FM MU'ALLIM CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE CEASE-FIRE, NOTES

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 003720 SIPDIS SIPDIS PARIS FOR WALLER; LONDON FOR TSOU E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015 TAGS: PREL SY LE SUBJECT: FM MU'ALLIM CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE CEASE-FIRE, NOTES HIZBALLAH REJECTION OF ANY NON-UNIFIL PEACEKEEPERS. Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Stephen A. Seche, per 1.4 b,d. ¶1. (C) Summary: FM Walid Mu'allim told assembled chiefs of mission in Damascus July 30 there was no justification for the deadly attack at Qana and criticized U.S. diplomatic efforts for blocking the international community from imposing an immediate cease-fire. Mu'allim reported that he had been told by Amal head Nabih Berri, authorized to speak for Hizballah, that the militia group would accept an immediate cease-fire without conditions but would oppose the deployment of any non-UNIFIL peacekeepers. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Syrian FM Walid Mu'allim July 30 briefed Charge and a group of ambassadors from other diplomatic missions on the crisis in Lebanon, telling them there was no justification whatsoever for what he termed the massacre at Qana. He criticized U.S. diplomacy, asking why, when the Arab states (via Qatar) presented a draft resolution at the UNSC, the U.S. had opposed it, and why the U.S. opposed the idea of a cease-fire proposed at the Rome conference. According to Mu'allim, the U.S. is providing cover for Israel to try to achieve its political agenda. ¶3. (C) Mu'allim noted that the SARG's position, and that of the nine Arab FM's he had spoken to earlier in the day, supports calls for an immediate cease-fire. He noted that they will press for this position at the UNSC. To further demonstrate the consensus in favor of this position, Mu'allim noted that he had met earlier in the day with Arab and European ambassadors and that they had agreed on the need for such a cease-fire. (Note: Al-Hayat July 31 reported that the Saudi ambassador was not at this briefing.) ¶4. (C) Mu'allim told the assembled group that he had been informed by Nabih Berri, who he said was authorized to speak for Hizballah, that Hizballah will not/not accept an international peacekeeping force other than UNIFIL. The UNSC must not/not put responsibility for maintaining peace in southern Lebanon on the Lebanese armed forces or require them to take action to disarm Hizballah. Such an assignment, because of the significant number of Shia, could lead to sectarian tensions in the armed forces and possibly to civil war. According to Berri, Hizballah is ready to agree if the UNSC adopts a resolution calling for immediate and unconditional cease-fire. ¶5. (C) Mu'allim made several additional points during the briefing and the short question and answer session that followed: -- Syria does not want the situation in Lebanon to become "Iraq Part II; if it continues, we are extending an invitation to al-Qaida to join in the fray; -- We hear calls to address the root causes. Such an approach would require pressure to compel Israel to accept UN resolutions 242 and 338; -- Why isn't any consideration being given to placing part of any proposed peacekeeping on the Israeli as well as the Lebanese side of the border?, and -- The current state of the roads in Lebanon made it clear that no arms were being shipped from Syria into Lebanon; and in any case Hizballah, as a guerilla force, already has all the arms it needs for the style of warfare it conducts. ¶6. (C) Mu'allim briefed a group of ambassadors from the Americas and Asia, including COM's from Canada, China, North Korea, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, among others. The Iranian ambassador also attended. SECHE