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