LEBANON: POSITIONS FOR ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 000326 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARCHESE/HARDING STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/FO:ATACHCO E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER LE IR SU IN PA SUBJECT: LEBANON: POSITIONS FOR ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING REMAIN UNCLEAR REF: A. STATE 24372 ¶B. STATE 24344 Classified By: Jeffrey D. Feltman, Ambassador. Reason: Sections 1.4 (b ) and (d). ¶1. (C) Polchief delivered ref (A) demarche to Oussama Khacchab, Americas Desk Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Khacchab pointed out that Lebanon did not receive the agenda for the Foreign Ministers Meeting until late on March 1, and that its positions on several key positions remain undetermined. The MFA is focusing its effort on preparing its paper for the Arab Summit March 28-29, but the process is hampered by the fact that Lebanon's Foreign Minister, Fawzi Salloukh, resigned from the cabinet November ¶11. While Salloukh has conducted some protocol functions lately, neither he nor acting Minister Tarek Mitri have exercised substantive control over the ministry. Minister Mitri, whose primary portfolio is the Ministry of Culture, will likely represent Lebanon at the Foreign Ministers Meeting. The MFA's former Secretary-General, Ambassador Boutros Assaker, will also attend. Both Mitri and Assaker are on the opposite side of the political divide from Minister Salloukh, Oussama pointed out, which exacerbates the ministry's political divide. (Note: We would characterize Assaker, who has been nominated but not confirmed as Lebanon's ambassador to France, as only barely, if at all, on the opposite side of political divide from President Lahoud. He maintained close relations with the Syrians during their occupation of Lebanon. End Note.) ¶2. (C) On Palestine, Khacchab reported that Lebanon strongly supports the National Unity Government and will likely express its support during the FM meeting and Summit. When pressed on the difficulties this could pose for the Israeli-Palestinian dialogue, Khacchab noted that Lebanon perceives that its greatest equity is to ensure peace among Palestinian factions within refugee camps inside Lebanon; pro-Fatah and pro-Hamas groups have clashed recently, and the Lebanese security services' ability to control outbreaks of violence inside the camps is limited. On Iraq, he noted that Lebanon is seized with the significance of the upcoming regional security meeting to be held in Baghdad. he said that the GOL would likely form its position after that meeting, and in conjunction with the Saudi and Egyptian lead within the Arab League. ¶3. (C) On Iran, Khacchab welcomed ref (B) demarche and expressed GOL concerns about Iran's destabilizing activities in the region, but stressed that GOL public action or statements on Iran's nuclear activities would likely be circumscribed by internal tensions between the GOL and its Iranian-supported elements. On Sudan, Khacchab said that Lebanon would take either a "strong" position reflecting the concern of Lebanese Christians over the violence in Darfur or a "diplomatic" position in harmony with the broader consensus within the Arab League. Lebanon has no position as yet on the specific issue of the proposed UN/African Union Peacekeeping Operation. FELTMAN