LEBANON: BORDER SECURITY PROGRESS REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000465 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA ALSO FOR IO/ A A/S WARLICK P FOR DRUSSELL AND RRANGASWAMY USUN FOR WOLFF/GERMAIN/SCHEDLBAUER DOD/OSD FOR FLOURNOY, KAHL, AND DALTON NSC FOR SHAPIRO, MCDERMOTT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PBTS PTER UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE SUBJECT: LEBANON: BORDER SECURITY PROGRESS REPORT BEIRUT 00000465 001.2 OF 002 // ZFR / ZFR / ZFR / ZFR / ZFR / ZFR / ZFR // Due to a mis-classification, please cancel and recall all copies of this cable. We regret the inconvenience. BEIRUT 00000465 002 OF 002 of GOL officials and technical experts to guide implementation and consult with donor countries on the project's progress. Donors, including the EU, U.S., Denmark, and Canada, believe that the involvement of and coordination among all donors with GOL political and security officials is a new organizational model for border security improvement. (Note: Donors have agreed that the new effort will not give Germany the lead, as it now has with the NBPP, in order to avoid the managerial and structural problems that have bedeviled the NBPP. End note.) ¶6. (C) The initial stage of the plan covers the first 70 kilometers of the northeaster border, with an implementation period between April 2009 and June 2010. The LAF forecasted the need for about 1200 personnel from the LAF, Internal Security Forces, Customs, and General Security/Immigration in the first stage with a total of about 3200 personnel to control the entire eastern border from the northern Fisan Valley to Shebba'. According to Zorrilla, the first stage will have a rough estimate cost of about $50 million. A month-long terrain survey is scheduled (start date TBD) by security agencies and the LAF to bring more clarity to the current plan. UNSCOL WILLIAMS PESSIMISTIC ABOUT PROGRESS -------------- ¶7. (C) UNSCOL Michael Williams, Zorilla's Chief of Mission, told the Ambassador on April 23 that he believes progress on the eastern border security plan was unlikely before Lebanon's June 7 parliamentary election. Williams said that during UN SYG Ban's January visit to Damascus, Syrian President Bashar Asad said he was finishing border issues with Jordan and then planned to tackle Syria's border issues with Iraq. The Lebanon border was not Syria's priority, Williams assessed. Prime Minister Siniora also expressed skepticism about Syria-Lebanon border security in his April 23 meeting with Williams. Although the Syrians had been helpful in cracking down on recent drug disputes in the Bekaa, Siniora suggested to Williams that the Syrians still maintained an open border policy. COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) Past discussions on border matters indicated the issue was one PM Siniora had taken on personally. All observations indicate that whatever momentum the issue had gained since Siniora's meeting with international donors in October (reftel B) has dissipated. Nonetheless, UNSCOL and the donors intend to continue to promote enhanced border security and UNSCR 1701 with GOL interlocutors. End comment. SISON