LEBANON: SPEAKER BERRI DEFENDS CLOSURE OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 000767 SIPDIS SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - PARA 1 TEXT 5/29 MEETING NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/MARCHESE/HARDING E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL LE SUBJECT: LEBANON: SPEAKER BERRI DEFENDS CLOSURE OF PARLIAMANENT, ACCUSES U.S. OF PLOTTING WITH LAHOUD Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey D. Feltman. Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) In a 5/29 meeting with CODEL Price, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri thanked the delegation for its legislative strengthening assistance. Chairman Price expressed surprise and concern that Berri has not used the institution of the parliament to resolve the political impasse. Berri once again suggested that the United States should support his initiative to hold a limited electoral session of Parliament, with a two-thirds quorum, on September 25 to elect a new president and prompt the formation of a new cabinet. He argued that UNSC adoption of the international tribunal will not affect Lebanon's political impasse. Berri urged Ambassador Feltman to help him find a way to bring about the earlier formation of a national unity government; the alternative to a unity government will be continued attempts by President Lahoud to form a second government. Finally, Berri offered unsolicited comments on U.S.-Iran relations, and suggested that addressing the latest wave of terrorism in Lebanon would require U.S. cooperation with Iran and other states. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri, accompanied by his foreign policy advisor Ali Hamdan and Director General of Parliament Bilal Sharara, warmly welcomed CODEL Price and Ambassador Feltman on May 29. Berri first thanked Chairman of the House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC) Price for congressional support, including the recently passed supplemental aid package as well as for the HDAC,s year-old legislative strengthening program with the Lebanese parliament. Berri also thanked the CODEL for two new capacity building initiatives focused on strengthening the parliamentary Budget and Finance Committee and enhancing the research capabilities of the parliamentary library. HDAC PRESENTS SUPPORT, URGES ACTION -------------- ¶3. (C) United States support for Lebanon,s democratic, multi-sectarian system of government remains broad-based, Chairman Price told Speaker Berri, and requires a parliament to keep its sects working together. A constitutional institution such as the parliament should be a means to end the gridlock, Price argued, through a clear, balanced, participatory process. The fact that the speaker has refused to convene parliament is troubling, Price continued, and causes Americans to question Berri,s willingness to resolve the crisis. Representative Fortenberry noted that the parliament was one of several internal institutions or mechanisms available to the Lebanese to resolve the impasse and achieve a more stable country. ¶4. (C) Price commented that the Shia community's willingness to step away from the cabinet was strange and troubling. He contrasted Berri,s management of the parliament with the Ukraine, where the HDAC is also working, and where the parliament continued to operate after the unilateral withdrawal of one party. Price also cited the Taif Agreement,s call to form a Senate, and questioned why Lebanon has never done so. Ambassador Feltman reminded Berri, when he accused PM Siniora of heading an "unconstitutional" government, that he and President Emile Lahoud had not fulfilled their constitutional duty to hold a by-election for assassinated Industry Minister and MP Pierre Gemayel. BERRI DEFENDS CLOSURE OF PARLIAMENT -------------- ¶5. (C) Berri launched into his oft-reiterated explanation for his failure to convene parliament; he said he cannot convene a session that would address, or refer, legislation to or from the cabinet, which he believes is illegitimate without Shia participation. (The Lebanese cabinet sits on a raised dias behind the Speaker during parliamentary sessions, a practice Berri refuses to permit since the Shia seats would be empty.) The cabinet exists, Berri acknowledged, but can't approve decrees to pass to parliament until at least one Shia minister is replaced, to ensure that all communities are represented. Instead, only a national unity government can end the political stalemate and return Lebanon to peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians. ¶6. (C) Berri then recounted his attempts to build broader cross-confessional understanding, and once again blamed the March 14 colation for preventing a consensus. Berri argued that his March 2006 national dialogue roundtable was a relative success, because national leaders reached consensus on 10 of 12 agenda items (all but the issue of the illegally extended presidency and the weapons of Hizballah). Berri took similar credit for November consultations that followed the July 2006 war with Israel and sought consensus on a national unity government and passage of a new electoral law. He blamed March 14,s insistence on quickly scheduling a cabinet meeting to pass a decree to form an international tribunal for causing the resignation of six cabinet ministers. Finally, Berri blamed Prime Minister Siniora for refusing Berri's (alleged) request to replace at least one Shia minister, despite his offer to protect and work with any minister willing to join the cabinet. ¶7. (C) Instead, Berri argued, the United States should support his plan to convene a special limited electoral session of parliament, with the two-thirds quorum Berri insists is required, on September 25 to spur the election of a new president and the formation of a new cabinet. Once the new president takes office on November 25, the constitution requires that the cabinet dissolve and the president form a new cabinet, which Berri said would be a national unity government. It would be better not to wait until late September, Berri argued, but the current parliamentary session expires on May 31, and an extraordinary session would require the signature of both the Prime Minister and the President, an impossibility giving Lahoud's refusal to recognize Siniora. September is the earliest the constitution allows for an exceptional Presidential election session. TRIBUNAL WON'T CHANGE A THING -------------- ¶8. (C) In answer to a question from Representative Rahall, Berri argued that the expected UNSC adoption of the international tribunal under Chapter VII authority this week will not affect the political impasse. Only the formation of a national unity government can do so, Berri argued. In an effort to further assuage U.S. concerns, Berri magnanimously offered to support the march 14 majority MPs' re-election of Prime Minister Siniora to head such a new cabinet. In such a new cabinet any number of ministers would be acceptable, Berri argued, as long as the cabinet created a new atmosphere, in Lebanon. Otherwise, he continued, the bloody conflict between the army and terrorist group Fatah al-Islam around Tripoli is just a warning to all Lebanese. Berri noted rumors that as many as 18 soldiers were killed last week before they even became aware of the fighting and started to defend themselves; "it was a catastrophe," Berri argued, sowing fear that the army will not be able to defend itself against more unrest. BERRI ACCUSES U.S. OF PLOTTING ON LEBANON -------------- ¶9. (C) Berri carried an air of suspicion during the meeting, and several times suggested that Ambassador Feltman or the United States might be working toward a deal for an earlier resolution of Lebanon's political stalemate. In addition, Berri was cagey about the details of a phone call between President Lahoud and Patriarch Sfeir earlier in the day. Berri would not elaborate on whether the two had given him a proposal on how to move forward. He noted that he hoped the Patriarch would convince Lahoud to allow a national unity government rather than a second government. (Note: The press is reporting that President Lahoud asked the Patriarch and Berri to support the formation of a six-member "salvation cabinet" or face the possibility of a two-government scenario. End Note) BERRI SEES COMMON U.S.-IRAN GROUND -------------- ¶10. (C) Finally, as he is wont to do, Berri once again commented in passing on U.S.-Iran relations. The United States and Iran have many overlapping interests, Berri said, and addressing this new wave of terrorism in Lebanon will require the cooperation of several states. (Comment: It was not clear whether Berri,s comments were his own observations or, as in Berri,s meeting with A/S Welch two weeks ago, a message from his Iranian contacts. End Comment.) ¶11. (U) This message has not been cleared by CODEL Price. FELTMAN