Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BEIRUT3539
2006-11-03 16:58:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beirut
Cable title:  

LEBANON: FOREIGN MINISTER SALLOUKH OPTIMISTIC ON

Tags:  PGOV PREL PTER LE 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 0220
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIRUT 003539 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARCHESE/HARDING
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/FO:ATACHCO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: FOREIGN MINISTER SALLOUKH OPTIMISTIC ON
POLITICS, TRIBUNAL

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

SUMMARY
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIRUT 003539

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARCHESE/HARDING
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/FO:ATACHCO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: FOREIGN MINISTER SALLOUKH OPTIMISTIC ON
POLITICS, TRIBUNAL

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

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


1. (C) In a November 2 meeting, Foreign Minister Fawzi
Salloukh urged to the Ambassador rapid and thorough support
for the LAF and action on Israeli overflights and
non-withdrawal from Ghajjar. Salloukh was optimistic that
Speaker Berri's proposed consultations among political
leaders would stave off a street-level confrontation and
dismissed Nasrallah's threats as "just politics." The
international tribunal to try suspects in the Rafiq Hariri's
assassination may be studied formally by the GOL within as
little as a week of receiving UNSC approval. On the
Guatemala/Venezuela UNSC race, an issue on which Salloukh had
been singularly unhelpful last month, he noted that the
failure to elect either country was the "best outcome." End
Summary.

AID FOR LEBANON, SECURITY FORCES
--------------


2. (SBU) The Ambassador began by noting the continued strong,
bipartisan support for Lebanon in Washington and his belief
that the USG will be an active participant in the proposed
January Paris III donors conference. The Ambassador
confirmed that the U.S. envisions helping with equipment and
spare parts for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and Internal
Security Forces (ISF). The Minister interjected that Lebanon
needs new equipment, and quickly. The Ambassador responded
that the USG plans to help.


3. (SBU) Salloukh described Lebanon as "the most important
Arab country" for the U.S. and "the oldest democratic regime"
in the region. The United States must support Lebanon's
democracy, he continued, and have no fear regarding the
integrity of that democracy.


4. (SBU) Salloukh hailed the USG project to rebuild the
Mudeirej Bridge as a signal of USG commitment to Lebanon.
Lebanon had been counting on Italian support which did not
materialize, he added. The Ambassador explained that the
Italians had inadequate resources to help with the Mudeirej
project and had taken on the neighboring Sofar bridge

instead. The resulting two-bridge project can be regarded as
a partnership.


5. (SBU) The Minister noted that he would travel as part of
PM Siniora's delegation to South Korea (during the week of
November 13) to line up support for Lebanon and meet with UN
Secretary-General-designate Ban Ki-moon, whom he knows well.

SIPDIS
Salloukh said that he expected support for Lebanon from Japan
also, as well as other "friendly governments." The
Ambassador asked what he should tell U.S. businesses when
they hear Nasrallah's rhetoric about street action to topple
Siniora's government. Such talk did not ispire confidence,
the Ambassador noted. Salloukh dismissed the rhetoric as
"just politics" and assured us that "everything will be OK in
a few weeks."

IRRESPONSIBLE PRESS
--------------


6. (SBU) The Ambassador raised with Salloukh some recent
inflammatory remarks in the anti-U.S. al-Akhbar and al-Diyar
newspapers, including insinuations that the U.S. Embassy may
be involved in potential assassination schemes in Lebanon,
and described those remarks as dangerous; they could incite
violence against the U.S. Embassy or its personnel. Salloukh
responded that al-Akhbar, as a new newspaper, should act
responsibly; it will not be successful if it reports
falsehoods. The Minister offered, then insisted, to raise
this inflammatory coverage with the management of al-Akhbar.
He said that he hoped that Lebanese news agencies would
"build bridges" to the U.S. Embassy and have good relations
with us.


BEIRUT 00003539 002 OF 003


NATIONAL CONSULTATIONS
--------------


7. (C) The Ambassador raised Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri's
call for a return to national dialogue on the issues of a
national unity government and a new electoral law, and noted
that Hizballah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah had,
unreasonably, given the process a one-week deadline to make
progress in talks on the cabinet expansion or face street
demonstrations. Foreign Minister Salloukh insisted that the
new talks be called "consultations" to distinguish them from
the defunct National Dialogue, and expressed his support for
Berri's initiative. He said that on the issue of timing, the
deadline could be extended if appropriate: first one week,
then a second week, then a third week, and so on. No one,
not a single party or movement, he insisted, wants to take
Lebanon into anarchy or chaos in the streets. In any event,
the LAF is strong enough now to control the street. Salloukh
intimated that "discussions and negotiations" are ongoing to
solve this issue and prevent a resort to the street.


8. (C) A national unity government is called for by the Ta'if
Agreement, Salloukh continued. "If our government represents
80 percent of Lebanese, why not expand it to represent all
Lebanese?" There is no reason to worry about clashes in the
street, he said. The language both sides are using in public
is harsher than what they say to each other out of the public
eye. When Nasrallah threatened demonstrations, he meant
"controlled" demonstrations. Despite Walid Jumblatt's
statement in Washington that demonstrations would be met with
counter-demonstrations, "demonstrations will stop
demonstrations." (Note: We believe that by this remark
Salloukh meant that should both the March 8 supporters and
March 14 supporters demonstrate, the GOL will likely ban all
demonstrations. End note.)

AIR VIOLATIONS, SMUGGLING
AND RESOLUTION IMPLEMENTATION
--------------


9. (C) The Minister raised the issue of Israeli overflights
of Lebanese airspace and asked when they would stop. The
Minister said that Lebanon is fully implementing UNSCR 1701
and that the latest report on UNSCR 1559 implementation is
full of unfounded information. The LAF is deployed along the
border with Syria and is preventing smuggling, he insisted.
"Send people to the south," he said, "and let them find a
single pistol." Salloukh added that the failure of Israeli
forces to withdraw from Ghajjar is also making full
implementation of 1701 difficult and weakening PM Siniora's
government.

UNIIIC TRIBUNAL
--------------


10. (C) The Ambassador asked why President Emile Lahoud had
shown such surprise and expressed so many objections to the
draft statute which, if passed by the Lebanese cabinet, would
establish an international tribunal to investigate and
prosecute the assassination of former PM Rafiq Hariri and
other crimes. The concept of the tribunal had already been
accepted at the Lebanese National Dialogue in March. The
Minister told us that Justice Minister Rizk had not properly
coordinated the introduction of the draft to the cabinet
meeting, and had not officially shared the draft with
President Lahoud beforehand. The President's legal advisor
was the one who prepared the 32-page document detailing
concerns regarding the statute, and he was the one who leaked
it to the press. According to his understanding, Salloukh
said, the UN Security Council would have to approve the
statute before the cabinet could seek a vote on it. The
Russian PermRep is returning from Moscow with GOR comments,
he added, and the French will also express their view. If
the UNSC gives formal or informal approval, Salloukh
continued, the GOL is prepared to begin studying the statute
within one or two weeks. Salloukh expressed his hope that
the tribunal would uncover the truth and find the criminals
responsible, saying that this is crucial for the future of
Lebanon.

BEIRUT 00003539 003 OF 003



UNSC GUATEMALA/VENEZUELA RACE
--------------


11. (C) The Minister noted that in the UNGA votes for the
empty UNSC seat competed for by Guatemala and Venezuela, the
two sides had reached a stalemate and he advised that
withdrawal of the two candidates would be the best solution.
(Note: Salloukh, a pro-Hizballah Shiite, had advocated for
Venezuela within the cabinet and ministry. End note.)

COMMENT
--------------


12. (C) Salloukh, of course, was a compromise Foreign
Minister candidate, agreed upon by Nabih Berri and Hassan
Nasrallah when the cabinet was being formed in July 2005.
But, when differences arise between Berri and Nasrallah,
Salloukh consistently sides with Berri (including by voting
with the cabinet majority in favor of the UNIFIL naval task
force, when the two Hizballah ministers rejected it). Thus,
we think his comments regarding the duration of next week's
consultations, called by Berri, probably reveal Berri's
thinking: while Nasrallah threatens to go to the street if
his demands aren't met within a week, Salloukh suggested that
the deadline could be extended, week after week. This method
would be a typically Lebanese muddle rather than a real
solution, but it might enable Lebanon to avoid dangerous
street confrontations.
FELTMAN