STOCKHOLM DONORS MEETING: CANADIAN AID TO LEBANON

UNCLAS OTTAWA 002550 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE PASS WHA/CAN, NEA, AND EUR/ERA - JULIE COOPER USAID FOR ANE AND DCHA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CA EAID LE PREL SW SUBJECT: STOCKHOLM DONORS MEETING: CANADIAN AID TO LEBANON AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES REF: A. STATE 139903 ¶B. OTTAWA 2467 (NOTAL) ¶1. (SBU) On August 25, EMIN presented ref A demarche to Douglas Williams, Director General, Middle East and Maghreb Directorate, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA),which is Canada's counterpart to USAID. According to Williams, Canada's delegation to the August 31 Stockholm Conference for Lebanon's Early Recovery will be headed by Gilles Rivard, Vice President, Europe, Middle East and Maghreb Branch, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Other delegation members are Douglas Williams; Catherine Bragg, Director General, Humanitarian Assistance, Peace and Security Directorate, CIDA; and Peter McRae, Director, Middle East Division, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT). Williams thought that others may join the delegation over the weekend. There is a possibility of a "political figure" being added, possibly a Canadian Member of Parliament, but below the Ministerial level. ¶2. (SBU) Since the beginning of the Lebanon crisis last month, Canada has made three public statements on its aid to Lebanon. On August 16, Prime Minister Harper announced the formation of a new Lebanon Relief Fund through which Canada will give C$25 million for Lebanon reconstruction and relief efforts over the next two years. C$15 million will be largely directed to UN agencies and the ICRC. Williams said that some of the C$15 million would go to Canadian NGOs and to the UN Mine Action Service for the clearance of unexploded ordinance. A portion would go to the UN Development Program in response to its early recovery appeal. This would be used for municipal infrastructure repair, the clearance of rubble, aid to displaced fishermen, and oil spill clean up. ¶4. (SBU) Williams indicated that C$10 million will support stabilization efforts and provide civilian support for implementation of UNSCR 1701. DFAIT is preparing options on how this money may be used to enhance peace and security. The August 16 C$25 million aid package supplements previous Canadian aid for Lebanon announced in late July, which totals C$5.5 million. Ref B provides details on the aid's composition and distribution as announced by the Prime Minister. ¶5. (SBU) According to Williams, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is studying the possibility of additional Canadian aid, which could be announced prior to the Stockholm meeting. He indicated that Canada has "modest expectations" for the outcome of the conference, which he said is being given a high profile by the Swedish government because of the upcoming Swedish elections. ¶6. (SBU) Williams noted that the Canadian Embassy in Beirut is already involved in small-scale reconstruction initiatives, and this effort may be expanded in the future. He told EMIN that Canada expects details on reconstruction assistance to be elaborated at a major reconstruction conference to be held in Lebanon in late October or November. However, Williams admitted that one impediment to Canada's distribution of aid, especially to towns in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah has some governmental power, is that organization's designation as a terrorist group under Canada's criminal code. This renders Hezbollah ineligible for Canadian assistance. ¶7. (SBU) Williams and Rivard plan to remain for the Stockholm International Donor Conference on the Humanitarian Situation QInternational Donor Conference on the Humanitarian Situation in the Palestinian Terrorities on September 1. This meeting will discuss the UN appeal, which was launched in May. Williams said that Canada has given C$9 million in response to this appeal as well as to a similar one from UNRWA. Another C$1 million is being given to the Red Cross in Gaza. There is a possibility of further Canadian contributions to the Palestinian Territories through the World Food Program (WFP),UNRWA and other UN agencies, but it is not clear when this might be announced. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa DICKSON