of
Hizballah's arms will depend on whether the circumstances
that made them necessary in the first place still existed.
Aoun agreed with PM Siniora that humanitarian conditions in
the Palestinian refugee camps must be improved before the
army can disarm Palestinian bases. Aoun and Bassil pledged
to help with the Klotz U.S. citizen child custody case.
Bassil made some contacts last week with Hizballah officials,
who denied any knowledge of the case. End summary.

PLANS TO SELL TV STATION
PUBLICLY; MAKE PROFIT
--------------


2. (C/NF) On July 7, the Ambassador and econoff met with MP
Michel Aoun and his close adviser Gibran Bassil at Aoun's
residence in Rabieh. Aoun opened the meeting by discussing
his plans for his own television channel, "ORANGE
Television." Aoun said that it could go on the air by the
end of July. He planned to sell shares publicly in the stock
market. He expected about 30 to 40 people to buy shares in
his prospective television station. Aoun also anticipated
his station to make a profit. When the Ambassador pointed
out that no other Lebanese television stations are earning a
profit (except for LBCI if one includes its satellite
revenues),Aoun was optimistic about attracting advertising
since he expected a big audience. Aoun said that he has had
no problem with the government in getting a broadcasting
license. His only obstacle to date has been financing.

VIEWS ON HARIRI-FRANJIEH,
HRAWI, AND HIZBALLAH
--------------


3. (C/NF) The Ambassador asked about Marada leader Suleiman
Franjieh's recent statements. Aoun laughed, saying that
Franjieh must be allowed to feel he is pro-independence.
When the Ambassador asked why Franjieh received Wiam Wahhab
yesterday (after Wahhab's bodyguards had shot at Walid
Jumblatt supporters on July 4),Aoun replied that Franjieh
did so because Jumblatt had insulted him. "This is Lebanese
politics," chuckled Aoun. In response to attention given to
Hariri, Aoun dismissed talk that the Hariri assassination
caused the Syrian withdrawal. He pointed out that he was
involved, as were the U.S., France, and the United Nations,
in securing the Syrian withdrawal. At most, Hariri's
assassination contributed to the Syrian withdrawal, but it
did not cause it.


4. (C/NF) When asked for his political plans, Aoun said
that he would propose some laws in parliament against the
Constitutional Council. Regarding former President Elias
Hrawi's impending death (which occurred later in the day on
July 7),Aoun said that Hrawi's brother-in-law had visited
him that morning. Aoun acknowledged that he had past
conflicts with Hrawi, such as fighting on opposing sides
during Aoun's "War of Liberation" in 1989-1990 and an Aoun
defamation lawsuit in 2002 after Hrawi accused him of
embezzlement. Despite the fact that Hrawi is perceived to
have given the green light to bomb Aoun out of Baabda Palace,
Aoun said he planned to send flowers to the Hrawi family and
a representative to Hrawi's funeral. "All that is
history...social relations are different from politics," he
said.


5. (C/NF) Regarding the national dialogue, Aoun suggested
that Hizballah was sincere in its pledge to keep the Blue
Line quiet during the ongoing Israeli military operation in
Gaza. Aoun proudly pointed out that since his agreement with

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Hizballah, there has been only one "accident" along the Blue
Line, referring to the rocket launch into Israel on the
morning of May 28 and the resulting fighting. The Ambassador
asked if Hizballah would facilitate a joint planning unit
between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces, and an increase
in the Joint Security Force to its advertised level of 1,000
personnel. Aoun and Bassil replied that they had not
discussed this with Hizballah, but promised to raise the
issue the next time they meet.


6. (C/NF) Aoun expected the next national dialogue session,
slated for late July, to define Lebanon's national defense
strategy in regard to Hizballah's arms. If the circumstances
no longer exist to justify Hizballah's arms, then "they are
finished." If the dialogue participants decide that
Hizballah's arms are still needed, then the dialogue must
leave it to the army and Hizballah to coordinate their
strategy. The soldiers should define cooperation with
Hizballah. Aoun expected this process to take time; it
certainly won't be resolved this summer.


7. (C/NF) The Ambassador asked Aoun what he would do about
removing Palestinian arms outside the refugee camps, a
decision already reached by the dialogue, if he were
president. Aoun replied that he would simply delegate the
power to the army commander. He agreed with Prime Minister
Siniora's logic that an improvement in the humanitarian
conditions in the camps would be a useful precursor to
sending the army into Naameh and Sultan Yaccoub, which are
major sites of the armed Palestinian rejectionists. Aoun
speculated that although Hizballah might protest an army raid
into the armed Palestinian bases, it would not take any
physical action to interfere.

HIZBALLAH DENIES ANY
KNOWLEDGE OF KLOTZ CASE
--------------


8. (C/NF) The Ambassador asked about Aoun's progress in
influencing Hizballah to help on the Klotz child custody
case. Bassil said that he discussed the issue last week with
several Hizballah officials including Nawwaf Musawi and Abou
Zeinab. He also inquired with the head of the Baalbeck
municipality. Bassil said that no one in Hizballah or
Baalbeck had ever heard of the Klotz case. They said they
had no information. Bassil suspected that the GOL had not
even asked Hizballah about the case as they promised they
would. Bassil claimed he told Hizballah that this was not a
good enough answer, as Hizballah should get information about
the child. Hizballah officials told Bassil that they are not
involved in the matter, and they would not interfere with the
GOL in this case. (Comment: If the GOL has not raised the
Klotz case with Baalbeck officials or even Hizballah after
all of our pushing -- including from the Secretary -- it is
truly shameful. But we suspect that Bassil and Aoun might
again be too credulous in accepting Hizballah statements at
face value. In any case, if Aoun and Bassil do produce Klotz
for us, we will give them full credit. End comment.)
FELTMAN