MFA ON LEBANESE POLITICAL CRISIS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 000191

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL LE RS
SUBJECT: MFA ON LEBANESE POLITICAL CRISIS

REF: 07 MOSCOW 5523

Classified By: Political M/C/ Alice G. Wells for reasons 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) In a January 23 meeting (other topics reported
septel),MFA Middle East and North Africa Director Vershinin
told us that Russia supported the Arab League's attempts to
mediate Lebanon's political impasse over electing a new
President. The GOR was pushing, both in public and in
private, for the Lebanese factions to support the plan put
forth by Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa to elect
Lebanese Armed Forces Chief Michel Sulieman as a compromise
President, form a national unity government, and pass a new
election law. Deputy Foreign Minister Saltanov presented the
Russian position during his latest round of regional
consultations, which included stops this week in Beirut,
Damascus, and Cairo. Vershinin reiterated, however, that the
crisis was "family business" that must be settled within
Lebanon with Arab assistance.


2. (C) Vershinin posited that the Lebanese factions "still
have time" to reach a negotiated settlement and took issue
with the U.S. and French belief that delay would translate
into instability. Forcing a settlement upon the parties had
not yet become necessary. Vershinin cited as evidence
Lebanese parliamentary majority leader Rafik Hariri's visit
to Moscow in November 2007, when he predicted a dire
situation in Lebanon and sought immediate GOR intervention
(reftel). Two months later, the situation in Lebanon
remained calm. While leaving the negotiations to Amr Moussa,
Vershinin was equivocal over Russia's position on how March
14's majority should translate into seats in the new
government.
BURNS