LEBANON: BERRI SAYS SPEAKER ELECTION AT END OF JUNE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000674

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR LE IR
SUBJECT: LEBANON: BERRI SAYS SPEAKER ELECTION AT END OF JUNE

REF: BEIRUT 668

Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) In a June 16 meeting with the Ambassador, a relaxed
Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri expressed satisfaction
regarding the recent legislative elections and predicted
cabinet formation would occur smoothly and quickly. Berri
has made clear publicly and privately that he supports Saad
Hariri as Lebanon's next Prime Minister. Berri claimed he
prefers a small cabinet -- ten members instead of the current
30 -- to reduce chances the government will be hamstrung by
the competing interests of its members. He argued for full
implementation of Taif Accord, abolishing sectarianism,
establishing a bicameral system to decide major issues and
passing a new electoral law based on proportional
representation.


2. (C) Regarding Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's June 14
speech, Berri echoed the criticisms of other Lebanese
leaders. Netanyahu sought to reduce Palestinians to "less
than citizens," Berri argued, and avoided mention of a
two-state solution or the settlement of Palestinian refugees,
a particular concern to the Lebanese. End summary.

FORMING THE GOVERNMENT
--------------


3. (C) Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, accompanied by
advisor Ali Hamdan and Amal MP Ali Bazzi, told the Ambassador
on June 16 that he expected parliament to convene a session
to elect the speaker at the end of June. (Note: Berri is
widely expected to remain in his post, septel. End note.)
MP Abdel Latif Zein, as the oldest MP, would call the new
parliament into session "in coordination" with Berri, the
speaker said. Berri said he would need about two weeks to
invite Lebanon's key leaders, including the Lebanese Armed
Forces Commander, Central Bank Governor and journalists.
(Note: The current parliament is officially disbanded as of
midnight Saturday June 20, and a session must be convened
within two weeks to elect the speaker of parliament. Press
and several MPs we have spoken with expect the session June
23, but Berri is the key decision maker regarding the dates
of actions in Parliament. Berri also reported he would
consult with foreign ambassadors, but later corrected himself
to specify "Arab Ambassadors." End note.)


4. (C) Improved relations between Syria and Saudi Arabia and
between the United States and Syria could help speed
Lebanon's cabinet formation, Berri said, and he saw no
obstacles to a quick conclusion. He added that he prefers a
small cabinet, such as the ten-member 1984 cabinet in which
he was a minister. Despite its small number of members, that
cabinet fully represented each sect with strong leaders,
Berri said. (Note: Lebanon's cabinets were much smaller in
the past, comprised of four or eight ministers several times
in the 1950's. Post-Taif, cabinets have been able to include
representatives from more of Lebanon's minority sects, but
winning decisions is more complicated. End note.)


5. (C) Berri, assuming he would be speaker in the next
government, said he would offer March 14 majority leader Saad
Hariri the unanimous backing of all MPs to be prime minister,
which would show Hariri that he had not only won a majority
in June 7 elections but also was supported by all political
groupings. In exchange, Berri said he would ask Hariri to
"rise above" the March 14 and March 8 divisions in parliament
to be an "unbiased and representative" prime minister.


6. (C) On National Dialogue sessions to discuss the defense
strategy, Berri said President Michel Sleiman should select
new criteria for membership following elections. Berri said
Sleiman could choose any criteria he preferred, but the
criteria must be clear. (Note: The National Dialogue

BEIRUT 00000674 002 OF 002


convened by Berri in 2006 had a minimum of four MPs elected
to Parliament for a bloc to participate. End note.)

FULL TAIF IMPLEMENTATION
--------------


7. (C) Berri argued that the Taif agreement should be
implemented in full, including the formation of a bicameral
legislature and the establishment of a committee to discuss
abolishing sectarianism. Berri supported the formation of a
small senate with six or seven representatives from each of
the key sects that would be charged with "big questions,"
such as decisions of war and peace and issues of major
concern for each sect. A larger lower house elected without
regard to sect would handle day-to-day operations of
government.


8. (C) Berri admitted that formation of a senate would be
unpopular among current MPs, who would have to cede some
authority to the new body. He also supported formulating a
new electoral law based on proportional representation to
elect parliamentarians, a step he argued needed to be in
place before two legislative bodies were formed.


9. (C) (Note: Lebanon had both a senate and parliament
1923-27, under the French Mandate. The parliament was
non-sectarian and continued that way until 1943. The National
Pact of that year established a 6-5 Christian-Muslim split of
the seats in parliament and allocated the presidency to the
Christians, the prime minister to the Sunnis and Speaker of
the parliament to the Shia. The Taif Accord in 1990 changed
the Christian-Muslim division of parliament to 50-50 and
shifted some powers from the president to the prime minister.
End note.)

NETANYAHU SPEECH
"DANGEROUS"
--------------


10. (C) Berri, echoing other Lebanese leaders (reftel),
called Israeli PM Netanyahu's June 17 speech "dangerous" and
said it encouraged extremism in the region. Israel hoped to
give the Palestinians less than what Lebanon gave to the
Palestinians, Berri assessed; "at least here they have arms,"
he added.


11. (C) Netanyahu's speech exacerbated Lebanese concerns that
Palestinians could be resettled in Lebanon ("tawteen"),a
move that would destabilize the country's fragile sectarian
balance, Berri said. (Note: Leaders from across the
political spectrum expressed opposition to "tawteen" during
June 12 meetings with visiting Special Envoy for the Middle
East George Mitchell.


12. (C) Berri commented on the "unique" circumstances in
which all Lebanese political parties had accepted the June 7
election results in contrast to the Iranian election. Berri
opined that the March 14 victory gave Lebanon and the region
"a big window" for all Arab leaders "with the United States
in hand" to demand moderation from the Israelis. Separately,
Berri noted that the representative of his Amal party in
Tehran had telephoned to voice his concern about the current
situation there and had said he expected the instability to
continue.


13. (U) The following day, Berri called publicly for a
national unity cabinet. Talking to reporters after meeting
June 17 with President Michel Sleiman, Berri also announced
that he "nominated" Saad Hariri as Prime Minister.
SISON