LEBANON: CANADA AND BELGIUM NEED PUSH TO AID LAF,

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 000238 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER DEPT FOR EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2018 TAGS: MARR MASS MCAP PGOV PREL PTER BE CA LE SUBJECT: LEBANON: CANADA AND BELGIUM NEED PUSH TO AID LAF, DATTS SAY Classified By: DCM William Grant for Reasons: Section 1.4 (b) and (d). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) During a February 12 international donor assistance meeting for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF),Canadian and Belgian DATTs (protect) requested USG help in approaching their host countries' foreign ministries to seek additional support for the LAF. The DATTs said that each of their countries has the ability to donate more, but their home governments lack the confidence in LAF accountability standards, that would ensure that their donations does not end up in the arsenal of Hizballah. End Summary. CANADIAN AND BELGIAN DATTS WANT TO CONTRIBUTE MORE -------------- ¶2. (C) In a February 12 coordination meeting for international donors to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), emboffs were approached by LTC Jean-Pierre Bergeron, GOC DATT to Lebanon, and MAJ Luc Wynant, GOB Deputy DATT to Lebanon (protect both) about the possibility of having the USG approach their governments' foreign ministries to seek increased support to the LAF. Bergeron and Wynant indicated their governments' ability to contribute more resources to the LAF. Bergeron said the GOC had a large stockpile of badly needed ammunition (25,000 rounds) that he could donate to the LAF rather quickly. Wynant explained how the GOB initiated an agreement with the GOL to donate 43 Leopard 1 tanks (an important upgrade from the outdated tanks the LAF is currently using); however, the deal is now in jeopardy due to a change of government in Belgium. ¶3. (C) Bergeron and Wynant indicated their home governments' fear that the ammunition and equipment could potentially fall into the hands of Hizballah. Bergeron and Wynant inquired about the possibility of USG representatives approaching GOC and GOB foreign ministry officials, to request additional support to the LAF and explain the level of confidence that the USG has in LAF tracking. The US SAO (ODC) chief, as well as the British and French DATTs, noted that during the fifteen year civil war the LAF was able to keep track of, and account for, the overall majority of its weapons arsenal. ¶4. (C) This included all of the LAF's large, crew served weapon systems (such as TOW missiles),artillery, tanks, aircraft and associated ammunition. The U.S. ODC chief mentioned that he just completed the 2007 annual End Use Monitoring (EUM) inventory where 100 percent of sophisticated Night Vision Devices (NVDs) and large caliber sniper systems were accounted for by serial number and visual inspection. In addition, there are no reports of LAF equipment ending up in the hands of Hizballah. COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (C) In recent demarche, Department urged increased international donor contributions to the LAF as part of broad-based support for Lebanon. We are not in the best position to recommend approaches to the Canadian and Belgian governments, but note that what their DATTs proposed to us is in line with that demarche. We can attest to the good end-use monitoring record of the LAF and that it needs the kind of support Canada or Belgium can provide. End Comment. SISON