TFLE01: PORTUGUESE FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LISBON 001565

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PO
SUBJECT: TFLE01: PORTUGUESE FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES
MIDDLE EAST WITH AMBASSADOR

REF: A) LISBON 1527

Classified By: Ambassador Alfred Hoffman for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


Summary
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1. (C) Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado told the
Ambassador on July 27 that the extraordinary EU meeting on
the Middle East planned for August 1 must devise a common EU
position and avoid divisions with the United States. He said
Hezbollah must be disarmed and an international force
deployed to southern Lebanon, and that the international
community must work on a cease-fire. He said he
"understands" the U.S. position that a cease-fire must be
part of a proposal for a lasting peace, but thought the EU
might settle on a different formula. End Summary.


2. (U) The Ambassador called on Foreign Minister Luis Amado
on July 27 to discuss recent developments in the Middle East
and to receive a readout on a July 23 meeting between Prime
Minister Socrates and Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez. The
Foreign Minister's comments regarding the Socrates-Chavez
meeting are reported septel. The Ambassador was accompanied
by political/economic counselor; Amado was joined by his
Chief of Staff, Franciso Ribeiro de Menezes.


3. (C) The Ambassador welcomed Amado's initiative in
pressing for an extraordinary meeting of EU foreign ministers
to devise an effective response to the current violence in
Israel and Lebanon. Such a move signaled Portugal's
intention to try to shape the EU response to critical
international developments, rather than simply to adhere to
an EU consensus forged by other member states. Yes, the
Foreign Minister replied, the EU must play a stronger role in
the search for a lasting solution in the Middle East. He
said his objectives in pushing for the extraordinary EU
meeting were to build a consensus EU approach and to avoid
divisions in the Euro-Atlantic relationship. It is
essential, he said, that Europe and the United States speak
with one voice not only on the current Israel-Lebanon crisis,
but also in dealing with an array of other serious global
challenges. Europe and the United States have their
differences, he said, but what is important is that we agree
on the fundamental issues. He reiterated earlier assurances
to the Ambassador that he is very committed to a strong
transatlantic relationship.


4. (C) The Ambassador criticized Hezbollah for locating its
facilities and personnel among civilians, using their own
people as shields in an attempt to turn public opinion
against Israel in the aftermath of Israeli attacks. He
suggested it would be helpful if the Government of Lebanon
appealed to Hezbollah to release the Israeli prisoners. It
would, Amado replied, but the Lebanese Government is hostage
to Hezbollah.


5. (C) The Ambassador asked Amado's reaction to Secretary
Rice's position that a cease-fire must be tied to provisions
for a lasting peace. "I understand it," Amado replied, "and
I won't say anything publicly against it." He said the EU
would consider that position carefully "even if we decide on
a different formula." Hezbollah, he continued, must be
demilitarized and an international force must be deployed to
southern Lebanon with the necessary capacity to implement the
relevant Security Council resolutions. The international
community must also work on a cease-fire, he said. He
understood that "we are buying time now, but we need to work
on a cease-fire."


6. (C) Amado recalled that he had lunched several days
earlier with a group of African ambassadors, who expressed
serious concern about the public reaction in their countries
to the current Middle East crisis. Much of the media
coverage in those countries is slanted heavily against
Israel, which inevitably has a strong impact on public
sentiment about the conflict. Europe and the United States
must keep that reality in mind when designing possible
solutions, ensuring that our proposals include assistance to
other governments in ensuring their populations receive more
balanced coverage of developments in the Middle East.

Comment
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LISBON 00001565 002 OF 002



7. (C) Amado is a strong advocate of NATO and believes
deeply in the importance of good transatlantic ties, but he
was clearly not enthusiastic about U.S. refusal to endorse an
immediate cease-fire. As he indicated, though, any public
remarks will be carefully calibrated to avoid any hint of a
disagreement with us. Although Amado did not touch on the
topic in this conversation, he has publicly expressed
Portugal's willingness to participate in a security force in
southern Lebanon (reftel),so long as it is under a UN
mandate. His Chief of Staff told us after the meeting that
Amado believes such a security force should include a strong
European component, but that any decision about the dimension
or nature of Portuguese participation would be taken in close
consultation with us and others.
Hoffman