MFA ON LEBANON AND EGYPTIAN DELEGATION TO TEHRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 003518 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV LE SY EG IR SUBJECT: MFA ON LEBANON AND EGYPTIAN DELEGATION TO TEHRAN Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Jones Reasons: 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) MFA Cabinet Advisor for Iran Mahmoud Afifi told us December 17 that the December 11 visit of Assistant Minister for Asian Affairs Hussein Derar was to reciprocate the September 18 visit to Egypt of an Iranian delegation (led by Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi). Afifi, and MFA Cabinet Advisor for the Levant Nazih el Neggary, downplayed the significance of the visit, and stressed that the timing was related neither to recent regional events (e.g. the situation in Lebanon),nor the USG release of the National Intelligence Assessment on Iran's nuclear program. ¶2. (C) Neggary said that the recent visit to Beirut of A/S David Welch was useful in that it showed the Syrians the USG remains serious, and supportive of the March 14 majority. He said the Syrians, as well as the Iranians, may have calculated they could push for additional conditions on election of Michel Sleiman because of a perception that the USG was "preoccupied" with the Annapolis Conference, especially in getting Syria to attend. He had heard that the Syrians, were hoping to delay the Lebanese presidential election into April, to ensure that Lebanon's seat would be empty at the Arab League Summit in March. Neggary opined that the USG must not "drop the stick" in favor of "the carrot," but rather make both "clearly visible" to the Syrians and Iran. ¶3. (C) Neggary assessed that French FM Kouchner was pushing very hard "with the whole weight of France" on the Lebanese opposition and the Syrians. Kouchner had sent a strongly worded message to the Syrians (and had shared with the Egyptians) which made clear the French were out of patience and that while the message stopped short of accusing Syria of direct culpability for the December 12 assassination of Francois El Haj, the "spirit of the message" made clear that France believed that Syrian activity in Lebanon was a major factor. Ricciardone