LEBANON: MOBILE TELECOM PRIVATIZATION ADVOCATES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIRUT 000858 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ELA EB/FO, EB/IFD/ODF RDEMARCELLUS NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER/GAVITO TREASURY FOR DAS ABAUKOL, VALVO, KMATHIASEN USAID FOR USAID/ME JBEVER, GLAUDATO AND USAID/ME/MEA RWEBB, DMCCLOUD, ESCOTT E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/29/2018 TAGS: EAID EINV EAIR EFIN ELAB LE SUBJECT: LEBANON: MOBILE TELECOM PRIVATIZATION ADVOCATES STILL COMPLAIN ABOUT GOL REF: A. (A) BEIRUT 810 ¶B. (B) BEIRUT 852 Classified By: CDA Michele Sison for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) SUMMARY: -------------- ¶1. (C) The Chairman of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and the SYG of the Higher Council for Privatization (HPC),both advocates for telecom privatization in Lebanon, strongly recommend retaining the Paris III benchmark of sale of the mobile telecom licenses. Arguing that "political will" is what is required to move ahead with the sale, they see the Director General of the Telecommunications Ministry as the biggest obstacle. The head of the TRA, Kamal Shehadi, said he plans to fight even the GOL in court if necessary to carry out the objectives of his agency. If the GOL lacks the will to move ahead with the sale, Shehadi will change directions, and work on liberalization of the broadband; both projects are ready to go, but the TRA cannot do both at the same time. Ziad Hayek of the GOL's privatization council remains committed but is less militant about moving ahead on the mobile licenses. Shehadi is disappointed in the lack of private sector support, and is critical of the USG for not moving ahead with assistance. End summary. SHEHADI AND HAYEK RECOMMEND KEEPING BENCHMARK -------------- ¶2. (C) On May 29 Econoff and Econstaff met with Dr. Kamal Shehadi, Chairman of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA),and Dr. Ziad Hayek, Secretary General of the Higher Council for Privatization (HCP) in separate meetings. Both meetings had the same focus: Will the mobile telecom system sale go ahead, given that now there is political stability? Both officials are adamant that the sale can and should proceed, and could be completed by the end of 2009 or sooner if there is "political will" to proceed and if the opposition of the Director General of the Ministry of Telecommunications, Dr. Abdul Munim Youssef, can be overcome. Both are equally adamant that the USG should retain the benchmark, established when the GOL set its reform agenda after Paris III, that ties a U.S. $75 million disbursement to completion of the sale of the mobile telecom licenses (ref A). BOTH CITE DG OF TELECOM MINISTRY AS OBSTACLE -------------- ¶3. (C) Where Shehadi and Hayek differ, it is only a question of degree. Hayek, who has responsibility for other projects, such as oil and gas exploration and privatization of the electricity company, is doubtful about progress in telecom privatization, and expects the status quo to continue. He does not expect the new cabinet to make any breakthroughs in the area of Liban Telecom, the new company to be formed through the privatization of the current fixed-line company, Ogero. He pointed out, "It is important to form Liban Telecom, but for petty reasons, it is difficult for politicians to appoint the board." Pressed to explain further, he admits that the reason that the board has not been appointed yet is that the Director General of the Ministry of Telecommunications (MOT),Dr. Abdul Munim Youssef, is the preferred candidate of the (now caretaker) PM Siniora and caretaker Telecom Minister Hamadeh, but opposed by everyone else. Shehadi, always more blunt than Hayek, points to Youssef as a malevolent and untrustworthy adversary of the TRA, who withholds vital information claiming "security reasons," and is not willing to accept the TRA's authority. Hayek believes that the sale of the mobile licenses could be completed in two months, but appears to accept the likelihood of either further delays, or even termination of the project, and does not speak of challenging the GOL. READY TO BRIEF PRESIDENT -------------- BEIRUT 00000858 002 OF 003 ¶4. (C) On the other hand, Shehadi stated his willingness to fight all opposition, even the GOL itself, through the courts if necessary. He has effectively severed all relations between the TRA and the Ministry of Telecom, saying, "If the MOT is not willing to accept TRA authority, it can fight its own war." While he says he has possible solutions to the ongoing problem of the Hizballah telecommunications network, he is not volunteering to assist and, further, he flatly refused to be a part of any telecommunications review with the MOT. He has, however, requested a meeting with President Sleiman, and is prepared to give the President a blunt and transparent picture of the situation, obstacles and challenges. He is also prepared to review the situation with Speaker Berri, and has proposals ready to counteract Berri's previous objections to the mobile license sale. SALE OF MOBILE LICENSES OR BROADBAND LIBERALIZATION -------------- ¶5. (C) Shehadi said the TRA is following two parallel tracks: sale of the mobile licenses, and liberalization of broadband and the international gateway. Both are critical, but the TRA cannot handle both projects at the same time. The sale of the mobile licenses requires a political decision, but the broadband project can be handled by the TRA without further legal actions. However, for fast deployment of future TRA-issued broadband licenses, the GOL needs to lease access to public-service ducts and conduits. Caretaker Telecom Minister Marwan Hamadeh, on the advice of Youssef, has withheld the maps of the system from the TRA, citing "security considerations." This will not prevent the TRA from moving ahead with this project, which it will do as soon as it either completes the mobile license sale, or determines that the sale will not happen. However, this decision will make the sale of broadband less valuable and more difficult to implement. (Note: It is unlikely that Hamadeh will retain his position in the new GOL cabinet. It is also unclear as to whether the Telecom Ministry will go to either the majority or the opposition. End Note.) PUBLIC SECTOR DISAPPOINTS -------------- ¶6. (C) Shehadi also voiced disappointment with the Lebanese private sector, which he says, "hasn't done a thing for telecom, neither lobbying nor policy papers, for more than a year." The American Chamber of Commerce is a main target of his ire, he said, since AmChams in other countries actively support similar proposals. However, he includes all other private sector associations in his censure, excepting only the IT organization, Professional Computer Association (PCA), which he says is doing well, but "their capacity to help is limited." He bluntly asked about the status of a $3 million U.S. assistance package for telecom. (Note: Shehadi is well aware of the status of the U.S. assistance project. The initial proposal, calling for a single source contract, was unacceptable, and USAID is working with the TRA to develop a bid package that can be fairly bid, and is commercially sound. End note.) COMMENT: -------------- ¶7. (C) Shehadi expected his job as Chairman of the TRA to be difficult, which is one of the reasons he insisted on a five-year guaranteed term for the board. However, he is angry, disappointed, and aggressive in his stance against the GOL, as well as the private sector. He appears to be waging a media war as well. But he shows no signs of wavering from his commitment to the complete reform of the telecommunications sector in Lebanon. Caretaker Telecom Minister Hamadeh, whom Shehadi criticizes, argued in a recent meeting with Charge (ref B) that discussing mobile telecom privatization at this time, while cabinet formation is being negotiated, raised the risk of politicizing the issue. End Comment. BEIRUT 00000858 003 OF 003 SISON