LEBANESE "DISAPPOINTED" BY JAPANESE CONTRIBUTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 005143 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2016 TAGS: PREL PINR LE JA SUBJECT: LEBANESE "DISAPPOINTED" BY JAPANESE CONTRIBUTIONS Classified By: AMBASSADOR J. THOMAS SCHIEFFER FOR REASONS 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (C) Lebanon is "disappointed" by the small amounts pledged by Japan for reconstruction and humanitarian relief, Lebanon's Charge d'Affaires in Tokyo, Toufic S. Jaber, recently told Embassy Tokyo Political Officer. Japan initially pledged and has disbursed $2 million in humanitarian assistance through the WHO, the WFP, and UNHCR. On August 31, in Stockholm, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Katsutoshi Kaneda announced Japan would contribute an additional $3 million in humanitarian and environmental assistance, as well as $2 million through the U.N. Trust Fund for Human Security to assist in the clearance of mines and unexploded ordnance in southern Lebanon. ¶2. (C) Lebanon had expected more from Japan, Jaber stated, as it is a rich country with a history of generosity that is actively trying to enhance its image in the international community as it strives to obtain a permanent seat on the Security Council. Even the initial pledge was slow in coming and was only made after he personally approached former Prime Minister Mori, who then contacted Prime Minister Koizumi, he complained. Jaber said he had been instructed to approach the Japanese government on this issue and also to ask Japan to bring pressure on Israel to end the blockade and to withdrawal from the villages it still occupies. Accordingly, Jaber met with MOFA Middle East and African Affairs Director General Norihiko Okuda. Okuda had only given him a "gray" answer, neither saying yes or no but only that Japan would continue to study the matter. As for the amounts contributed, Okuda explained to him that because of Lebanon's relative wealth, it did not qualify for Official Development Assistance (ODA) funds. Jaber tried, apparently to no avail, to convince Okuda that this wasn't a simple ODA matter, but rather an emergency situation. Jaber said that his government is mystified as to why Japan is not more supportive, particularly given the fact that Lebanon has indicated to Japan that it will support its bid to win a permanent seat on the Security Council. ¶3. (C) Jaber also mentioned that Prime Minister Siniora is scheduled to visit Japan in November. -------------- BIO INFO -------------- ¶4. (C) Jaber appears to be about 40 years old. He says his early education was in French schools in Lebanon but that he switched to the American system for high school. He graduated from the American University in Beirut and earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics and Development at the University of London. Following his studies, Jaber claims to have worked for the U.N. A third generation diplomat, he says his uncle is a high-ranking official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His father was at one time a journalist who worked for CBS News and was arrested by the Syrians. Jaber credits the intervention of the American Ambassador with winning his release. He joined the MFA in 1996 and was posted to Indonesia where he narrowly escaped death in the 2003 bombing of the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Jakarta (he claims the suicide car bomb that exploded was directly behind his own vehicle.) He was subsequently transferred to Tokyo. He has been serving as Charge d'Affaires since March when the former Ambassador retired. Jaber is pro-American, anti-Syrian, and considers himself Lebanese before an Arab. He is married to an Indonesian, has two sisters who live in Canada, and his parents remain in Lebanon. SCHIEFFER