Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BEIRUT482
2007-04-03 14:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beirut
Cable title:
LEBANON: CODEL PEOSI MEETS SPEAKER NABIH BERRI
how-toVZCZCXRO3076 PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUELB #0482/01 0931426 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 031426Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHD PRIORITY 7861 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIV RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHNO/USISSION USNATO 1000 RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILLAFB FL RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000482
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARHESE/HARDING
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2017
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: CODEL PEOSI MEETS SPEAKER NABIH BERRI
Classified By: Chistopher W. Murray, Charge d'Affaires. Reason: Sct
ions 1.4 (b) and (d).
SUMMARY
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000482
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARHESE/HARDING
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2017
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: CODEL PEOSI MEETS SPEAKER NABIH BERRI
Classified By: Chistopher W. Murray, Charge d'Affaires. Reason: Sct
ions 1.4 (b) and (d).
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri tld CODEL
Pelosi on April 2 that it is the lack o Shia representation
in the cabinet, and not theinternational tribunal, that is
the real crux ofthe Lebanese political crisis. Berri
refuses toconvene a formal session of Parliament or work
wih the illegitimate cabinet, claiming that such a sep
would cause the Parliament to lose its legitiacy or the
opposition deputies to resign. Lebann's problems are
primarily internal, and Berri sid, and recommended that the
United States help fnd a solution by pressuring Saad Hariri
to contiue his dialogue with Berri, as well as by engaging
Syria and Iran to solve problems in the region. Berri
claimed to have no knowledge of the welfar or whereabouts of
the kidnapped Israeli soldiersbut agreed to "ask" about
their well-being. EndSummary.
EXCLUSION, NOT THE TRIBUNAL,
THE SOURCE OF THE STALEMATE
--------------
2. (C) Nabih Berri, Shia Speaker of Parliament ad leader of
the Amal Movement, hosted a working lnch on April 2 for
CODEL Pelosi. The CODEL was ed by Speaker of the House of
Representatives Nacy Pelosi (CA); and comprised
Representatives To Lantos (CA),Henry Waxman (CA),Nick
Rahall (WV, David Hobson (OH),Louise Slaughter (NY) and
Keth Ellison (MN). The Charge, PolChief, and Pol-Ecnoff
accompanied the CODEL.
3. (C) Speaker Pelosi asked Speaker Berri to share his
insights ino the political stalemate in Lebanon. Berri
expained that each democracy is distinct, and with 18
religious communities in Lebanon it is essential hat the
government not exclude any one group. "hat, and not the
international tribunal, is the eal problem," Berri said,
complaining that the Mrch 14 majority allowed Amal and other
groups onl two days to translate and study the 30-page draft
tribunal legislation. Berri boasted that he wasamong the
first to suggest an international tribnal with a mandate
inside Lebanon, following theexample of Sierra Leone, and to
call for a nationl dialogue. But two days was not a fair
opportuity for the Cabinet to consider the Tribunal
docments, Berri said, and the Shia Cabinet ministers
responded by resigning.
A LEGITIMATE PARLIAMENT MUST NOT
WORK WITH AN ILLEGITIMATE CABINET
--------------
4. (C) The Cabinet lost its legitimacy when the Shia and
pro-Lahou cabinet ministers resigned, Berri opined; whilestill
a functioning entity, the Cabinet will not be
legitimate until all communities are once again epresented
there. Holding a Cabinet meeting witout Shia ministers
present would be like holdingcongressional elections without
the participatio of several large states, Berri analogized.
5. C) Parliament is not closed, Berri said, since the
Speaker and the parliamentary committees are stil meeting.
He admitted however that he will not cll for a formal
session or allow the parliamentay committees to consider any
new legislation refrred from an "illegitimate" Cabinet. If
he did cll for a formal parliamentary session, Berri
speulated, perhaps the 57 opposition deputies would wlk
out, causing the Parliament to also lose its egitimacy.
6. (C) Speaker Pelosi reasoned that o one person can decide
whether a government is legitimate or not, and that the
international community does not see any Lebanese effort to
fix this problem. Pelosi argued that the international
community might conclude that if the Parliament isn't
legitimate, then the Speaker isn't legitimate. In addition,
Congresswoman Slaughter, head of the Rules Committee,
proposed that Berri use the Chamber of Deputies' rules and
procedures to push for a resolution to the political
stalemate.
LEBANON'S PROBLEMS ARE INTERNAL
--------------
7. (C) Berri claimed that the United States wrongly blames
***********************
* Missing Section 002 *
***********************
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARHESE/HARDING
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2017
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: CODEL PEOSI MEETS SPEAKER NABIH BERRI
Classified By: Chistopher W. Murray, Charge d'Affaires. Reason: Sct
ions 1.4 (b) and (d).
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri tld CODEL
Pelosi on April 2 that it is the lack o Shia representation
in the cabinet, and not theinternational tribunal, that is
the real crux ofthe Lebanese political crisis. Berri
refuses toconvene a formal session of Parliament or work
wih the illegitimate cabinet, claiming that such a sep
would cause the Parliament to lose its legitiacy or the
opposition deputies to resign. Lebann's problems are
primarily internal, and Berri sid, and recommended that the
United States help fnd a solution by pressuring Saad Hariri
to contiue his dialogue with Berri, as well as by engaging
Syria and Iran to solve problems in the region. Berri
claimed to have no knowledge of the welfar or whereabouts of
the kidnapped Israeli soldiersbut agreed to "ask" about
their well-being. EndSummary.
EXCLUSION, NOT THE TRIBUNAL,
THE SOURCE OF THE STALEMATE
--------------
2. (C) Nabih Berri, Shia Speaker of Parliament ad leader of
the Amal Movement, hosted a working lnch on April 2 for
CODEL Pelosi. The CODEL was ed by Speaker of the House of
Representatives Nacy Pelosi (CA); and comprised
Representatives To Lantos (CA),Henry Waxman (CA),Nick
Rahall (WV, David Hobson (OH),Louise Slaughter (NY) and
Keth Ellison (MN). The Charge, PolChief, and Pol-Ecnoff
accompanied the CODEL.
3. (C) Speaker Pelosi asked Speaker Berri to share his
insights ino the political stalemate in Lebanon. Berri
expained that each democracy is distinct, and with 18
religious communities in Lebanon it is essential hat the
government not exclude any one group. "hat, and not the
international tribunal, is the eal problem," Berri said,
complaining that the Mrch 14 majority allowed Amal and other
groups onl two days to translate and study the 30-page draft
tribunal legislation. Berri boasted that he wasamong the
first to suggest an international tribnal with a mandate
inside Lebanon, following theexample of Sierra Leone, and to
call for a nationl dialogue. But two days was not a fair
opportuity for the Cabinet to consider the Tribunal
docments, Berri said, and the Shia Cabinet ministers
responded by resigning.
A LEGITIMATE PARLIAMENT MUST NOT
WORK WITH AN ILLEGITIMATE CABINET
--------------
4. (C) The Cabinet lost its legitimacy when the Shia and
pro-Lahou cabinet ministers resigned, Berri opined; whilestill
a functioning entity, the Cabinet will not be
legitimate until all communities are once again epresented
there. Holding a Cabinet meeting witout Shia ministers
present would be like holdingcongressional elections without
the participatio of several large states, Berri analogized.
5. C) Parliament is not closed, Berri said, since the
Speaker and the parliamentary committees are stil meeting.
He admitted however that he will not cll for a formal
session or allow the parliamentay committees to consider any
new legislation refrred from an "illegitimate" Cabinet. If
he did cll for a formal parliamentary session, Berri
speulated, perhaps the 57 opposition deputies would wlk
out, causing the Parliament to also lose its egitimacy.
6. (C) Speaker Pelosi reasoned that o one person can decide
whether a government is legitimate or not, and that the
international community does not see any Lebanese effort to
fix this problem. Pelosi argued that the international
community might conclude that if the Parliament isn't
legitimate, then the Speaker isn't legitimate. In addition,
Congresswoman Slaughter, head of the Rules Committee,
proposed that Berri use the Chamber of Deputies' rules and
procedures to push for a resolution to the political
stalemate.
LEBANON'S PROBLEMS ARE INTERNAL
--------------
7. (C) Berri claimed that the United States wrongly blames
***********************
* Missing Section 002 *
***********************