LEBANON: HARIRI EXPLAINS HIS CONTINUING HIZBALLAH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIRUT 001667

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA, PM/FO
P FOR DRUSSELL, RRANGASWAMY
USUN FOR KHALIZAD/WOLFF/SCHEDLEBAUER
NSC FOR ABRAMS/YERGER/MCDERMOTT/RAMCHAND
OSD FOR EDELMAN/LONG/STRAUB/DALTON
JOINT STAFF FOR RANK/NICHOLSON
CENTCOM FOR ALLARDICE/MACLEAN/PADDOCK
DIA FOR LARSON/CRONIN/KRAUSE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2018
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL UNSC MARR MCAP MOPS IR LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: HARIRI EXPLAINS HIS CONTINUING HIZBALLAH
CONTACT

REF: A. BEIRUT 1658

B. BEIRUT 1541

Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).

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


1. (C) In a meeting with the Ambassador and NEA/ELA Office
Director Nicole Shampaine on November 20, parliamentary
majority leader Saad Hariri said that he had spoken with
Hizballah officials following his October 26 meeting with SYG
Hassan Nasrallah (reftels) on a variety of topics. Hariri
said the discussions had not focused on security issues, but
rather "just keeping in touch" on policy matters such as the
proposed expansion of the National Dialogue table, removal of
Hizballah propaganda from the Beirut airport road, and a
proposed reconstruction project similar to Solidere for the
southern and eastern suburbs of Beirut. Hariri also said
that recent opposition statements about possible delay of the
upcoming parliamentary elections "are a sign of insecurity
and an attempt to stir up trouble."


2. (C) With regard to preparations for the parliamentary
election, Hariri said, "we will win this round." He also
said he would be sensitive to the political concerns of
independent candidates who may be willing to join March 14
electoral lists. However, in this pre-election period,
Hariri said it would be very important for the U.S. and other
Western countries to deliver "very clear messages of support
for Lebanon's independence and sovereignty" when engaging
with Syrian officials. End Summary.

"Keeping in Touch" with Hizballah
--------------


3. (C) Hariri told us that he had recently met with
representatives of Hizballah, including Hussein Khalil,
Nasrallah's Political Advisor. He stated that the recent
talks had focused on policy issues, in contrast with his
October 26 meeting with Nasrallah, which he had told us
earlier had focused on security topics. "The Future Party
will not be forming any 'security committees' like the other
parties are doing. This brings back too many memories of the
civil war. It is the job of the nation's army, not
individual political parties, to maintain national security,"
Hariri stated. (Note: The party of Saad's ally, Druze leader
Walid Jumblatt, has been engaged in a security dialogue with
Hizballah and opposition Druze leader Talal Arslan since the
May 2008 violent clashes in Druze areas. End Note.)


4. (C) Khalil had come to ask for expanded participation in
the National Dialogue, but Hariri said, but "he did not
convince me. Participation was decided upon in Doha and any
changes to the structure should wait until after the
parliamentary elections." In an aside, Hariri also told us
that the national dialogue is "going nowhere. People are
happy for now that the meetings are taking place, but pretty
soon they will realize that there are no actual results."
Hariri believes that Hizballah is waiting for March 14 to
concede on the National Defense strategy. "Not going to
happen," e said. "We have a strong case that a sound
national defense strategy not only impacts Lebanon, but the
entire region." He labeled the security proposal presented
by Michel Aoun at the November 5 National Dialogue session as
"stupid." Hariri said March 14 would not bother with a
counter-proposal, but would focus instead on the importance
of strengthening national institutions such as the Lebanese
Armed Forces (LAF) and the Internal Security Forces (ISF).


5. (C) Khalil also discussed Hizballah's willingness to
remove propaganda from the Beirut airport access road, in
accordance with the Doha agreement. We were surprised to
learn from Hariri that PM Siniora had asked Hariri to raise
the possibility of Hizballah providing support for

BEIRUT 00001667 002 OF 003


reconstruction projects similar to the Hariri-owned Solidere
company, which revitalized Beirut's downtown area. Hariri
mentioned Elissar (the proposed program for the southern
suburbs of Beirut) and Linord (the proposed program for east
Beirut) but he said cooperation was unlikely. ("Hizballah
will not go for such initiatives, since these were not their
ideas in the first place.")

"We Will Win the Election"
--------------


6. (C) Hariri said that he was confident that March 14 would
win a majority in the upcoming parliamentary elections. He
is also confident that independent candidates would move
closer to March 14 than March 8. "Most are former Aounists,
they oppose Hizballah, and they support a free and
independent Lebanon." He said that there would be some room
on the March 14 electoral lists for independents and he said
that he would be sensitive to their public relations
concerns. "If they join our list, we will rename it as a
'coalition' list so that it is not solely identified with
March 14." Mentioning Zahle in particular, Hariri said there
would definitely be an independent candidate on the March 14
list. When asked who, Hariri smiled and said, "We're going
to surprise you."


7. (C) Hariri said March 14 must now try to anticipate
counterattacks from the opposition. "They are capable of
doing anything and everything because they need this
continued internal strife to justify their own existence.
Hariri believes that recent public statements by the
opposition are signs of insecurity and "groundwork for a
counterattack." (Note: On November 11, Nasrallah stated,
"Not holding elections or postponing them would be very
dangerous." On November 20, pro-opposition politician and
former Deputy Speaker Elie Ferzli publicly warned March 14
against delaying the elections. "If March 14 tried to create
a climate for delaying the elections, there will be no
extension of the current parliament." End Note.)


8. (C) Hariri said, "There is concern being raised about a
postponement of the election, but it is the opposition that
is fanning public fears -- they are the ones who keep talking
about it. The Prime Minister had to state publicly today
that elections are due to be held on time." When asked how
the opposition could plan to delay the elections, Hariri
paused, looked at the portrait of his late father and
replied, "By killing someone."

"Our Soldiers Need Modern Equipment"
--------------


9. (C) Hariri discussed, at length, the need for LAF and ISF
officers to have adequate equipment, saying it was
demoralizing for them to have to face Hizballah when severely
under-equipped. He was pleased to learn from Ambassador that
trilateral negotiations in Jordan on M60 tanks had produced
positive results, but he continued to push for the
acquisition of attack helicopters. Hariri then raised
President Sleiman's upcoming visit to Iran. "They will offer
him security assistance and I wouldn't be surprised if he
accepted. After all, he wants to get the best equipment
possible for our troops."


10. (C) Hariri also commented that the security situation in
the north had improved and that some important arrests had
been made recently. He bristled when asked about recent
Syrian allegations that the Future Party had funded Fatah al
Islam. "Everyone knows Syria's involvement with that
organization."

Looking Forward
--------------


11. (C) Hariri told us that the recent U.S. elections had
improved America's image in the Middle East. "Most

BEIRUT 00001667 003 OF 003


importantly, we saw how formerly limiting barriers could be
obliterated by the will of the people." He said that he
hoped the new administration would be "aggressive" about
solving the region's problems -- from Ghajar and Sheba'a
Farms to the larger Middle East Peace Process.


12. (C) He also commented on recent international engagement
with Syria. "You must all be clear in your statements during
our pre-election season. Lebanon's sovereignty and
independence must be respected and this is non-negotiable."
Ambassador reassured him that U.S. officials were using this
language on Lebanese sovereignty frequently and firmly by
both Beirut and Washington. Hariri said that the Syrian and
Iranians are trying to link all of the region's problems
together in order to give themselves more leverage in
negotiations with the U.S. Finally, Hariri dismissed the
role the Egyptians were attempting to play in negotiations
with Hamas. "People want the new American president to come
in and solve the regions' problems. This role will not be
given to Egypt."

SISON