LEBANON: GERMANY SUPPORTS ARAB LEAGUE BUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000649

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL LE SY IR GM
SUBJECT: LEBANON: GERMANY SUPPORTS ARAB LEAGUE BUT
RELUCTANT TO STEP UP ENGAGEMENT WHILE TALKS CONTINUE

REF: A. STATE 52061

B. BERLIN 608

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Jeffrey Rathke for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) PolM/C delivered Ref (A) demarche May 16 to Foreign
Office A/S-equivalent Andreas Michaelis. (Foreign Minister
Steinmeier is traveling, and State Secretary Reinhard
Silberberg was unavailable to meet with A/DCM.) Post noted
the statements issued over the past week by Chancellor Merkel
and Foreign Minister Steinmeier and welcomed Germany's
support for the Arab League. Michaelis said Germany
supported the Arab League's effort and considered it to be a
"unique window" of opportunity that might remain open only
through the weekend. He offered his view that Hizballah had
"burned its fingers" by using violence against Lebanese
political forces and might be experiencing a feeling of
"strategic weakness" that would compel it to make concessions
in Doha. Foreign Minister Steinmeier released a statement
May 15 (text will be emailed to EUR/AGS and NEA/ELA)
welcoming the Arab League efforts. (Note: That statement
also reads that "Now all sides are called on, at the talks
that will begin in Doha tomorrow, to create the basis so that
the political paralysis in Lebanon can come to an end." End
note.)


2. (C) We pointed out that German statements on Lebanon to
date have not explicitly addressed the responsibility of
Hizballah or its foreign sponsors Syria and Iran. Instead,
they have expressed concern about the violence and called for
respecting and defending the constitutional order, without
identifying Hizballah by name. Further, some aspects of the
Minister's statement above might be misinterpreted to suggest
that the constitutionally formed government of Lebanon and
Hizballah had equal responsibility for political progress.
Michaelis said Germany had no doubt about Hizballah's
responsibility and was not taking a position of equivalence.
We asked whether Germany was deliberately avoiding naming
Hizballah in its statements and urged Germany to make public
statements to this effect. Michaelis said that public
statements at this point could well disturb the Arab
League-led talks, and thus be counterproductive. Germany's
goal was to promote the best outcome of the Doha talks, and
it believed that would best be accomplished by allowing the
Arab League space to manage the talks in the coming days.
Germany would not issue any further statements until then.


3. (C) We asked for German support by engaging
diplomatically, especially with the Arab League, along the
lines in Ref (A). Michaelis repeated that Germany did not
want to disturb the Arab League process through diplomatic
interventions. We argued that expressions of support,
publicly and privately, for the legitimate government in
Lebanon would strengthen the government's position and make a
favorable outcome more likely; Michaelis rejected this and
said Germany preferred to employ different tactics.


4. (C) Michaelis asserted that PM Siniora, in his May 9
conversation with Steinmeier (Ref B),had indicated complete
satisfaction with Germany's approach, which Siniora
reportedly said went beyond "lip service." Michaelis
strongly suggested that only an appeal from Siniora would
cause Germany to re-think its approach.


5. (C) Michaelis asked what the U.S. would do in the UNSC --
this is the second Foreign Office inquiry we have received in
as many days on this topic. He asked that the U.S. keep
Germany apprised of plans in New York.
TIMKEN JR