Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BEIRUT1794
2008-12-24 09:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beirut
Cable title:  

LEBANON: BERRI ON U.S. MILITARY ASSISTANCE; SAYS

Tags:  PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY IS 
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PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHLB #1794/01 3590912
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 240912Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3847
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0264
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3306
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3516
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 001794 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA
ALSO FOR PM A/S KIMMITT, PDAS RUGGEIRO
P FOR DRUSSELL AND RRANGASWAMY
USUN FOR KHALILZAD/WOLFF/GERMAIN/SCHEDLBAUER
NSC FOR ABRAMS/RAMCHAND/YERGER/MCDERMOTT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY IS
RU
SUBJECT: LEBANON: BERRI ON U.S. MILITARY ASSISTANCE; SAYS
CONSENSUS IS KEY

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

SUMMARY
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 001794

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA
ALSO FOR PM A/S KIMMITT, PDAS RUGGEIRO
P FOR DRUSSELL AND RRANGASWAMY
USUN FOR KHALILZAD/WOLFF/GERMAIN/SCHEDLBAUER
NSC FOR ABRAMS/RAMCHAND/YERGER/MCDERMOTT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY IS
RU
SUBJECT: LEBANON: BERRI ON U.S. MILITARY ASSISTANCE; SAYS
CONSENSUS IS KEY

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

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


1. (C) Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri questioned NEA DAS
David Hale as to why the U.S. had not provided high-profile
military hardware to Lebanon. Berri said he welcomed the
Russian offer of MiG-29s, provided it came without conditions
or costs. The U.S. did not view the Russian offer as
competition, Hale said. Hale reaffirmed U.S. support to
Lebanon through its assistance package, including both
training and assistance. In his assessment of the current
political situation, Berri was critical of Saad Hariri's
methods and expressed a hope that consensus would be the
guiding principle. Berri worried that March 14 and others
would begin to insist on partisan appointees, rather than
compromise. However, Berri was confident that preparations
for the spring 2009 parliamentary elections were going well
and that neither Hizballah, nor any other party, would become
an impediment. End summary.

IF RUSSIA CAN PROVIDE,
WHY NOT THE U.S?
--------------


2. (C) Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri opened the December
19 meeting with visiting NEA Deputy Assistant Secretary David
Hale, Ambassador, NEA/ELA desk officer Matthew Irwin and
Poloff by questioning whether the U.S. was involved in the
December 16 announcement by Minister of Defense Elias Murr
that Russia would provide MiG-29 airplanes to Lebanon.
Saying he "wanted to know the truth," Berri said that as long
as the Russian deal was without conditions or costs to
Lebanon, then it was welcome. Berri quoted a proverb in
Arabic that meant "the only thing sweeter than the taste of

honey is something that is free."


3. (C) DAS Hale informed Berri that the U.S. was committed to
strengthening the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and would base
assistance on the needs and items identified by the LAF in
its masterplan. The U.S., Hale continued, did not view the
Russian deal as a form of competition, but did have concerns
about the ability of the LAF to meet the maintenance and
sustainability requirements of such an acquisition. DAS Hale
countered Berri's proverb with the English expression, "there
is no such thing as a free lunch."


4. (C) Berri challenged DAS Hale and asked why the U.S. had
never offered the GOL a similar "gift" of military hardware.
He argued that the GOL could be trusted to manage its
military assistance responsibly because it would not
challenge Israel militarily. The GOL, he said, only wanted
Israel "to leave our land." The Ambassador reiterated to the
Speaker that U.S. military assistance to Lebanon had reached
USD 410 million, including training and assistance, and
continued to grow. Hale assured Berri that the GOL could
expect deliveries from the U.S. of M-60 tanks and appropriate
aircraft, in accordance with the LAF masterplan, prior to the
2009 spring elections. The U.S. was a committed partner of
Lebanon and would continue to work to strengthen the LAF and
the Internal Security Forces (ISF),both important state
institutions.

BERRI CRITICIZES MAJORITY'S METHODS,
CONSENSUS IS THE ONLY WAY, HE SAYS
--------------


5. (C) In his assessment of the current political situation,
Berri was critical of recent maneuvers by Saad Hariri's March
14 majority coalition. Meeting on the heels of the December
18 arliamentary vote to appoint five judges to the
onstitutional Council, Berri criticized Hariri for making
things "difficult" at the last minute. Berri called the
Constitutional Council, the entity responsible for
adjudicating complaints related to electoral fraud or

BEIRUT 00001794 002 OF 002


challenging the results, "very, very important for the
elections." It was important to have consensus on the
appointees, he said. However, Berri was dismayed that Hariri
and some of his allies challenged the list of names
previously agreed upon to replace them with their own
selections. He deemed this type of eleventh-hour challenge
"a little bit dangerous" and expressed hope that the cabinet
would not resort to the same kind of insistence when it
appoints the remaining five members of the council.


6. (C) Although the majority's margin in parliament was
currently only eight seats, Berri predicted that after the
2009 parliamentary elections, the margin would be much
closer, perhaps as few as two or three seats. Whichever side
ends up as the "majority," he said, both sides would be
obliged to deal with each other and work based on consensus.


7. (C) To show his own willingness for compromise, Berri
commented that supposing the March 8 opposition wins the
majority, he would be the first to support rival March 14
leader Saad Hariri as Prime Minister, absent a strong Sunni
candidate from March 8. He also disclosed that he had
recently spoken with pro-March 14 Minister of Education
Bahiya Hariri to discuss the possibility of developing a
consensus candidate list for Sidon, their home district. DAS
Hale acknowledged the importance of consensus in Lebanon, but
noted historically Lebanese leaders papered over their
differences in the name of consensus, only to have crises
erupt later as teh underlying problems were unresolved.

ELECTION PREPARATIONS GOING WELL
--------------


8. (C) Berri was upbeat about preparations for the spring
elections. He called Interior Minister Ziad Baroud a "good
man, who works hard." He was also supportive of Defense
Minister Murr as well as the ISF. Hizballah, he believed,
would not become an impediment to the conduct of the
elections, nor would any other party. "Everyone believes he
will win," Berri said.


9. (U) DAS Hale has cleared this message.

SISON