Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09RIYADH748
2009-06-07 14:50:00
SECRET
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
LEBANON: EX-SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO LEBANON THINKS
how-toVZCZCXRO2517 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHRH #0748 1581450 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 071450Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH TO RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT IMMEDIATE 0985 RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0920 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 4768 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0811 RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0033 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
S E C R E T RIYADH 000748
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA, NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR LE SA
SUBJECT: LEBANON: EX-SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO LEBANON THINKS
MARCH 14 COALITION WILL "EKE" OUT VICTORY
REF: A. BEIRUT 605
B. RIYADH 662
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Ambassador Richard Erdman, for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
S E C R E T RIYADH 000748
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA, NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR LE SA
SUBJECT: LEBANON: EX-SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO LEBANON THINKS
MARCH 14 COALITION WILL "EKE" OUT VICTORY
REF: A. BEIRUT 605
B. RIYADH 662
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Ambassador Richard Erdman, for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (S) Former Saudi ambassador to Lebanon and current
Minister of Culture and Information Abdul Aziz Al-Khoja told
Ambassador in a June 7 meeting that he and other Saudi
leaders expect the March 14 coalition to "eke" out a victory
in the June 7 Lebanese parliamentary elections. The minister
said he believed that if the Hizballah-led March 8 alliance
happened to do better than the March 14 coalition in the
elections, Hizballah would offer Saad Hariri the
premiereship. The Saudi government, he added, was advising
Hariri not to join a unity government. Asked if Hariri was
inclined to follow the Saudis' advice, Khoja said he judged
that Hariri would refuse such an offer.
2. (C) Comment: Khoja's views on the election have evolved
somewhat from a month ago. See ref B for a report of his
meeting with NEA DAS David Hale on May 6, during which the
minister expressed alarm over the possibility of a Hizballah
victory.
3. (U) Other topics discussed at the meeting (mainly
economic) will be reported septel.
ERDMAN
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA, NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR LE SA
SUBJECT: LEBANON: EX-SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO LEBANON THINKS
MARCH 14 COALITION WILL "EKE" OUT VICTORY
REF: A. BEIRUT 605
B. RIYADH 662
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Ambassador Richard Erdman, for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (S) Former Saudi ambassador to Lebanon and current
Minister of Culture and Information Abdul Aziz Al-Khoja told
Ambassador in a June 7 meeting that he and other Saudi
leaders expect the March 14 coalition to "eke" out a victory
in the June 7 Lebanese parliamentary elections. The minister
said he believed that if the Hizballah-led March 8 alliance
happened to do better than the March 14 coalition in the
elections, Hizballah would offer Saad Hariri the
premiereship. The Saudi government, he added, was advising
Hariri not to join a unity government. Asked if Hariri was
inclined to follow the Saudis' advice, Khoja said he judged
that Hariri would refuse such an offer.
2. (C) Comment: Khoja's views on the election have evolved
somewhat from a month ago. See ref B for a report of his
meeting with NEA DAS David Hale on May 6, during which the
minister expressed alarm over the possibility of a Hizballah
victory.
3. (U) Other topics discussed at the meeting (mainly
economic) will be reported septel.
ERDMAN