LEBANON: GERMAN AMBASSADOR SAYS ANY SUPPORT MUST

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 002813

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARCHESE/HARDING

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2016
TAGS: PREL MOPS KPKO LE SY
SUBJECT: LEBANON: GERMAN AMBASSADOR SAYS ANY SUPPORT MUST
BE WITHIN UNIFIL


Classified By: Jeffrey D. Feltman, Ambassador. Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: During an 8/28 meeting with Ambassador
Feltman and poloff, German Ambassador to Lebanon Marius Haas
provided a readout on the recent visit of a German military
delegation to Lebanon. Haas said that Germany is willing to
provide technical equipment and support to Lebanon, as well
as a substantial maritime component to an augmented UNIFIL,
and possibly an AIR component. Haas stressed that this
contribution could only come under the UNIFIL umbrella, and
not, as the Lebanese clearly prefer, as a strictly bilateral
arrangement. Haas said that PM Siniora has written a letter
to Chancellor Merkel requesting equipment, which the Germans
have yet to answer. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Haas said the German military delegation came for a
one-week assessment and departed on August 27. The Lebanese
security delegation,headed by Internal Security Forces (ISF)
commande Ashraf Rifi (considered pro-Hariri),claimed that
the Beirut port and international airport are boh safe and
that no smuggling is possible throughpoints of entry. The
Lebanese also claimed to hve purchased two scanners for the
airport. Conseuently, the Lebanese urged the German
delegationto focus more on security and customs proceduresat the northern port
of Tripoli (the delegation di not
inspect Tyre or Sidon). Not believing everthing they heard,
the Germans assessed -- internaly -- that the Tripoli and
Beirut ports and Beirt airport are all "not in good order."


3. (C) On the Syria-Lebanon border, the Lebanese spoke of
"six stations" along the frontier which would ned to be
equipped with advanced surveillance equipent. The German
delegation told the Lebanese thy could offer technical
assistance and training n the border, ports, and airport, as
well as airpatrols over land and sea (Haas mentioned
specifcally Tornado jets),and a significant maritime
cmponent of as many as 1,200 sailors.


4. (C) Has said the Cabinet could approve the naval FORCE
as early as next week, and that parliamentary appoval would
soon follow. The Germans will likelyinsist that the force,
which will include other Eropeans, have the "ability to
fire." He added tat the German warship "Frankfurt" could
begin saling to Lebanon before government approval if itcame as part of a "humanitarian" flotilla.


5. C) The Ambassador asked if the Germans have confidnce
in the Lebanese personnel who would be operaing the
equipment. Haas said that the initial Lbanese response to
the German offer had not beenespecially receptive, leaving
the delegation wit the impression that while they badly want
the sohisticated equipment, they do not care for the Geran
trainers who would be part of the package. "raining is part
of the deal," Haas said, adding hat, "Our assessment is that
the pro-Syrian elemnt is still very strong."


6. (C) Siniora has snt an "ambitious" written request to
Chancellor erkel requesting equipment, according to Haas,
ad Berlin still owes him a response. While Siniorahad at
first seemed supportive of the maritime cmponent, he had
suddenly gotten cold feet when hesaw the large scale of the
proposed naval force. Haas added that Siniora prefers a
strict bilateral arrangement between Lebanon and Germany, but
that Berlin is insisting that German support come as part of
an augmented UNIFIL. "The Lebanese are not eager to have
UNIFIL as an intermediary," said Haas, who stressed that the
Germans will accept no other arrangement.
FELTMAN