LEBANON: HIZBALLAH BLAMES USG FOR SUMMIT BOYCOTT

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000457

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SIPDIS

NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/GAVITO
DEPT PASS TO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PINR SY LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: HIZBALLAH BLAMES USG FOR SUMMIT BOYCOTT


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

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


1. (S) Hizballah denounced the Arab leaders', and in
particular Lebanon's, boycott of the March 29-30 Arab League
summit in Damascus, and blamed the U.S. for the boycott.
Nevertheless, according to media reports and public
statements, Hizballah is publicly portraying the summit as a
success, primarily because it took place despite what the
organization deemed as U.S. pressures. Privately, however,
Hizballah's security chief acknowledged to a UN interlocutor
that the summit produced nothing, which was what he expected.
In the summit's aftermath, Hizballah insists that it, and
not the U.S., still seeks a compromise to Lebanon's political
impasse. End summary.

SUMMIT BOYCOTT "RIDICULOUS"
--------------


2. (U) Hizballah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Kassem,
in a ceremonial speech given March 30, called the GOL's
decision not to attend the Arab League summit in Damascus
"ridiculous and deplorable." Shia spiritual leader Sheikh
Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, who exercises influence over
Hizballah members, predicted in his March 29 sermon that the
Arab leaders' boycott "will ruin the summit."

AND THE USG IS TO BLAME
--------------


3. (U) In what was a widespread effort to blame the U.S. for
the Arab leaders' decision, Hizballah official Nabil Qawuk
told local press before the March 29-30 event that "the U.S.
has launched a massive diplomatic campaign to obstruct the
summit." Several pro-Hizballah media outlets carried a
similar story during the summit. Sheikh Fadlallah and the
Hizballah resigned Minister of Energy and Water Mohammed
Fneish also blamed the U.S. in separate March 29 speeches.
On the same day, Hizballah international relations
representative Nawwaf Moussawi predicted in a speech a
failure of U.S. efforts in the Middle East over the next few
months, saying that the "confrontation would be settled by
the resistance's final word on the ground."

BUT THE SUMMIT SUCCEEDED,
IN DEFIANCE OF THE USG
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4. (U) The fact that the summit took place makes the summit a
success, Sheikh Kassem argued in his speech. He praised the
participants for defying the U.S., saying it is "proof that
if we all stand together we can achieve something and impose
many things on the U.S." Sheikh Qawuk said that holding the
summit in Damascus is a defeat to U.S. policy in the Middle
East. In a statement released by Hizballah on April 1, the
organization said the summit "dealt a blow to everyone who
bargained and worked on its failure, on top of which is the
U.S."


5. (U) Hizballah-owned al-Manar TV ran clips that conveyed a
good-natured atmosphere during the summit, highlighting a
press conference in which Arab League Secretary General Amr
Moussa was seen as friendly with Syrian FM Walid Muallem.
One clip focused on Muallem joking about Secretary Rice's
trip to the region, saying "Forget about Rice, the summit has
ended successfully," which was met with applause and
laughter. The al-Manar journalist noted that this was a
"strong message to those who did not want to see such a fun
and amicable atmosphere."

HIZBALLAH, NOT THE USG,
SEEKS A SOLUTION
--------------


6. (U) In a prominent speech on March 24, a few days before
the summit, Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said
that the opposition, including Hizballah, wants a political
settlement in Lebanon, irrespective of the summit.
Hizballah's April 1 statement reiterated its support for any
initiative to solve the political crisis in Lebanon, and
criticized Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Faisal for naming the
opposition as obstructionists. Sheikh Qawuk asserted that
the U.S. is not seeking any solution in Lebanon and is
encouraging its allies to put additional pressure on Lebanon

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after the summit.

COMMENT
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7. (S) Privately, Hizballah assesses the summit differently.
A contact at the office of the UN Special Coordinator for
Lebanon told POLOFF that, in his meeting April 2 with his
usual Hizballah interlocutor, security chief Wafiq Safa, Safa
acknowledged that the summit produced nothing, as Safa
expected. End comment.
SISON