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
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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