SAAD HARIRI'S MEETING WITH SARKOZY

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001879

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR MARCHESE/DORAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/11/2017
TAGS: FR PGOV PREL LE SY
SUBJECT: SAAD HARIRI'S MEETING WITH SARKOZY


CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT,
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).



1. (C) PRESIDENT-ELECT SARKOZY ASSURED PRESIDENT CHIRAC AND
LEBANESE MP SAAD HARIRI ON MAY 10 THAT HE WILL STAY THE
COURSE ON PURSUING A CHAPTER VII UNSCR TO ESTABLISH THE
SPECIAL TRIBUNAL FOR LEBANON. ACCORDING TO READOUTS WE
RECEIVED AFTER THE MEETING FROM DOMINIQUE BOCHE, CHIRAC'S
MIDDLE EAST ADVISOR, AND BASILE YARED, HARIRIS
REPRESENTATIVE IN PARIS, CHIRAC AND HARIRI USED THE MEETING
TO EDUCATE SARKOZY ON THE POLITICAL BLOCKAGE IN LEBANON AND
THE NEED TO ESTABLISH THE TRIBUNAL BOTH FOR LEBANONS SAKE
AND TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE REGION THAT POLITICAL
ASSASSINATION IS UNACCEPTABLE AS A TOOL OF STATE. SARKOZY
INDICATED THAT HE WOULD PROVIDE CONTINUITY ON FRANCE'S
LEBANON POLICY AND ASKED WHEN HE SHOULD PLAN TO VISIT
LEBANON. HARIRI SUGGESTED THE BEST TIME WOULD BE SHORTLY
AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION LATER THIS YEAR, WHEN LEBANON
WOULD (HOPEFULLY) HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT NOT BEHOLDEN TO SYRIA.
SARKOZY DESIGNATED CLAUDE GUEANT (WHO WE EXPECT TO BE THE
NEXT SECRETARY GENERAL AT THE ELYSEE) AS YARED'S POC FOR ANY
FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSIONS ON LEBANON.


2. (C) YARED RELAYED A MESSAGE TO US FROM HARIRI: PLEASE MOVE
QUICKLY ON THE CHAPTER VII RESOLUTION. "CHIRAC HAS A PROMISE
FROM PUTIN NOT TO VETO THE RESOLUTION, BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF
HE'LL BE BOUND BY THAT PROMISE ONCE SARKOZY TAKES OFFICE. WE
NEED TO MOVE QUICKLY SO AS NOT TO LOSE THIS POLITICAL
OPPORTUNITY," SAID YARED, ADDING THAT HARIRI BELIEVED
LEBANESE PM FOUAD SINIORA WOULD SEND THE LONG-ANTICIPATED
SECOND LETTER TO THE UN THIS WEEKEND. NOTING THAT HE WAS
AWARE OF TACTICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE U.S. AND FRANCE ON
THE CONTENT OF A CHAPTER VII RESOLUTION, YARED URGED THAT WE
RESOLVE ANY REMAINING DIFFERENCES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.


3. (C) COMMENT: YARED WAS CLEARLY PLEASED WITH HIMSELF FOR
HAVING HELPED CHIRAC ORCHESTRATE THE MEETING BETWEEN HARIRI
AND SARKOZY, A MEETING WHICH HE BELIEVED HAD STUNNED AND
DISMAYED THE MARCH 8 OPPOSITION. WHILE THE CONSENSUS IN
PARIS IS THAT SARKOZY WILL NOT SHARE CHIRAC'S INTENSE
PERSONAL INTEREST IN LEBANON, THAT RELATIVE LACK OF INTEREST
MAY WORK TO HARIRI'S FAVOR NOW THAT HE HAS ALREADY INITIATED
A RELATIONSHIP WITH SARKOZY -- A FEAT THE LEBANESE OPPOSITION
MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY REPLICATING DURING THE BUSY DAYS AHEAD,
WHEN SARKOZY'S ATTENTION WILL LIKELY BE FOCUSED ON OTHER
MATTERS.


PLEASE VISIT PARIS' CLASSIFIED WEBSITE AT:
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/PARIS/INDEX.C FM

STAPLETON