LEBANON: GOL UPDATE ON NAHR AL-BARID RECONSTRUCTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 001829

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/GAVITO/YERGER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAL IS LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: GOL UPDATE ON NAHR AL-BARID RECONSTRUCTION


Classified By: DCM William Grant for reasons 1.4 (b) (d)


1. (C) Summary: Ambassador Khalil Makkawi, head of the GOL's
Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Commission, expressed concern
about the pace of reconstruction efforts in the Nahr al-Barid
(NAB) Palestinian refugee camp. With the arrival of winter
weather, many families are suffering in their less than ideal
temporary shelters. Ambassador Makkawi hopes that UNRWA will
retain a sense of urgency and not place this issue in their
"business as usual" workload. The impending election of a
new Lebanese president and follow-on selection of a new prime
minister and cabinet will not impact the LPDC's work, Makkawi
said, implying that he would continue to head this
organization, which reports directly to the Prime Minister,
even after those changes. End Summary.

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RELATIONS WITH UNRWA
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2. (C) On November 21, Special Assistant met with Ambassador
Makkawi, Rima Aboushaka and Nedim Shehady to review progress
of the Nahr Al-Barid reconstruction efforts. Ambassador
Makkawi expressed frustration with UNRWA's pace on this
project. "This is still a humanitarian emergency, but they
seem to be treating it as 'business as usual.'" Makkawi was
frustrated by the fact that Richard Cook, Director of UNRWA's
Lebanon Field Office, is in the middle of a one month
vacation. "I haven't had a single day off since this crisis
started," added Makkawi. He also wants UNRWA to push for
additional donations from foreign governments. The USG
contribution of USD 10 million to UNRWA is one of the few
that has been finalized.


3. (C) Makkawi also mentioned an issue that appears to be a
sore subject for him. He said that UNRWA was trying to
"evade" responsibility for the Palestinian refugees who lived
in the new portion of the NAB camp, saying that only the old
part of the camp was officially under UNRWA's control.
Makkawi said that he had to convince UNRWA that, as
Palestinian refugees, residents of the new camp were, in
fact, part of UNRWA's mandate in Lebanon. Reconstruction of
the new camp is a separate issue, according to Makkawi, but
there never should have been a question about the refugees
themselves.


4. (C) Finally, he mentioned a key challenge in the months to
come. UNRWA and the World Bank are conducting a series of
reconstruction assessment reports. The GOL has contracted a
local firm, Khatib and Alami, to do the same. (Note: The GOL
used Khatib and Alami to conduct similar surveys after the
2006 war with Israel. While the GOL seems confident with the
firm's factual assessments, NGOs and residents have
complained about the pace of these surveys, which led to
delays in compensation payments for many residents in
Southern Lebanon. End Note.) According to Ambassador
Makkawi, the two sets of assessments will have to be combined
and reconciled at some point and he dreads the bureaucratic
delays that will likely result.

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RELIEF COORDINATION AND ALLOCATION
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5. (C) According to Ambassador Makkawi, a special committee
has been established to coordinate Lebanese interagency and
international reconstruction work in NAB. The LPDC will
chair and other members include the Lebanese Council for
Development and Reconstruction (CDR),the Lebanese High
Relief Commission, the Lebanese Armed Forces and the World
Bank. He is particularly pleased that this group has been
able to meet with municipal leaders from the Tripoli area to
listen to the problems their Lebanese constituents have faced
during and after the conflict. Dialogue with the local
representatives is key if tension between Lebanese and
Palestinian residents of the Tripoli area is to be diffused.
He provided a list of key municipal leaders to the Special
Assistant and recommended that the Embassy also meet with
this group to hear their concerns.


6. (C) Makkawi also expressed concern that no international
donor funds had been contributed to the LPDC's USD 28.5
million appeal to help Lebanese citizens who were impacted by
the conflict. "All of the funds are going to the
Palestinians," said Makkawi, "and this creates political
problems for those of us who are working for a more
harmonious relationship between the Lebanese and Palestinian
residents."

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CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT WON'T AFFECT LPDC
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7. (C) Makkawi smiled when asked if he and his office would
continue their work once the Lebanese presidential election
process is completed, saying that every diplomat in town had
asked him the same question in recent weeks. The LPDC was
established by a formal decree from the Council of Ministers
with no end date. It would take another decree to close the
office and Makkawi is confident that this will not happen.
When asked if he personally would continue in his current
position, Makkawi indicated that he has no plans to resign at
this time.

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COMMENT
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8. (C) Makkawi is a veteran diplomat with passion for this
cause and an excellent working relationship with the current
prime minister, Fouad Siniora. Once the Lebanese parliament
elects a new president, Siniora and his cabinet submit their
resignations and a process of selecting a PM and cabinet
begins. Makkawi's continued effectiveness may be determined
in large part by his relationship with the incoming prime
minister. End Comment.
FELTMAN