SPANISH FM MORATINOS IN SYRIA AND LEBANON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 001499

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2017
TAGS: PREL SP IS LE SY IZ
SUBJECT: SPANISH FM MORATINOS IN SYRIA AND LEBANON

Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 b & d.


1. (C) SUMMARY: During the last week of July, Foreign
Minister Moratinos met with top leaders in Egypt, Lebanon,
and Syria, including Syrian President Assad, in a declared
effort to support US and European efforts in Palestine and
Lebanon. According to MFA Middle East DG Alvaro Iranzo,
Moratinos himself decided where to go and whom to meet with
based on significant Spanish concerns that Lebanon is
potentially on the brink of civil war and that the safety of
Spain and other UNIFIL troops is at risk.


2. (C) Iranzo said that Moratinos was explicit in his
meetings, as well as in public statements, that Spain
supports President Bush's proposed Middle East peace
conference as well as French FM Kouchner's initiative for a
national unity government in Lebanon. Iranzo said that
Moratinos was firm with Assad about the need for Syria to
better control its borders and focus on the foreign fighter
problem as it relates to both Iraq and Lebanon. Iranzo
believes that the unified international voice on this issue
may be starting to get through to the SARG. DCM told Iranzo
that while we appreciate Moratinos' statements in support of
the US and Quartet and accept that he undertook this trip in
good faith, he sent an unfortunate message by meeting with a
high-level Hizballah figure. END SUMMARY.


3. (C) DCM talked with MFA Middle East DG Alvaro Iranzo on
August 1 about Moratinos and Iranzo's just-completed trip to
the region. Iranzo, who had accompanied Moratinos to all
meetings, said that Moratinos had decided to go to support US
and EU efforts, and out of concern about the safety of
Spanish troops serving in UNIFIL in southern Lebanon.
Stopping first in Egypt, then going to Lebanon and Syria,
Moratinos was clear in all meetings that Spain supports US
and EU efforts towards peace in Israel and Palestine and
welcomes President Bush's proposed Middle East peace
conference.


4. (C) Iranzo said that the Lebanon stop on July 30 was most
important. Moratinos had positive meetings with all key
leaders, including PM Fuad Siniora, President of the
Parliament Nabih Berri, Michel Aoun, Walid Jumblatt, and Amin
Gemayel. Iranzo told DCM that Spain has invested a lot in
Lebanon, including putting troops under UNIFIL, so Moratinos
wanted to do what he could to support the UNIFIL mission and
push Kouchner's national unity government initiative.
Moratinos also met with Hizballah number two, Sheik Naim
Qassem. After that meeting, Moratinos said publicly that
"the meeting, which took place within the framework of the
national dialogue we are supporting, has been very positive.
A compromise is close to being found." Moratinos also had an
emotional visit with Spanish troops serving under UNIFIL
during which he commemorated the six Spanish soldiers who
were recently killed in a car bomb attack.


5. (C) DCM expressed appreciation for Spain's good faith
efforts in UNIFIL and its statements in support of US and
Quartet peace efforts, but expressed great surprise and
disappointment at Moratinos' meeting with Hizballah. Even
considering Spain's major stake in the area, Moratinos sent a
confusing message, seemingly legitimizing an organization
known for committing many terrorist acts and representing a
major part of the problem in Lebanon. DCM said that while it
might be tactically necessary for Spain to meet with
low-level Hizballah representatives in Beirut, it was hard to
understand how the Foreign Minister of a major European
democracy would find it appropriate to meet with the deputy
head of a terrorist group. Iranzo replied that Spain is
conscious of the issue and generally limits its contacts with
Hizballah to infrequent, low-profile meetings, but in this
case Moratinos decided that Spain's commitment to a
successful UNIFIL mission and to support the French
initiative in Lebanon warranted the meeting.


6. (C) After Lebanon, Moratinos moved on to Damascus where he
met with Syrian President Assad, Vice President Farouk
Chareh, and Foreign Minister Mualam on July 31. Iranzo said
that discussions centered on the need for Syria to support
the French initiative in Lebanon as well as the importance of
Syria taking action on the foreign fighter issue. He said
that Moratinos made a strong pitch for better border control
to keep foreign fighters out of both Lebanon and Iraq.
(NOTE: The GOS believes that foreign fighters linked to
al-Qaeda were likely responsible for the car bomb attack on
its UNIFIL soldiers. END NOTE.) Iranzo said that the GOS
believes that the SARG is beginning to get the message on
foreign fighters and is taking seriously its leadership of a
border control working group that will meet on August 10. He
said that Moratinos had encouraged Syria to cooperate closely
with Germany, which had offered to help. Iranzo said that

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the Syrians told Moratinos that they had approached the US
about attending this meeting as an observer. DCM thanked
Moratinos for raising foreign fighters and asked Iranzo to
ensure close coordination with the USG on this issue. He
also reminded Iranzo of the importance of the international
community delivering a consistent, unified message to Syria.


7. (C) Iranzo said that Moratinos told Syria that Spain
supports Secretary Rice and Tony Blair's efforts on the
Middle East peace process. Assad and FM Mualam suggested
that the peace conference should be like the 1991 Madrid
conference in which everything could be on the table in an
effort to achieve a comprehensive peace.
AGUIRRE