LEBANON: FRENCH AMBASSADOR ON SECURITY, UNIFIL,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIRUT 003091 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARCHESE/SINGH E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2016 TAGS: KCRM LE PREL PTER SY FR SUBJECT: LEBANON: FRENCH AMBASSADOR ON SECURITY, UNIFIL, AUN, HIZBALLAH, AND UNIIIC Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey D. Feltman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) Ambassador Feltman and econoff on 22 September met with French Ambassador to Lebanon Bernard Emie, who had mixed feelings on the security situation since the Israeli offensive, but was optimistic that French UNIFIL troops have been well received. He gave a readout of his recent meeting with Hizballah Energy Minister Fneish and shared his reasons for refusing to meet with Maronite leader Aoun. Emie was cautiously optimistic on reconstruction and sought greater bilateral cooperation pushing economic reforms and finding a successor to UNIIIC chief investigator Brammertz. End Summary. MIXED MESSAGE ON SECURITY -------------- ¶2. (C) Emie gave mixed signals on his perception of the post-conflict security situation in Lebanon. French security procedures have returned to normal, and the nearly 100 police and military personnel brought in to protect the Embassy and its staff during the offensive have departed. Emie has been traveling throughout the country with French visitors and has decided to allow the families of embassy staff to return on 25 September. However, he noted that the embassy is actively recruiting singles or those with grown children for its posts; his own family will remain in France for the upcoming school year. Regarding the situation in Lebanon, the French believe they are "not part of Hizballah's calculation" right now, and are more concerned about threats from other groups, if at all. Emie said he had received no direct threats and "is more concerned about the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) than Hizballah" because the group is now linked to Al Qaida and the French are now receiving various threats and "expecting something daily." (Comment: It is unclear whether he was expressing concern about threats in France, in the region, or in Lebanon.) REPORTS FROM THE 'MULTIPURPOSE' FRENCH INTERVENTION IN LEBANON -------------- ¶3. (C) Emie noted the variety of outreach activities his embassy is involved in has taxed the staff but is producing good results. He was particularly proud of French success installing at least six Bailey Bridges in place of those 
destroyed during the offensive. The bridges received a remarkable welcome, even in areas the French were concerned about going into. The French will send approximately 30 other Bailey Bridges, he reported. ¶4. (C) Emie is headed to the south this week, and characterized the French UNIFIL deployment thus far as "smoother than expected," with a few small incidents. Reports from his troops say that residents of the south expressed some negative reaction to large equipment such as tanks, but overall the population has been welcoming, and some even view UNIFIL as consumers who will help them "re-launch" the economy. ¶5. (C) He noted that French participation in the expanded UNIFIL has been difficult because the Lebanese have not planned or budgeted to house the troops before they can be deployed to the south. The French have coped with this delay by renting a hotel. While 1500 additional French troops are already in the field, 500 are still in Beirut awaiting GOL resolution of an ongoing land dispute with the property owners whose land Beirut has seized for use by UNIFIL. Emie reported that Prime Minister Siniora has ordered the Ministry of Finance to pay compensation to the landowners, but he was not confident the problem has been permanently solved. ¶6. (C) Emie noted his troops report that the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are now moving freely through areas that were "off limits" and dominated by Hizballah before the Israeli offensive, indicating that Hizballah is "playing by the rules" and coping with the UNIFIL and LAF deployment. He said he is watching to see whether the LAF are willing to respond to UNIFIL discoveries of 1701 violations, since UNIFIL is entitled to take action if the LAF does not. Also important will be extending the ceasefire into a cessation of hostilities, possibly by means of a second UN resolution. He BEIRUT 00003091 002 OF 003 lamented that the UN Secretary General's report was quite factual only and was "a lost opportunity to recommend next steps." SHARING A READOUT FROM HIS MEETING WITH FNEISH -------------- ¶7. (C) Emie commented on his recent meeting with Energy Minister and Hizballah member Mohammad Fneish. Fneish apparently commented to Emie that Hizballah is concerned that Nasrallah will be called to testify in front of any post-UNIIIC tribunal. Fneish also commented that Hizballah is pushing for a "national unity government" because it can't trust government reforms and should enlarge the basis of government due to the new situation. SEEKING GREATER COOPERATION ON RECONSTRUCTION AND ECONOMIC REFORM -------------- ¶8. (C) Emie called for close international cooperation at the planned 30 November donor conference, to avoid "losing all momentum" on economic reform. He expressed concern that Siniora is micromanaging reconstruction efforts, and that the Core Group meeting in Singapore did not articulate any next steps or a clear program ahead of the planned donor conference. He attributed this partly to the fact that there was no program from Finance Minister Azour ahead of the conference. He quoted Mohammad Chatah (senior advisor to Siniora) as saying there is hope for privatization and rationalization of public businesses, but fiscal reform at this time is simply too politically sensitive, particularly to Nabih Berri. Privately, Emie doubted that even privatization would make headway in the next year. (Comment: The economic section has heard that the Finance Ministry is circulating a comprehensive reform plan among the ministries but has been unable to obtain a copy. A ministry staffer told us that the ministry is trying to build internal consensus before sharing the reform plan.) He expressed optimism that the IMF, which has a mission in country this week, will be able to implement some elements of a program. According to Emie, the IMF has said it expects a USD 3-4 billion package (as compared to just USD 2.5 billion pledged at Paris II) at the next donor conference, currently planned for 30 November. ¶9. (C) Emie also expressed concern also that the US had not been more vocal at the Core Group meeting, leaving the French with the impression that the US was "stepping back." The cost of Lebanon to the French taxpayer is "huge," in Emie's opinion, following commitments at the Paris II donor conference, to the expanded UNIFIL, and at Stockholm, and should be more widely shared. Emie was surprised to hear how exactly much aid the United States has already committed to Lebanon for 2006, and sought from us additional details about our aid to the LAF. (Comment: This lunch took place before the Embassy learned of Emie's apparent opposition to the UK-led security coordination unit in the Prime Minister's office. We will have to push Emie on this issue separately. End comment.) ANGRY AT AOUN, BUT GREATFUL FOR A WARM RECEPTION IN CHRISTIAN AREAS -------------- ¶10. (C) Emie commented that he is refusing MP Michel Aoun's requests to meet since Aoun's remarks to French daily Le Figaro that French troops are not welcome in Lebanon. Christian areas have received French troops well, and he gave credit to Aoun for that, but he expressed a sense of personal betrayal that Aoun was disloyal to the French after a former French ambassador "saved Aoun,s life" by sheltering him in the official residence for 9 months. SEARCHING FOR A SUCCESSOR FOR BRAMMERTZ ON UNIIIC -------------- ¶11. (C) Regarding his recent meeting with UNIIIC Commissioner Brammertz, Emie said he believed Brammertz was "moving toward a clear Syrian result," and was confident in his ability to finalize the investigation although he needed more time to find evidence. Emie noted the need to swiftly find a third commissioner or implement a tribunal. Emie tried to convince Brammertz to extend his tenure as Commissioner or to stay as BEIRUT 00003091 003 OF 003 a tribunal prosecutor, asking Brammertz "what it would take to keep him at UNIIIC." When Brammertz did not answer, Emie concluded that Brammertz is concerned with his career at the International Criminal Court, wants to return, and does not see a second extension of his term at UNIIIC "leading him anywhere." FELTMAN