Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BEIRUT783
2007-06-02 12:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beirut
Cable title:  

LEBANON: AOUN BLOC TELLS HDAC THEY ARE THE

Tags:  PREL PGOV LE 
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PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHLB #0783/01 1531212
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 021212Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8379
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1186
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000783 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/MARCHESE/HARDING

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: AOUN BLOC TELLS HDAC THEY ARE THE
ORIGINAL OPPOSITION


Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

SUMMARY
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000783

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/MARCHESE/HARDING

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: AOUN BLOC TELLS HDAC THEY ARE THE
ORIGINAL OPPOSITION


Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (SBU) On May 28, Aoun bloc member Ibrahim Kenaan told
visiting members of the House Democracy Assistance Commission
that the Aoun bloc was the original opposition; this status
derives from the bloc having always opposed any government
formed via elections that took place under the old
Syrian-dictated electoral law. As the system is now, Kenaan
said, it is not democratic. The Aoun bloc only opposes that
which is not democratic. Kenaan said that a coalition
comprising Hariri, Jumblatt and Hizballah originally formed
the government. They had no national vision, only a marriage
of interests, and therefore the government fell apart over
time, due to calls for an international tribunal and for the
disarmament of Hizballah. End Summary.

RELATIONSHIP WITH HIZBALLAH CAME
FROM DESIRE FOR DEMOCRACY
--------------


2. (SBU) In a 5/28 meeting at the home of Aoun bloc MP
Ibrahim Kenaan, Kenaan and fellow Free Patriotic Movement
(FPM) members Ghassan Moukhaiber, Walid Khoury and Alain Aoun
explained how the bloc originated, and its alignment with
Hizballah, to the House Democracy Assistance Commission
(HDAC),Embassy Econoffs, and Congressional staff aides.
Kenaan first expressed his gratitude to the Embassy for
organizing the Parliamentarians, recent visit to the U.S.
He said they learned much from the exposure to democracy and
debate. In response to questions from Chairman Price
regarding the bloc,s role in Parliament, Kenaan said the
Aoun bloc was always for a democracy in which all Lebanese
were represented and had real voices. Although they opposed
the present electoral law adopted in 2000, they participated
and emerged as the group in opposition to the March 14 group
parliamentary majority. They considered themselves the bloc
that does not owe anything to Saad Hariri or anyone else.
After the summer 2005 parliamentary elections, a coalition
was formed by Mustaqbal leader Saad Hariri, PSP and Druse
leader Walid Jumblatt, Amal, and Hizballah. This coalition

then came to agreements on how to distribute Cabinet seats,
while the Aoun-led FPM bloc became the opposition. With the
later Cabinet adoption of international resolutions, which
Hizballah and Amal opposed, the coalition collapsed.

BAD PR ALIGNS THEM TO HIZBALLAH
--------------


3. (SBU) Kenaan stressed that the Aoun bloc is not beholden
to anyone else,s views and opposes any group that does not
advocate re-shaping the political system. He pointed out
that they have "lots of differences with Hizballah," and gave
as an example their support for the LAF in the current
situation at the Nahr al-Barid refugee camp. By contrast,
Hizballah has been against the LAF entering the Palestinian
refugee camp in order to capture terrorist extremists.
Kenaan mentioned other issues such as independence and
national sovereignty, in which, he said, the FPM takes
stances distinct from those of Hizballah.


4. (SBU) Aoun supporter Ghassan Moukhaiber added that being
in a group with those who are allies of Syria does not mean
that the bloc itself is an ally of Syria. He also said he is
aware that some say members of the Aoun bloc are "nice guys"
but have been caught up and are being used by Hizballah.
While being a part of the opposition, the FPM still shares
some policies with the March 14 parliamentary majority, such
as the establishment of the tribunal, support for the LAF,
and non-interference by Syria in Lebanon's internal affairs.
Kenaan repeatedly told the HDAC delegation that General Aoun
is anti-Syria and wants to bring Lebanon to a situation in
which the country does not look to outsiders for support. He
accepted HDAC Chairman Price,s comment that an alliance with
Hizballah and Amal &just wasn,t right8 and said that in
the beginning, Hizballah hid from the FPM the Hizballah
agenda on its own arms.

DIVISION OF CHRISTIANS
--------------


5. (SBU) The political split among Lebanon's Christians came
about, according to Ghassan Moukhaiber, because of a
"breakdown of confidence and the high level of competition

BEIRUT 00000783 002 OF 002


among the political groups.8 There are some groups, he
said, that are happy to see Aoun aligned with Hizballah
because this implies less political competition for them.
Walid Khoury offered that the Aoun bloc was rejected by the
Hariri and Jumblatt coalition without reason. Kenaan added
that former PM Hariri was in power with Syria,s support.
The Cedar revolution actually started well before Rafiq
Hariri's February 2005 assassination. The real beginning of
the end for the Syrians in Lebanon occurred on October 13,
1990, when Syria invaded the last part of Lebanon. Initial
opposition to the Syrians at that time centered on the
Aounists, who were only later joined by Hariri and Jumblatt.
This anti-Syrian consensus broke down when the majority
agreed to elections in 2005 on the basis of the
Syrian-dictated 2000 electoral law. We in the Aoun bloc, he
said, wonder how one can build a country without a minimal
common understanding among the people, and without a national
unity government. Syria manipulated us by dividing our
communities, he claimed.

REQUEST FOR CRITICAL WEAPONS FOR LAF
--------------


6. (C) Moukhaiber said he went recently to see LAF Commander
General Sleiman, who told him that he does not have what he
needs to attack Fatah al-Islam extremists in the Nahr
el-Barad refugee camp. Sleiman told Moukhaiber that he needs
tank rounds, and helicopters with rockets or missiles.
Moukhaiber asked if supplying such weaponry is a political
issue for the U.S.

A DYSFUNCTIONAL PARLIAMENT
--------------


7. (SBU) Parliament was dysfunctional from the start,
according to Moukhaiber, and the decision making process is
flawed, leading to the Parliament breaking up into groups.
As Parliament met so infrequently over the years, the
executive branch now makes all the decisions. Fundamental
reforms for Parliament need to be enacted. There has been no
real dialogue about this, Moukhaiber claimed, and for that
reason he reiterates his calls for political reform.


8. (U) The House Democracy Assistance Commission has not
cleared this message.
FELTMAN