Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BEIRUT1855
2007-11-24 18:48:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beirut
Cable title:
LEBANON: HIZBALLAH'S STRONG CRITICISM OF ANNAPOLIS
how-toVZCZCXRO4488 OO RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHLB #1855 3281848 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 241848Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0309 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN PRIORITY 0913 RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1719 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1927 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 001855
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER; STATE FOR NEA/RA, NEA/IPA,
NEA/ELA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2017
TAGS: IS LE PARM PGOV PREL PTER SY
SUBJECT: LEBANON: HIZBALLAH'S STRONG CRITICISM OF ANNAPOLIS
MAKES SOME WONDER
REF: A. STATE 156471
B. TEACH-SOMERSET 11/24 TELCALL
Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman for Reasons: Section 1.4 (b)
and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 001855
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER; STATE FOR NEA/RA, NEA/IPA,
NEA/ELA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2017
TAGS: IS LE PARM PGOV PREL PTER SY
SUBJECT: LEBANON: HIZBALLAH'S STRONG CRITICISM OF ANNAPOLIS
MAKES SOME WONDER
REF: A. STATE 156471
B. TEACH-SOMERSET 11/24 TELCALL
Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman for Reasons: Section 1.4 (b)
and (d)
1. (C) During a round of meetings the Ambassador had on
November 23 and 24 focused on the presidency crisis, a number
of Lebanese interlocutors expressed surprise about
Hizballah's November 23 statement which carried particularly
pointed criticism of the Annapolis Conference and Lebanese
participation. It surprised people that Hizballah was so
strong when its ally Syria has supposedly just accepted an
invitation to Annapolis. PM Siniora's chief aide Mohamed
Chatah wondered if this reflected a split between Hizballah
and Syria. Is Syria shifting? Is there a rift between Syria
and Hizballah's sponsors Iran? Chatah wondered. UN Special
Envoy for Lebanon Geir Pederson, who regularly sees
Hizballah, did not think so; he called the statement a sign
of a division of labor between Iran and Syria, with Hizballah
being used to convey the Iranian message about Annapolis.
2. (C) The Hizballah statement slammed the "illegitmate and
unconstitutional" Lebanese government for seeking to "keep
the government of the Zionist enemy afloat, dictate
conditions on the Palestinians ... and thwart the
Palestinians right of return to their homeland". Whether it
reflected some split with Syria or not, the statement was an
opportunity for Hizballah to criticize the cabinet of PM
Siniora just after the cabinet acquired the powers of the
presidency from Hizballah's ally, president Emile Lahoud.
Lahoud's term ended at midnight November 24 and, with no
successor chosen, presidential powers passed (peacefully) to
the cabinet.
3. (C) On the day the statement was released, the Siniora
government decided to upgrade its representation in Annapolis
and will now send Acting Foreign Minister Tariq Mitri to head
the Lebanese delegation. (Note. We sent information about
Mitri and his itenirary to NEA/ELA on November 24. End
note.) Some interlocutors, including Chatah and MP Saad
Hariri, mused that Hizballah's harsh words against Annapolis
were setting the stage for rhetorical attacks against the
cabinet for sending a delegation.
FELTMAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER; STATE FOR NEA/RA, NEA/IPA,
NEA/ELA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2017
TAGS: IS LE PARM PGOV PREL PTER SY
SUBJECT: LEBANON: HIZBALLAH'S STRONG CRITICISM OF ANNAPOLIS
MAKES SOME WONDER
REF: A. STATE 156471
B. TEACH-SOMERSET 11/24 TELCALL
Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman for Reasons: Section 1.4 (b)
and (d)
1. (C) During a round of meetings the Ambassador had on
November 23 and 24 focused on the presidency crisis, a number
of Lebanese interlocutors expressed surprise about
Hizballah's November 23 statement which carried particularly
pointed criticism of the Annapolis Conference and Lebanese
participation. It surprised people that Hizballah was so
strong when its ally Syria has supposedly just accepted an
invitation to Annapolis. PM Siniora's chief aide Mohamed
Chatah wondered if this reflected a split between Hizballah
and Syria. Is Syria shifting? Is there a rift between Syria
and Hizballah's sponsors Iran? Chatah wondered. UN Special
Envoy for Lebanon Geir Pederson, who regularly sees
Hizballah, did not think so; he called the statement a sign
of a division of labor between Iran and Syria, with Hizballah
being used to convey the Iranian message about Annapolis.
2. (C) The Hizballah statement slammed the "illegitmate and
unconstitutional" Lebanese government for seeking to "keep
the government of the Zionist enemy afloat, dictate
conditions on the Palestinians ... and thwart the
Palestinians right of return to their homeland". Whether it
reflected some split with Syria or not, the statement was an
opportunity for Hizballah to criticize the cabinet of PM
Siniora just after the cabinet acquired the powers of the
presidency from Hizballah's ally, president Emile Lahoud.
Lahoud's term ended at midnight November 24 and, with no
successor chosen, presidential powers passed (peacefully) to
the cabinet.
3. (C) On the day the statement was released, the Siniora
government decided to upgrade its representation in Annapolis
and will now send Acting Foreign Minister Tariq Mitri to head
the Lebanese delegation. (Note. We sent information about
Mitri and his itenirary to NEA/ELA on November 24. End
note.) Some interlocutors, including Chatah and MP Saad
Hariri, mused that Hizballah's harsh words against Annapolis
were setting the stage for rhetorical attacks against the
cabinet for sending a delegation.
FELTMAN