LEBANON: SLEIMAN TELLS CODEL SMITH USG SHOULD DEAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000130 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA ALSO FOR IO/PDAS WARLICK P FOR DRUSSELL AND RRANGASWAMY USUN FOR WOLFF/GERMAIN/SCHEDLBAUER NSC FOR SHAPIRO, MCDERMOTT E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR LE SY IS SUBJECT: LEBANON: SLEIMAN TELLS CODEL SMITH USG SHOULD DEAL WITH SYRIA REF: BEIRUT 107 Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) In a January 30 meeting with CODEL Smith, President Michel Sleiman urged the U.S. to find a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Solving the conflict, he said, would benefit Lebanon greatly because of the significant Palestinian refugee population in Lebanon. Lebanon's relations with Syria were "good," although other issues, such as border demarcation and the cases of missing persons, required more work. Sleiman advised the U.S. to deal with Syria because it was a key player in the region, while the U.S. position on Iran's nuclear regime was less important to Lebanon. On Israel, Sleiman said ISRAEL needed to end its occupation of Ghajar and Sheba'a Farms to resolve its dispute with Lebanon. Sleiman thanked the U.S. for its continued assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and credited his experience working with all confessions as LAF commander that allowed him to remain politically neutral. Although demographics may change in Lebanon in the future, Sleiman expected Lebanon's multi-confessional system would endure and could serve as a model for its regional neighbors. End summary. FIND A SOLUTION TO ISRAELI- PALESTINIAN ISSUE -------------- ¶2. (C) CODEL Smith, accompanied by Ambassador and Emboffs, met with President Sleiman January 30 at Baabda Palace. CODEL members were House Armed Service Committee members Adam Smith (D-WA),Susan Davis (D-CA),Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), Glynn Nye (D-VA) and Frank Kravotil (D-MD),C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and Ted Poe (R-TX) of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Rep. Smith began the meeting by assuring Sleiman that the U.S. remained committed to a free, independent, and sovereign Lebanon even with the change in U.S. administration. Sleiman thanked the CODEL for continued U.S. support and called for "more dialogue and discussion between peoples." ¶3. (C) Sleiman recommended the U.S. work hard to find a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem, noting that such a solution would also benefit Lebanon. Sleiman said it was important for other Arab countries to support the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative (API) and for ISRAEL to consider the plan. (Note: Sleiman made the same argument to the Ambassador on January 27, reftel. End note.) Responding to questions from Reps. Poe and Kravotil to elaborate on what a long-lasting solution to the issue of Palestinian refugees could be, Sleiman argued that Lebanon was "too small to absorb and integrate" them, noting that Lebanon has 12 Palestinian refugee camps and a population of approximately 400,000 refugees. At the same time, he said, four million Lebanese remained outside of the country, primarily for economic reasons. Sleiman said the Palestinians should have the right of return, but it should be the Israelis and the United Nations to find the place for them to go. He speculated that some Palestinians would return to their lands, but others would settle elsewhere. LEBANON'S RELATIONS WITH SYRIA, ISRAEL & IRAN -------------- ¶4. (C) Sleiman informed the CODEL that Lebanon's current relations with Syria were "good" and the GOL sought continued improvements. The establishment of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria was a sign of progress, but the two countries also needed to work on more substantive issues, such as border demarcation and delimitation and resolving the cases of missing persons from the civil war. Smuggling, Sleiman said, would never stop completely, but cooperation BEIRUT 00000130 002 OF 002 between Lebanon and Syria could significantly reduce it. The issue of Palestinian military bases on the border between the two countries was also an important issue, he said. Sleiman reported that Syria signed a bilateral agreement with Lebanon attesting that Sheba'a Farms is Lebanese territory. The U.S., he advised, should deal with Syria because it plays a key role in the region, especially in Lebanon, he said. ¶5. (C) Rep. Smith questioned Sleiman about his plans for Lebanon's relationship with Israel. Sleiman responded that Lebanon respects the 1948 armistice agreement between the two countries, but that ISRAEL needed to withdraw from its occupation of Ghajar and Sheba'a Farms. If ISRAEL did so, then there would not be any dispute, he said. Asked about the Iranian nuclear issue, Sleiman said he did not support any nuclear regime in the region, unless it was for peaceful means. LEBANON SHOULD BE A MODEL TO REGIONAL NEIGHBORS -------------- ¶6. (C) In response to Rep. Nye's question about the prospects for sovereignty after the June 7 parliamentary elections, Sleiman believed it would be preserved. Sleiman characterized his military experience as useful for managing relations between Lebanon's varied political leaders, but said it was tough "day to day." He called himself an "experienced manager" after working with the different confessional sects as Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) commander. The LAF was the most integrated institution, he said. He thanked the U.S. for continued assistance to the LAF and said that the LAF shared the same values as the U.S. military, if not its strength. He explained that he maintained a neutral political position and was not "biased" towards any sect or political party. ¶7. (C) Sleiman did not agree with Rep. Giffords' suggestion tht changing demographics in Lebanon could impact Leanon's multi-confessional system. On the contray, he said, Lebanon would retain Christian and Muslim representation in its leadership because of the system. He argued that Lebanon's Christian population, approximately 35-40 percent of the total, he said, would be preserved and Lebanon should be a model for its regional neighbors. SISON