LEBANON: PRESIDENT ASKS UNDP TO HELP WITH NATIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIRUT 001316

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SUBJECT: LEBANON: PRESIDENT ASKS UNDP TO HELP WITH NATIONAL
DIALOGUE

REF: BEIRUT 1233

Classified By: AMBASSADOR MICHELE J. SISON FOR REASONS 1.4
(B) AND (D).

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


1. (C) In a September 2 meeting with the Ambassador, UN
Development Program Resident Representative Marta Ruedas
reported that President Sleiman had recently approached the
UN for technical assistance in setting up President Sleiman's
Baabda Palace office and the National Dialogue. Ruedas said
coordinating donor support for elections assistance has been
slow, blaming the EU for the delays. Ruedas did not believe
security would be a critical issue for the elections and
thinks that security concerns should not prohibit the
possibility of a one day election. She also expressed
concerns about the recent violence in Tripoli. End Summary.


PRESIDENT WANTS UNDP
HELP ON NATIONAL DIALOGUE
--------------


2. (C) In a September 2 meeting with the Ambassador, USAID
Acting Director, and PolOff, UN Development Program (UNDP)
Resident Representative Marta Ruedas said President Sleiman's
office recently approached UNDP about enhancing the
institutional capacity of the Presidency. As a result,
Ruedas said UNDP developed a plan that would aim to provide
technical assistance to the President's office, the same way
it has the Prime Minister's office, and the Justice and
Finance Ministries. The project also will make sure a staff
and a system is in place to support the upcoming National
Dialogue, as well as set up a strategic communications office
for the President that would focus on National Dialogue
issues and other important topics. (Note: MEPI is currently
funding a similar project in the PM's office through
partnership with the International Republican Institute. End
Note.)


3. (C) Ruedas said Sleiman wants UNDP support because he
views the UNDP as an independent agency and is keen to launch
the National Dialogue soon. Within the next two weeks, UNDP
will bring in a consultant from South Africa, Hanas Ziebert,
who has worked in South Africa on similar initiatives,
according to Ruedas. She noted that UNDP is looking for
funding to initiate the estimated $2-$3 million project and
that one donor already had stepped forward to provide $1
million of the needed funding. (Note: Germany is the source
of funding; the Germans have asked that it not be made public
at this time. End Note.)

ELECTORAL ASSISTANCE
COORDINATION MOVING SLOWLY
--------------


4. (C) Concerning the upcoming 2009 parliamentary elections,
Ruedas said UNDP also has a plan to provide elections
assistance to the GOL for a three year period. The project
will provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Interior
and voter education training. UNDP, in cooperation with the
Ministry of Interior, is ready to start coordinating donor
contributions. However, Ruedas said UNDP and the Ministry of
Interior are waiting for the EU to develop its plan for
election assistance before moving forward with a coordinated
donor strategy on providing elections assistance. USAID is
moving ahead with its elections support program, but is
coordinating with UNDP and Minister Baroud to ensure there is
no duplication or conflict with other donor-funded programs.
Once the EU completes its plan and a new electoral law is
drafted, Minister of Interior Ziad Baroud will launch his
"Master Plan" to coordinate UN, EU, Lebanese civil society
groups, and U.S. - funded international NGO efforts. The EU
plans to send elections observers, Ruedas added. (Note: We

BEIRUT 00001316 002 OF 003


will have our nxt electoral assistance discussion with the
Miniter on September 10. End Note.)

EU SAYS UNDP PAN
UNREALISTIC
--------------


5. (C) In a September 3 dinner with the Ambassador, EC
Deputy Head of Mission Michael Miller criticized the UNDP
plan as poorly written and unrealistic. Miller explained
that the UNDP proposal focused on implementing feasible and
non-feasible reforms over a three year period, as opposed to
targeting specific reforms that are achievable before the
2009 elections. Miller said the EU is the largest supporter
of UNDP, and will most likely fund the UNDP project but will
stipulate that it focus on only the reforms that can be
enacted before the 2009.


6. (C) Miller said it is feasible to introduce many reforms
before the 2009 parliamentary elections, including
pre-printed ballots, same day voting, use of ID cards instead
of voters' cards, reduction of voting age to 18 years and the
facilitation of access to polling stations for persons with
disabilities. Miller does not believe out-of-country voting,
absentee voting, and the introduction of a gender quota are
reforms that can be implemented in time for next year's
elections.

ELECTION SECURITY
NOT AN ISSUE
--------------


7. (C) Ruedas did not believe security would be an issue for
the elections and that security concerns should not prohibit
the possibility of a one day election. She believed that
some politicians would use the issue to maintain the current
system whereby elections are held in different districts over
a four week period. However, if the GOL wants to push for a
one day election, the Ministry of Interior has the resources
to do so, according to Ruedas. (Note: This contradicts what
Baroud has told us regarding Ministry of Interior resources,
reftel. End Note.)

CONCERNED ABOUT
TRIPOLI
--------------


8. (C) Ruedas noted that a number of UNDP staff members are
concerned about the security situation in Tripoli. She said
the Lebanese Parliament recently approved a number of Islamic
Bank Loans for the area to help improve the economic
situation there. UNDP will send a two-person team to Tripoli
soon to do an assessment and to talk to the mayor of Tripoli
to see what the area's needs are. UNDP focused a number of
its projects in the south, but now wants to shift its focus
on municipalities in northern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley
region, she said, adding that UNDP would be interested in
coordinating any reconstruction efforts in Tripoli or
elsewhere with USAID.

COMMENT
--------------


9. (C) UNDP relies heavily on the experts from the
International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES),which
is funded by the USG (MEPI and USAID). IFES will more than
likely take the lead on providing technical assistance to the
Ministry of Interior. Contacts also tell us that the UNDP
proposal is unrealistic given that the proposal only asks for
around $3.5 million for a three year period to provide
technical assistance. IFES is asking the USG (via CEPPS) for
approximately $3 million to provide technical assistance to
the Ministry of Interior and get employees up to speed for
the 2009 elections alone, and USAID plans to have that
funding awarded by the end of September as part of a $6.15
million elections support program. USAID Lebanon is in the

BEIRUT 00001316 003.5 OF 003


process of creating an integrated program over the next two
years to strengthen institutions of democratic governance,
both governmental and civil society, targeted at improved
governance and greater civic participation. End Comment.

SISON