MFA READOUT OF PM SINIORA VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000712

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV LE SY EG
SUBJECT: MFA READOUT OF PM SINIORA VISIT


Classified By: MINISTER-COUNSELOR WILLIAM R. STEWART
REASONS: 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora, touring the region to
maintain Arab support for his government, updated President
Mubarak, PM Nazif, and FM Aboul Gheit April 6 and 7 on the
situation in Lebanon. MFA Cabinet Advisor Nazih Neggary told
us April 7 that Siniora was concerned that the Arab League
Lebanon initiative was "at a dead end" (note: Siniora also
met Arab League SYG Moussa April 7. End note). Siniora urged
Egypt to push for implementation of the Arab League's call
for immediate election of a Lebanese president. In addition,
Siniora wants Arab states to push SYG Moussa to follow up on
the Arab League's determination (from the Damascus summit) to
"put Lebanon-Syria relations on the right track," something
that would support Lebanese sovereignty. According to
Neggary, the Syrians continue to argue that SYG Moussa should
not engage on the Lebanese-Syrian bilateral track before a
Lebanese government is formed (which the SARG also is
blocking).


2. (U) Later in the day, Presidential Spokesman Soliman Awad
said publicly that Mubarak "fully supports the Arab
initiative that was agreed on with consensus by the Arab
Foreign Ministers." Awad added that Egypt supports SYG
Moussa as well as Siniora's call for an Arab League
ministerial, but that such a meeting must be "well prepared"
as it would result in a change in the situation and "an end
to the current Lebanese crisis." Separately, SYG Moussa held
a press conference following his meeting with Siniora, and
said that Siniora had not formally requested that a
ministerial be held, and that discussions would continue.
Moussa said that there must be resolution of the Lebanese
crisis according to the decisions of the Arab League and "in
the context of" the Arab initiative.

3 (C) Neggary said the GOE "sees eye to eye" with Siniora and
is fully supportive. He opined that Arab support of Siniora
is critical right now "just to maintain the status quo." The
Lebanese political impasse will be protracted, Neggary
assessed, and the focus continues to shift quickly to the
2009 parliamentary elections. In the interim, the GOE will
continue to support SYG Moussa's efforts, but also is looking
at ways to support the GOL's ability to provide services. He
noted that Siniora had asked PM Nazif to convene a meeting of
relevant Egyptian, Lebanese and Syrian ministers to review
ways to improve provision of energy to Lebanon through Syria
but did not have additional details (note: perhaps referring
to a connection to the Arab Gas Pipeline, on which the
Egyptians and Syrians have already concluded an agreement.
End note). According to Neggary, Nazif agreed that Egypt
would host such a meeting.
RICCIARDONE