LEBANON: INTERIOR MINISTER BAROUD AND A/S JOHNSON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000768

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA
ALSO FOR IO A/S BRIMMER
INL FOR A/S JOHNSON
P FOR DRUSSELL, RRANGASWAMY
PARIS FOR JMILLER
USUN FOR WOLFF/GERMAIN/SCHEDLBAUER
NSC FOR SHAPIRO, MCDERMOTT
DOD/OSD FOR FLOURNOY/KAHL/DALTON
DRL/NESA FOR WHITMAN
OVP FOR HMUSTAFA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2019
TAGS: PGOV PBTS PTER SNAR SMIG KCOR LE SY
SUBJECT: LEBANON: INTERIOR MINISTER BAROUD AND A/S JOHNSON
DISCUSS COUNTERNARCOTICS, BORDER SECURITY, AND BAROUD'S
PROSPECTS TO REMAIN AS MINISTER

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

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


1. (C) In a July 2 meeting with International Narcotics and
Law Enforcement (INL) Assistant Secretary David Johnson,
caretaker Interior Minister Ziad Baroud believed that
technical preparations for securing Lebanon's border with
Syria were moving forward, but that real security would
require clear political commitment and engagement with all
stakeholders, including the Palestinians in the refugee camps
on the border and the Syrians. He stated that he and his
staff had been working on a plan for the formation of a
Directorate for Counternarcotics within the Ministry to
coordinate anti-drug efforts across GOL police agencies,
including the Judicial Police. He said he had credible
information that unnamed political forces were working to
undermine his credibility and prevent his reappointment in
the new cabinet. End summary.

BORDER SECURITY
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2. (SBU) INL A/S David Johnson, accompanied by the
Ambassador, INL Program Director, and Pol/EconOff, called on
caretaker Interior Minister Ziad Baroud at his ministry
office in Hamra July 2. Baroud noted that GOL implementation
of UNSCR 1701 on Lebanon's border with Syria was moving
forward on a technical level, though he acknowledged that
there was much left to do. Even with technical
implementation of 1701, said Baroud, truly secure borders
will require strong cooperation among the four Lebanese
entities involved with border security (the ISF, the Lebanese
Armed Forces, Surete Generale, and Customs),as well as
cooperation from the Syrians and from the Palestinians in the
refugee camps straddling the border, something which will
require political engagement. He pointed out the social and
economic implications of bordr protection, as many Syrians
and Lebanese live nd work on both sides of the border,
crossing it several times daily, and would require special
accommodation.


3. (C) Highlighting that significant donor assistance coupled
with hard work from the four border agencies had achieved
some progress, Baroud believed the time had come for
political follow-up to take the process further. He said the
new cabinet should express a clear commitment to
implementation of 1701 on the entire border with Syria, and
the GOL should begin discussions with the relevant
stakeholders. In practical terms, he added, while the
previous cabinet had passed a border security strategy, it
had not indicated what kind of border force it wanted, either
a dedicated agency charged with border protection, or a unit
comprised of representatives from the current four security
agencies. Baroud stressed the importance of donor engagement
to push the GOL forward, through setting a timeframe for
action and demanding a plan to move forward.

GOL COORDINATION
ON COUNTERNARCOTICS
--------------


4. (SBU) Baroud told A/S Johnson that the parliament had
passed a law in 1998 calling for the creation of a
Counternarcotics Directorate within the Ministry of Interior,
but that the idea ran into opposition, because some feared
the new directorate would tread on the turf of the Judicial
Police, operating under the Internal Security Forces. Baroud
said he and his staff were working on a way to revive the
directorate, while ensuring that the equities of other MOI
agencies were taken into account. He saw the new entity in a
coordinating role, bringing together a group of experts to

BEIRUT 00000768 002 OF 002


work across the Lebanese government on anti-drug policy. He
said the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is helping to
draft a strategic framework for the new directorate, and once
it is finished, he would share it with the USG. Because it
was starting from scratch, the directorate would need
significant assistance in terms of training and equipment,
stressed Baroud, and he hoped the DEA and other USG agencies
would assist. He also pointed out that he was working in
conjunction with civil society to set up a drug treatment
center in an abandoned hospital outside of Beirut, to address
some of the social implications of narcotics use.

POLITICAL BIGWIGS
CONSPIRE AGAINST BAROUD?
--------------


5. (C) Pointing to a series of negative pres stories about
him in recent days, Baroud said h had credible information
that various political ctors had hired a media consultant to
discredit him, to prevent his participation in the new
government. He noted that the Interior Ministry is a highly
desirable ministry for many politicians, and the Lebanese
political class was not particularly happy having a civil
society activist in the role. He believed the old style
political leadership was not interested in providing security
and transparency to the people, rather he said they prefer to
see someone from a "political dynasty" in the powerful
ministry. The dispirited Baroud stressed that he had never
asked for his position, and could happily return to his old
job and his family, but he was disappointed. "I have never
in my career been against anyone in the political system.
Now I am," he said bitterly.

COMMENT
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6. (C) While Baroud refrained from revealing the identities
of those attempting to taint his name and keep him out of the
next cabinet, we can imagine a variety of figures from both
March 14 and March 8 who might undertake such a campaign.
The Interior Ministry has traditionally been a strong power
base for several of Lebanon's dynastic families, as well as
an excellent vehicle for patronage and corruption. End
comment.


7. (U) A/S Johnson has cleared this cable.
SISON