SAUDI AMBASSADOR: JUMBLATT RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 000892

SIPDIS

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/06/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR LE IS SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI AMBASSADOR: JUMBLATT RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY
TO KHOJA'S INTERVENTION

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


1. (C) Saudi Information and Culture Minister Abdulaziz Khoja
sent a strong message to Progressive Socialist Party (PSP)
leader Walid Jumblatt on August 4 that his actions did not
serve Lebanon's national interests, and Jumblatt responded
immediately and positively to Saudi King Abdullah's
entreaties, according to Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali
Saeed Awadh Asseri. Asseri assessed during an August 7
meeting at the Saudi Embassy with the Ambassador and PolOff
that Jumblatt's recent comments about the March 14 Coalition
and the ensuing scuffle had "surprised everyone and almost
destroyed everything."


2. (C) Asseri said neither he nor Khoja had met with Prime
Minister-designate Saad Hariri since the Jumblatt crisis
unfolded last Sunday because the Saudis were wary of being
perceived as interfering in the government formation process.
"I don't want them to say we're forming the government." He
described Hariri as "hurt" and "devastated" by Jumblatt's
defection, but Asseri was confident that Hariri would return
to Lebanon by Monday, August 10, at the latest. (Note: In
fact, Ambassador has been assured by Nader Hariri that she
will be able to meet with PM-Designate Saad Hariri "early
next week" in Beirut. End note.) Asseri confirmed that Khoja
had met with caretaker Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and
President Michel Sleiman, although he downplayed the visits
as simply courtesy calls during which the former Saudi
Ambassador to Lebanon briefed them on the proceedings of his
meeting with Jumblatt. When the Ambassador asked about the
veracity of rumors floating around Beirut that the Saudi
government had threatened to halt Saudi assistance to the PSP
leader, Asseri insisted such speculation was untrue. "Khoja
only conveyed anger and disappointment, not that," Asseri
said.


3. (C) While Asseri argued that Jumblatt remained committed
to the March 14 Coalition, he admitted that the Druze leader
had put Hariri in an extremely difficult position. Asseri was
vague on how he thought Jumblatt's machinations would impact
the 15-5-10 cabinet formation.


4. (C) Asseri also admitted that he was unsure if Jumblatt
was driven by material motives, fear, or possibly both.
Jumblatt is a "money man," who stood tQlose a lot if his
current machinations go awry. Asseri further described
Jumblatt as "unpredictable," and assessed that he would
continue to walk a fine line between competing camps as the
government formation process progressed. Asseri said he was
unaware of any imminent trips to Damascus by Saudi leaders,
although he was quick to assert, "Anything that will unite
Lebanon, the King will go for." Asseri was confident that
government formation would resume shortly and confidently
declared that the new Cabinet would be in place by mid-August
beginning of Ramadan.

SISON