LEBANON: SHIA MUFTI URGES U.S. DIALOGUE WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 001602 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/GAVITO/YERGER E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL LE SUBJECT: LEBANON: SHIA MUFTI URGES U.S. DIALOGUE WITH HIZBALLAH, ENGAGEMENT IN ELECTION Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey D. Feltman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) On October 11, Acting Chairman of the Higher Islamic Council Sayyed Abed al-Amir Qabalan was jovial as usual, but adopted a more aggressive tone than in previous meetings with the Ambassador. He urged the US to engage with Hizballah, and stressed Hizballah's allegedly peaceful intentions and its desire for a strong Lebanese state, not a state within a state. Hizballah's arms are for resisting Israel, not other Lebanese. According to Qabalan, regional instability and tension can only be decreased by solving the Palestinian issue and peace, and stability in Lebanon can only be achieved through election of a consensus president. Lack of agreement on a consensus president could lead to the formation of two governments, a potential threat to UNIFIL's mission in south Lebanon. Qabalan urged the U.S. to give some indication as to which of the candidates it prefers. Advocating a step by step approach to solving Lebanon's problems, Qabalan stressed that the first step was to reach a consensus on the next president, then to focus on forming a new government. End summary. HIZBALLAH'S AIMS ARE LEBANESE AIMS -------------- ¶2. (C) In an October 11 meeting with the Ambassador, Poloff, and FSN Political Advisor, Sayyed Abed al-Amir Qabalan jokingly asked the Ambassador, "So, how have your contacts with Hizballah been lately?" Explaining our concern with Hizballah's actions in Lebanon and Iraq, Ambassador told Qabalan that the USG policy of non-contact with Hizballah continues. Adopting a more earnest tone, Qabalan stressed that all Lebanese desire peace, stability and solutions to their social and economic problems. The current political crisis could only be resolved by selecting a president with the right qualifications, and that meant a consensus candidate accepted by all Lebanese. Qabalan said that if US interests in Lebanon are based on harmony and stability, then it should engage with everyone, including the opposition, and especially Hizballah. If March 14 and the opposition can not agree on a consensus candidate, then the threat of political vacuum, and the formation of two governments loomed. Qabalan insinuated that such a scenario could have dire consequences for UNIFIL, which operates in opposition-controlled areas. ¶3. (C) After listening to the Ambassador's description of US policy vis-a-vis Lebano's presidential elections, Qabalan urged the US to at least hint at its preferred presidential candidate, adding that if the US wanted a president who could understand and deal with Hizballah, then Lebanese Armed Forces Commander General Michel Sleiman was the right choice. Qabalan also pressed the US to support Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri's ongoing efforts to forge a consensus on the presidential election. After suggesting the US wanted to eliminate the Shia by arming the Sunnis, Qabalan reiterated that the Shia wanted to be friends and partners with everyone. He stressed that Lebanon's problems could be solved only through fostering understanding and building bridges, not by force and pressure, and pointed out that the U.S. triumph over the Soviets was achieved through skillful political work, not force. ¶4. (C) Rejecting the Ambassador's examples, Qabalan denied that Hizballah was pushing Lebanon toward division, and trying to establish a state within a state; once Lebanon had a strong state, Hizballah would vanish. Agreeing that not one of the presidential candidates wanted to harm either Syria or the U.S., Qabalan predicted that even Syrian-supported military installations such as the PFLP-GC camp at Qusayyeh (near the border with Syria) will end, once a strong Lebanese state is established. Qabalan claimed Hizballah's weapons are for resisting Israeli aggression, not for use against Lebanese and that Hizballah is committed to peace and stability and strives to be a partner with everyone. "Believe us," he exclaimed, "We do not want your money, but your good will and respect!" SHIA FEAR ISRAEL, BUT WILL NOT TOLERATE ISRAELI AGGRESSION -------------- ¶5. (C) Qabalan asked the Ambassador, "Are you (the U.S.) against Hizballah because they are against the Jews, or BEIRUT 00001602 002 OF 002 because they are building a state within a state?" Reiterating that the Shia and all Lebanese are afraid of Israel, Qabalan said he had no problem with incorporating Hizballah's arms into the Lebanese Army, but wanted to live free of fear from Israeli strikes, and achieve mutual respect between the people of the region. The Palestinian issue demands a just solution before tension in the region could decrease; life for Palestinians in camps such as Nahr al-Barid and Ain al-Hilweh, is really no life at all. Qabalan insisted that Lebanese would not die, in order for Israel to live, but rather "we would die together." COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (C) Qabalan -- who is allied with Nabih Berri, not Hizballah -- was far more aggressive than usual in trying to rebut our concerns about Hizballah. Usually, he makes a brief, half-hearted, pro-forma, scripted effort to try to convince us to engage with Hizballah, but this time he pushed repeatedly. His advocacy of Michel Sleiman as a potential presidential consensus choice is consistent with other March 8 figures. What we found most disturbing, however, was Qabalan's pointed reference to the safety of UNIFIL troops being potentially at risk, should the lack of a consensus president lead to a two-cabinet scenario. FELTMAN