LEBANON: CODEL DODD MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 003890

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PRER LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: CODEL DODD MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER
SINIORA

Classified By: DCM Christopher W. Murray. Reason Sections 1.4 (b) and
(d).

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


1. (C) Prime Minister Fouad Siniora conveyed to Senators
Christopher Dodd and John Kerry that Russian President
Vladimir Putin supported the formation of the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon. It remained unclear, however, whether
Russia would support the establishment of the Tribunal under
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. Throughout the
meeting, Siniora urged the United States to aid Lebanon by
resolving the Sheba'a Farms issue, putting an end to Israeli
overflights of Lebanese territory, and by focusing on a peace
initiative to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict. Siniora
described these issues as elements that undermine the
international peacekeeping force in Lebanon. In addition,
Siniora asserted that these chronic problems provide a
pretext for Iran, Syria and Hizballah to justify their
actions as legitimate defense. End Summary.

POSSIBLE RUSSIAN SUPPORT FOR
INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL
--------------


2. (C) Senators Dodd and Kerry, accompanied by staff, the
Charge, and Emboffs, met with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora at
the Grand Serail on December 18. The meeting was also
attended by Siniora advisors Mohamed Chattah and Roula
Noureddine. Siniora began the hour-long meeting by providing
a general readout of his meeting with President Putin in
Moscow on December 15. Siniora had discussed the need for
the Special Tribunal as a firm demonstration of Lebanese
independence and sovereignty, in the face of political
assassinations that have been unparalleled in the Arab world.
Blaming President Emile Lahoud and Speaker of Parliament
Nabih Berri, Siniora stated that he did not believe the
political impasse on the Tribunal would be resolved
internally.


3. (C) In response to Senator Kerry's inquiry, Siniora
explained that while the Russians expressed their support for
the Tribunal during Siniora's meetings in Moscow, he had not
raised with Putin the specific issue of using Chapter VII of
the UN Charter as a means of establishing the Tribunal.
Instead, he had informed the Russians of the March 14
Coalition's intent to continue pursuing the Tribunal under
normal Lebanese procedures, with the possibility of finding
"other means" of establishing it if normal procedures were
not successful. Siniora believed that the Russians would
understand this oblique reference to Chapter VII, given that
he had previously raised the Chapter VII option directly with
the Russian Embassy in Beirut.

PLACING SHEBA'A FARMS UNDER
THE UNITED NATIONS
--------------


4. (C) Referring to the Sheba'a Farms as Lebanese territory
"occupied by Israel," Siniora argued for placing this 45
square kilometer area under the custody of the United
Nations. This approach would not concede a victory to
Hizballah, Siniora said. On the contrary, it would "pull the
rug out from under Syria, Iran and Hizballah" by removing a
fundamental justification for Syrian and Iranian
interference, and for Hizballah's claims to its weapons. At
the same time, Lebanon could get its territory back.
According to Siniora, maintaining the status quo would not
help in "removing the fingers of Iran that are extended into
Lebanon."

CALL FOR U.S. SUPPORT WITH REGARD
TO ISRAEL; ROLE OF IRAN
--------------


5. (C) In addition to Sheba'a Farms, Siniora also urged the
United States to aid Lebanon by putting an end to Israeli
overflights of Lebanese territory, which were weakening the
legitimacy of the United Nations forces in Lebanon.
Furthermore, he requested that the United States help resolve
the issue of Lebanese detainees in Israel. On a separate
note, Siniora registered his complaint that 1.2 million
cluster bombs remain on Lebanese territory, which he stated
would take another 18 months to clear.

BEIRUT 00003890 002 OF 002




6. (C) Siniora said the United States needed to place the
peace initiative for the Arab-Israeli conflict back on an
active track, because non-resolution of the conflict would
continue to have repercussions not only in Lebanon, but also
in Afghanistan and Iraq. The conflict makes for a "feeling
of humiliation" in the Arab world. These after-effects were,
in turn, allowing Iranians to hijack Arab causes in the name
of "defending Islam."

ROLE OF SYRIA
--------------


7. (C) Siniora stated that he desired "excellent relations
with Syria, our neighbors," and believed that Syria had
played a role in ending Israeli occupation of Lebanon, but
Syrian interference in Lebanon needed to end. While the
Syrians had agreed verbally that the Sheba'a Farms belonged
to Lebanon, they had refused to sign the necessary
documentation, when asked by the Siniora government, as a way
of maintaining their influence in Lebanon. Nonetheless,
Siniora was coy with regard to recommendations on dealing
with Syria. He only stated that the United States needed to
figure out what the Syrians, who were "hard bargainers," were
seeking in exchange for being brought back into the fold of a
regular dialogue and improved relations.

CLOSING REMARKS
--------------


8. (C) Siniora repeatedly asserted the legitimacy and
constitutionality of his government, which he acknowledged
was under challenge. He dismissed the size of the recent
Hizballah-led street demonstrations, as well as the
resignation of the six cabinet ministers. He said he had
refused to accept the resignations of the six ministers, and
thus his government still comprised Shia ministers. Siniora
argued that his government derived its constitutional
legitimacy from the fact that it holds the majority in
Parliament.


9. (C) Siniora said that while he appreciated the words of
support from the United States, he appealed for actions that
would make an actual difference. According to him, these
actions were a resolution of the Sheba'a Farms issue, the
ending of Israeli overflights, and a strong effort by the
United States to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict.


10. (U) This cable has been cleared by Codel Dodd.

FELTMAN