HAMADEH ON FRENCH CONSULTATIONS WITH IRAN AND SYRIA

S E C R E T BEIRUT 001090 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/MARCHESE/HARDING E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2027 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER LE SY IR SUBJECT: HAMADEH ON FRENCH CONSULTATIONS WITH IRAN AND SYRIA Classified By: Jeffrey Feltman, Ambassador, per 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Minister of Communications Marwan Hamadeh, just back from an extended stay in France, told the Ambassador in a 7/23 coffee that he was "unsettled" by a meeting he had last week with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, whom Hamadeh describes as a "friend of 30 years." Before talking with Hamadeh, Kouchner had just seen his Special Envoy Jean-Claude Cousseran after the latter's trip to Damascus to brief the Syrians on the outcome of the La Celle-St. Cloud talks. Even though Kouchner recognized that the Syrians had "given nothing and would give nothing," Kouchner still thought it worthwhile to engage Damascus at some level. Hamadeh said that "at least" he had extracted a promise from Kouchner that he would not travel anytime soon to Damascus. "He has a crazy idea that you (the Americans),the Saudis, the Egyptians, and the French all go together to see Bashar," Hamadeh complained. "I told him it was a terrible idea that gives a victory to Bashar." ¶2. (S) More worrying, Hamadeh said, was Kouchner's read-out of Cousseran's two trips to Teheran. The Iranians reportedly stated clearly and in a matter-of-fact manner that their goal is to change the Taif agreement. Instead of having a 50-50 Christian-Muslim power sharing arrangement, Iran seeks to divide Lebanon's confessionally-based allocation of positions into three equal parts (Sunni-Druse, Shia, and Christian). Hamadeh said that Kouchner also told him that the Iranians believe that the Shia should have more executive power, defined as changing the prime minister from a Sunni to a Shia. Hamadeh did not think that Kouchner was as alarmed as he should have been to a formula that Hamadeh was convinced would lead to civil war and the mass emigration of Lebanon's Christians. ¶3. (S) Finally, Hamadeh said that he was "not at all reassured" by a visit he paid to the Quai d'Orsay. The French Foreign Ministry is, in his view, "thrilled" that the Elysee no longer has a monopoly on Syria-Lebanon policy, as it did under former President Jacques Chirac. But the French bureaucrats, knowing that their new president is "a man of action," are proposing "many strange ideas," just to try something new, with very little comprehension of the practical and political impact on the ground in Lebanon. The French diplomats are looking for new partners in Lebanon, too, Hamadeh (who heard from Kouchner that neither PM Fouad Siniora or MP Saad Hariri impressed French President Sarkozy) argued, "but they haven't found anybody yet who looks good." ¶4. (S) Comment: Hamadeh was, of course, reporting second-hand information: Cousseran told Kouchner about his Damascus and Teheran trips, Kouchner then briefed Hamadeh, and Hamadeh then reported to us. With Cousseran now in Beirut again, Hamadeh and other March 14 and GOL leaders will have yet another chance to evaluate what they believe are -- after the solid support of the Chirac years -- worryingly uncertain French positions toward Lebanon. Whatever the realities of French policy, the pro-Syrian press and political class in Lebanon will continue to portray France as no longer "with the program" in terms of support for March 14 positions and partners. French Ambassador Emie has asked Ambassador Feltman to meet with Cousseran today (7/24),a meeting that will be covered septel. End comment. FELTMAN