RUSSIA/LEBANON: PM SINIORA'S VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 012986

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID IR LE RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIA/LEBANON: PM SINIORA'S VISIT


CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES DANIEL A. RUSSELL. REASONS: 1.4(B/D)
.


1. (C) PRIME MINISTER SINIORA CAME AWAY SATISFIED WITH HIS
DECEMBER 14-16 VISIT TO MOSCOW; THE ATMOSPHERICS WERE
EXCELLENT ACCORDING TO LEBANESE AMBASSADOR ASSEM JABER'S
READOUT TO THE CHARGE. BESIDES PUTIN, SINIORA MET WITH
SECURITY COUNCIL SECRETARY IGOR IVANOV, EX-FOREIGN MINISTER
PRIMAKOV AND ORTHODOX AND MUSLIM RELIGIOUS LEADERS. JABER
SAID THAT PUTIN IMPRESSED SINIORA WITH HIS COMMAND OF MIDDLE
EAST ISSUES.


2. (C) IN A LARGELY ONE-ON-ONE SESSION WITH SINIORA, PUTIN
EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR LEBANONS INDEPENDENCE, SOVEREIGNTY AND
TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY. HE BACKED A LEBANESE SOLUTION TO THE
CURRENT CRISIS IN ACCORDANCE WITH LEBANON'S CONSTITUTION, AND
HE REACTED FAVORABLY TO SINIORA'S 19 10 1 NATIONAL
RECONCILIATION GOVERNMENT CONCEPT. PUTIN DERIDED THE IDEA OF
POLITICAL CHANGE THROUGH STREET DEMONSTRATIONS, A TACTIC HE
LIKENED TO THE "COLORED" REVOLUTIONS IN THE FORMER SOVIET
UNION. PUTIN REITERATED RUSSIA'S SUPPORT FOR THE AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE UN AND THE GOVERNMENT OF LEBANON AND THE
ACCOMPANYING STATUTE FOR THE SPECIAL TRIBUNAL FOR LEBANON.
HE PROMISED THAT RUSSIA WOULD ATTEND THE JANUARY 25
RECONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE IN PARIS, BUT OFFERED NO SPECIFICS
ON POTENTIAL RUSSIAN ASSISTANCE. PUTIN DID VOLUNTEER THAT,
AFTER THE CURRENT CRISIS IS RESOLVED, ASSISTANCE TO THE
LEBANESE ARMED FORCES WOULD BE ONE OPTION FOR RUSSIA TO
CONSIDER.


3. (C) WITH IGOR IVANOV, SINIORAS DISCUSSIONS FOCUSED ON
THE REGION AND THE PEACE PROCESS. IVANOV REITERATED RUSSIAN
SUPPORT FOR UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1701 AND THE
SPECIAL TRIBUNAL, BUT CAUTIONED THAT THE LATTER SHOULD FOCUS
ON THE HARIRI ASSASSINATION AND NOT BE USED FOR POLITICAL
PURPOSES AGAINST THIRD COUNTRIES. IVANOV URGED THAT THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGE BOTH SYRIA AND IRAN.
ISOLATION OF THOSE TWO STATES WOULD NOT CONTRIBUTE TO PEACE
IN THE REGION. IVANOV OPINED THAT SYRIA WAS THE EASIER WITH
WHICH TO DEAL, SINCE IRAN'S FOREIGN POLICY WAS SO FOCUSED ON
ITS NUCLEAR AMBITIONS. IVANOV NOTED THAT IRAN WOULD BE
SANCTIONED BY THE END OF THE MONTH AND HE WAS APPREHENSIVE
ABOUT IRAN'S REACTION, WHICH HE HOPED WOULD BE PEACEFUL AND
MEASURED.


4. (C) JABER CALLED PRIMAKOV'S APPROACH TO SINIORA AS
PRO-SYRIAN AND IDEOLOGICAL (READ ANTI-US). SINIORA GENTLY
CHASTISED PRIMAKOV FOR PUBLICLY STATING THAT SYRIA HAD
NOTHING TO DO WITH THE HARIRI ASSASSINATION BEFORE AN
INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL HAD EVEN CONVENED. HE ADVISED
PRIMAKOV TO JUDGE SYRIA BY ITS ACTIONS AND NOT ITS WORDS.
PRIMAKOV COUNTERED THAT HE HAD MET WITH HARIRI SHORTLY BEFORE
HIS DEATH AND BEEN PUBLICLY SUPPORTIVE OF HIS GOVERNMENT.
RUSSELL