LEBANON: AOUN INSISTS ON BLOCKING THIRD, ELECTORAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000266

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2019
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SUBJECT: LEBANON: AOUN INSISTS ON BLOCKING THIRD, ELECTORAL

REFORM, NO PALESTINIAN RESETTLEMENT

BEIRUT 00000266 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Michele J. Sison for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).

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


1. (C) In his first meeting with Charge Sison, Free Patriotic
Movement leader Michel Aoun stressed the opposition's demand
for a blocking third in cabinet and the need for a more
representative electoral law if the Arab League initiative
was going to succeed. Palestinian refugees was one of the
key issues in which the opposition must have a voice.
Calling himself a pacifist, Aoun said he was fighting for a
solution and blamed other internal and external "fanatics"
for Lebanon's political problems. End Summary.


2. (C) The Charge, accompanied by Pol/Econ Chief, paid an
introductory call on Free Patriotic Movement leader General
Michel Aoun at his residence in Rabieh on February 18.
Aoun's advisor (and son-in-law) Gebran Basil also attended
the meeting, which Aoun conducted in French.

INSISTENCE ON BLOCKING THIRD
--------------


3. (C) On the Arab League initiative, Aoun said the problem
was the March 14 majority did not want the opposition to have
11 cabinet seats because this would allow it to have a voice
in policy-making. But with only 10 seats, Aoun said, the
opposition would be only a spectator to the government's
actions. If I have no voice, why should I participate in the
government, he asked, and why should I accept the
government's decisions? The opposition needed to be involved
in decision-making, especially those that require a
two-thirds majority, he insisted. The opposition had been
demanding a national unity government for 18 months, and the
majority's answer was still a complete refusal, despite the
fact that the opposition has 45 percent of the seats in
parliament.


4. (C) Aoun also stressed a new electoral law as key to the
success of the Arab League initiative. His bloc favored a
new law based on the 1960 law, but with redistricting to
allow for better representation in parliament, as well as the
extension of the right to vote to Lebanese overseas and the
removal of the requirement for LAF and ISF members to request
permission to vote. "I'm for the inalienable right of
everyone to vote," he declared.


5. (C) Aoun, noting that his MPs were active in parliamentary
committees (which continue to meet despite the 15-month old
closure of parliament),said his party's two most important
goals were 1) promoting security and justice and 2) economic
development and the fight against corruption. On his
campaign against corruption, Aoun said he would call for
"forensic auditing" to determine why the government was
losing money and creating such a huge deficit. The others
know they'll be implicated, he said, adding, "Everyone always
asks me, but General, do you want to put everyone in jail?"

NO TO PALESTINIAN RESETTLEMENT
--------------


6. (C) Aoun pointed to the issue of Palestinian refugees in
Lebanon as one of the "sensitive" issues in which the
opposition must have a say. Lebanon is a country of
emigration, he said, and a poor country, therefore it cannot
afford to take in refugees. Settling the 300 to 400 thousand
Palestinians in Lebanon permanently would raise questions of
space and "biological equilibrium." Lebanon already was the
most densely populated Arab country and one with the fewest
resources, and it could not absorb the Palestinian
population. Aoun expressed his hope that the UN could
provide assistance in creating a voluntary program for
Palestinians to relocate outside of Lebanon.


BEIRUT 00000266 002.2 OF 002


WHO'S CALLING WHOM CRAZY?
--------------


7. (C) One-third of the Lebanese feel isolated, Aoun said,
referring to Lebanon's Christian population, and this is very
dangerous. "I am fighting for a solution, not war, but other
parties, both inside and outside Lebanon, are creating
problems. We need to avoid a repeat of the 2006 war, he
said, and find a peaceful, one based on a pluralist society
and a secular government."


8. (C) It is the fanatics who are creating problems, Aoun
continued, and the Free Patriotic Movement is the "antidote
to extremism." Part of the problem, he said, is that there
is a "psychological malady" in the country -- "people's
obsession with Aoun." Even Phalange leader Amine Gemayel
called for the election of General Michel Aoun, he said,
referring to Gemayel's obvious slip of the tongue during his
February 14 speech. Saad Hariri's Future Movement,
journalists, everyone is obsessed with me, he said, but I'm
used to it. Aoun agreed that there had been excellent
cooperation between various security forces andpolitical
groupings for the February 14 events, dding, "You see, we're
not completely crazy."

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


9. (C) One can only wonder how Aoun can profess pacifism
while his major ally, Hizballah SYG Hassan Nasrallah,
launched a virulent attack against Israel, declaring
Hizballah's intention to wage war against Israel wherever
necessary. But then again, consistency has never been one of
Aoun's strong points. Arguing that Lebanon is a country of
emigration while at the same time denying its ability to
absorb Palestinian refugees already living in the country
also strikes us as a bit contradictory.



10. (C) As for his diagnosis of the mental health of his
fellow countrymen, suffice it to say he who lives in a glass
house in Rabieh should not throw stones. Needless to say, we
did not/not tell Aoun the Charge's introductory call on him
was on the U.S. Presidents' Day holiday. End Comment.

SISON