Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06CAIRO6846
2006-11-13 17:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:
(C) LEBANON: EGYPT BACKING PM SINIORA TO PURSUE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0031 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHEGA #6846 3171735 ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZUI RUEWMCF3903 3171724 O 131735Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000 INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 006846
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER MOPS UNSC MEPN EG LE
SUBJECT: (C) LEBANON: EGYPT BACKING PM SINIORA TO PURSUE
UNIIIC HARIRI TRIBUNAL; WARNS SYRIA TO "BE CAREFUL"
CLASSIFIED BY DCM STUART JONES FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 006846
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER MOPS UNSC MEPN EG LE
SUBJECT: (C) LEBANON: EGYPT BACKING PM SINIORA TO PURSUE
UNIIIC HARIRI TRIBUNAL; WARNS SYRIA TO "BE CAREFUL"
CLASSIFIED BY DCM STUART JONES FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) THE AMBASSADOR SPOKE WITH EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
AHMED ABOUL GHEIT NOVEMBER 13 TO URGE GOE SUPPORT FOR
LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER FOUAD SINIORA, FOLLOWING THE RECENT
RESIGNATIONS OF HIZBALLAH-AFFILIATED CABINET MINISTERS FROM
THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT. ABOUL GHEIT CONFIRMED TO THE
AMBASSADOR GOE SUPPORT FOR SINIORA, AND NOTED THAT HE TOLD
SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MUALLEM THE PREVIOUS DAY IN CAIRO "TO
BE CAREFUL" WITH RESPECT TO SARG INTERFERENCE IN LEBANESE
POLITICS. ABOUL GHEIT ALSO SAID THAT HE MADE A SUPPORTIVE
PUBLIC STATEMENT ON THE LEBANON SITUATION TO LOCAL
JOURNALISTS ON NOVEMBER 12. (NOTE: THE STATEMENT, PRINTED IN
LOCAL MEDIA ON NOVEMBER 13, CALLED ON ALL LEBANESE POLITICAL
FORCES TO CONTINUE THEIR DIALOGUE TO OVERCOME DIFFERENCES.
ABOUL GHEIT ADVISED LEBANESE POLITICAL PARTIES AGAINST
"TAKING DIFFERENCES TO THE STREET," AS SUCH A MOVE WOULD
NEGATIVELY AFFECT LEBANON'S AND THE REGION'S SECURITY
SITUATION, "ESPECIALLY GIVEN COMPLICATIONS ON THE PALESTINIAN
ISSUE." END NOTE.)
2. (C) ABOUL GHEIT'S COMMENTS ECHOED THOSE OF EGYPTIAN
INTELLIGENCE CHIEF OMAR SOLIMAN, WHO TOLD THE AMBASSADOR ON
NOVEMBER 11 THAT EGYPTIAN POLICY VIS-A-VIS LEBANON WAS THE
"SAME AS THAT OF THE U.S." SOLIMAN BELIEVED THAT THE
GOVERNMENT OF LEBANON SHOULD PURSUE THE UNIIIC HARIRI MURDER
TRIBUNAL PROPOSAL RECENTLY PRESENTED TO PM SINIORA. SOLIMAN
TOLD THE AMBASSADOR THAT HE "EXPECTED THE GOE" WOULD SEND A
MESSAGE OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO SINIORA, AND THAT FM ABOUL GHEIT
WOULD EXPRESS EGYPTS POSITION TO THE VISITING SYRIAN FOREIGN
MINISTER WHEN THE TWO MET ON THE MARGINS OF AN ARAB LEAGUE
MINISTERIAL MEETING ON GAZA. SOLIMAN SAID THAT THE EGYPTIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER WOULD WARN THE SYRIANS TO "BACK OFF" FROM
THEIR PRESSURING THE LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER AND HIS ALLIES.
RICCIARDONE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER MOPS UNSC MEPN EG LE
SUBJECT: (C) LEBANON: EGYPT BACKING PM SINIORA TO PURSUE
UNIIIC HARIRI TRIBUNAL; WARNS SYRIA TO "BE CAREFUL"
CLASSIFIED BY DCM STUART JONES FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) THE AMBASSADOR SPOKE WITH EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
AHMED ABOUL GHEIT NOVEMBER 13 TO URGE GOE SUPPORT FOR
LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER FOUAD SINIORA, FOLLOWING THE RECENT
RESIGNATIONS OF HIZBALLAH-AFFILIATED CABINET MINISTERS FROM
THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT. ABOUL GHEIT CONFIRMED TO THE
AMBASSADOR GOE SUPPORT FOR SINIORA, AND NOTED THAT HE TOLD
SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MUALLEM THE PREVIOUS DAY IN CAIRO "TO
BE CAREFUL" WITH RESPECT TO SARG INTERFERENCE IN LEBANESE
POLITICS. ABOUL GHEIT ALSO SAID THAT HE MADE A SUPPORTIVE
PUBLIC STATEMENT ON THE LEBANON SITUATION TO LOCAL
JOURNALISTS ON NOVEMBER 12. (NOTE: THE STATEMENT, PRINTED IN
LOCAL MEDIA ON NOVEMBER 13, CALLED ON ALL LEBANESE POLITICAL
FORCES TO CONTINUE THEIR DIALOGUE TO OVERCOME DIFFERENCES.
ABOUL GHEIT ADVISED LEBANESE POLITICAL PARTIES AGAINST
"TAKING DIFFERENCES TO THE STREET," AS SUCH A MOVE WOULD
NEGATIVELY AFFECT LEBANON'S AND THE REGION'S SECURITY
SITUATION, "ESPECIALLY GIVEN COMPLICATIONS ON THE PALESTINIAN
ISSUE." END NOTE.)
2. (C) ABOUL GHEIT'S COMMENTS ECHOED THOSE OF EGYPTIAN
INTELLIGENCE CHIEF OMAR SOLIMAN, WHO TOLD THE AMBASSADOR ON
NOVEMBER 11 THAT EGYPTIAN POLICY VIS-A-VIS LEBANON WAS THE
"SAME AS THAT OF THE U.S." SOLIMAN BELIEVED THAT THE
GOVERNMENT OF LEBANON SHOULD PURSUE THE UNIIIC HARIRI MURDER
TRIBUNAL PROPOSAL RECENTLY PRESENTED TO PM SINIORA. SOLIMAN
TOLD THE AMBASSADOR THAT HE "EXPECTED THE GOE" WOULD SEND A
MESSAGE OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO SINIORA, AND THAT FM ABOUL GHEIT
WOULD EXPRESS EGYPTS POSITION TO THE VISITING SYRIAN FOREIGN
MINISTER WHEN THE TWO MET ON THE MARGINS OF AN ARAB LEAGUE
MINISTERIAL MEETING ON GAZA. SOLIMAN SAID THAT THE EGYPTIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER WOULD WARN THE SYRIANS TO "BACK OFF" FROM
THEIR PRESSURING THE LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER AND HIS ALLIES.
RICCIARDONE