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

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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

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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