Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LISBON2229
2007-08-31 12:52:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Lisbon
Cable title:  

IN BEIRUT, AMADO UNDERSCORES EU INTEREST IN

Tags:  PREL PO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5970
RR RUEHAG RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN RUEHROV
DE RUEHLI #2229/01 2431252
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 311252Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6192
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LISBON 002229 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2017
TAGS: PREL PO
SUBJECT: IN BEIRUT, AMADO UNDERSCORES EU INTEREST IN
UPCOMING ELECTIONS


Classified By: Acting Pol/Econ Counselor Cari Enav for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)

Summary
-----------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LISBON 002229

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2017
TAGS: PREL PO
SUBJECT: IN BEIRUT, AMADO UNDERSCORES EU INTEREST IN
UPCOMING ELECTIONS


Classified By: Acting Pol/Econ Counselor Cari Enav for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)

Summary
--------------

1. (C) FM Luis Amado traveled to Beirut on August 22-23 to
express EU concern about Lebanon's upcoming elections. He
and his staff spoke with a variety of leaders, including PM
Siniora and Speaker Berri, and encouraged all sides to act
responsibly and engage constructively. His staff also
traveled to Syria to express EU concern about developments in
the region. They underscored that the Lebanese elections
provided an excellent opportunity for Syria to demonstrate
that it wanted to be "part of the solution, not the problem."
Amado's staff was also critical of Syria's close
relationship with Iran -- which the Syrians blamed on their
international isolation.

Meetings
--------------

2. (SBU) Traveling directly from the Balkans, FM Luis Amado
visited Beirut on August 22-23 and met with Lebanese PM Fouad
Siniora and Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri. His Special
Envoy to the Middle East Almeida Sampaio and MFA Middle East
Director Isabel Pedrosa stayed on to meet with the Maronite
Patriarch, Berri's Senior Political Advisor, Hezbollah's
Parliamentary Leader, Presidential Candidate Lahoud, and MP
Michele Aoun. Sampaio and Pedrosa continued on to Damascus
where they met with the Vice Foreign Minister for European
Affairs, the FM's Chief of Staff, the Vice Prime Minister for
Economic Reform and the local EU Presidency Representative.
(Note: The French are representing the EU Presidency in
Damascus because Portugal does not have an embassy there.)

EU Concern for Lebanese Elections
--------------

3. (C) Speaking with a variety of leaders, FM Luis Amado
expressed EU concern about Lebanon's upcoming elections. He
encouraged all sides to act responsibly and engage
constructively. Despite differing constitutional
interpretations, Speaker Berri informed Amado that he planned
to convene Parliament on September 25 to begin consensus
building to form a national unity government. Pedrosa
acknowledged it will be very difficult to reconcile the
opposition's view that Parliament needs a two-thirds majority
to present a candidate with the March 14 Group's view that,
absent consensus, Parliament only needs 50% of MPs plus one.

Given the potential for violence and the need to maintain
regional stability, Amado expressed a sense of urgency for
all sides to reach a compromise.


4. (C) The opposition told Amado that Siniora was too
comfortable due to strong U.S. and EU backing and did not
feel it necessary to compromise and form a national unity
government. March 14 interlocutors, on the other hand,
expressed concerned that a national unity government would
give the minority a blocking veto. They also wanted
guarantees that Shia ministers would not resign for any
mutually agreed-upon future government.

Nahr al-Bared almost Over / Grateful for UNIFIL contribution
-------------- -

5. (C) Siniora told Amado that he was concerned about the
Nahr al-Bared situation which had been "imposed" upon the
Lebanese. The government was proceeding very cautiously and
felt it had reached the final stages of conflict. Siniora
added that it had been necessary to take a stand now to
prevent a string of future confrontations. He also expressed
concern with Syria's role in the country and thanked the EU
for its continued UNIFIL participation in southern Lebanon.

Time for Syria to Ante Up
--------------

6. (C) Almeida Sampaio and Pedrosa continued on to Damascus
where they expressed strong EU concern about the current
situation in the region. They underscored that the Lebanese
elections provided an excellent opportunity for Syria to
demonstrate it wanted to be "part of the solution, not the
problem." They encouraged Syria to act responsibly and help
ensure that its neighbor was able to conduct peaceful
elections. Almeida Sampaio and Pedrosa also stressed the
importance of Syria's role in ensuring a secure environment
for the UNIFIL mission.


Iran -- the Only Girl Willing to Look Syria's Way
--------------

7. (C) In response to strong EU criticism of Syria's close
association with Iran, Syrian interlocutors noted that its
relationship was due in large part to Syria's international

LISBON 00002229 002 OF 002


isolation. They were highly critical of the West's attempt to
isolate the Syria, claiming that this policy "had forced it
to date the only girl that would look its way - even if she
were unattractive."

Comment
--------------

8. (C) The Portuguese EU Presidency remains focused on
events in the Middle East as evidenced by the Foreign
Minister's frequent trips to the region and the recent joint
demarche on foreign fighters in Syria (septel). Pedrosa
commented that Portugal was skeptical of Syria's intentions
to act responsibly. Therefore, she said, it was necessary
for the EU to keep the pressure on. Amado is scheduled to
travel to Israel and Ramallah on September 10-11.
Ballard