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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00BEIRUT1411 |
ELECTION 2000: AMAL-HIZBALLAH MAKE A DEAL, [...] (C) SUMMARY: AMAL MOVEMENT AND HIZBALLAH HAVE MADE A SYRIAN-INDUCED DEAL TO DISTRIBUTE SEATS AMONG THEMSELVES IN THE UPCOMING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. IF THE DEAL HOLDS, HIZBALLAH WOULD HAVE A NET GAIN OF TWO SEATS, PLUS A STRONGER FIGURE IN A THIRD ONE. THESE EXPEDIENT PAIRINGS ARE TYPICAL [...] |
2000-04-17 16:04:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KISL LE |
| 00BEIRUT4016 |
SLOUCHING TOWARD THE GRAND SERAIL (II) -- [...] (C) SUMMARY: FORMER PM HARIRI IS EXPECTED TO BE NAMED VERY SHORTLY AS LEBANON'S NEXT PRIME MINISTER, WITH A NEW CABINET PRESENTED FOR PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL WITHIN THE WEEK. THE GREEN LIGHT FOR HARIRI'S APPOINTMENT WAS GIVEN BY SYRIA FOLLOWING EXTENSIVE CONSULTATIONS IN CAIRO AND HERE OVER T [...] |
2000-10-23 13:46:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE SY |
| 01BEIRUT1018 |
KHATAMI HOLDS COURT FOR LEBANESE [...] (C) SUMMARY: IRANIAN PRESIDENT KHATAMI MET ON APRIL 25 WITH HIZBALLAH SYG HASSAN NASRALLAH AND PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER/AMAL LEADER NABIH BERRI ON THE MARGINS OF THE TEHRAN-SPONSORED CONFERENCE IN SUPPORT OF THE AL-AQSA INTIFADA. KHATAMI LAVISHED PRAISE ON HIZBALLAH AND WAS SOMEWHAT MORE RESERV [...] |
2001-04-26 16:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER KISL KPAL IR SY LE |
| 01BEIRUT1935 |
ANTI-ISRAELI AND ANTI-U.S. RHETORIC ON THE [...] (C) SUMMARY. LAST WEEK'S UPSURGE IN VIOLENCE IN ISRAEL DREW WIDESPREAD CONDEMNATION FROM GOL OFFICIALS, THE MEDIA, HIZBALLAH, AND MUSLIM LEADERS. THE JULY 31 ATTACK AT NABLUS INTENSIFIED ANTI-ISRAELI RHETORIC, WHILE SPARKING CRITICISM OF THE U.S. HIZBALLAH CONDEMNED THE ISRAELI ATTACKS AND CA [...] |
2001-08-06 15:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KPAL PTER IS SY LE |
| 01BEIRUT2254 |
TFUS01: LEBANESE EXPRESS OUTRAGE AND SYMPATHY, [...] (C) SUMMARY. AS THE MASSIVE SCALE OF TRAGEDY UNFURLED DRAMATICALLY ACROSS THE WORLD, LEBANESE OF ALL PERSUASIONS OFFERED FRESH OUTPOURINGS OF CONDEMNATION AND SYMPATHY FOR THE ATTACKS ON AMERICA. ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF OFTEN FRACTIOUS SECTARIAN GROUPS, THE NATION UNITED IN THE CONVICTION TH [...] |
2001-09-13 16:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER LE |
| 01BEIRUT3057 |
BERRI ON HIZBALLAH, THE REGION AND THE ECONOMY [...] (C) SUMMARY: IN DISCUSSING HIZBALLAH'S SIGNIFICANCE WITH THE AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 7, SPEAKER BERRI SAID THAT AMAL WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL "ACTIONS" PRIOR TO ISRAEL'S 1984 WITHDRAWAL FROM BEIRUT. HE PREDICTED THAT HIZBALLAH WOULD CONTINUE TO LAUNCH CROSS-BORDER ATTACKS UNTIL A COMPREHENSIVE PE [...] |
2001-12-13 14:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER ECON LE IR SY |
| 01BEIRUT758 |
HIZBALLAH-AMAL FORGE MUNICIPAL ELECTION [...] (C) SUMMARY: PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER/AMAL MOVEMENT HEAD NABIH BERRI, CORNERED BY SYRIAN SUPPORT FOR HARIRI'S STRUCTURAL REFORMS WHICH WILL HARM HIS PATRONAGE MACHINE, IS TRIMMING SAILS. HE HAS MET WITH ARCH-RIVAL HIZBALLAH SYG NASRALLAH AND COMPROMISES ON TWO BONES OF CONTENTION ARE EMERGING. [...] |
2001-03-22 16:28:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KISL IR LE |
| 02BEIRUT2782 |
LAF CLASHES WITH PALESTINIANS IN BIQA' [...] (C) SUMMARY: THE LEBANESE ARMED FORCES (LAF) EXCHANGED FIRE WITH PALESTINIANS NEAR BAALBECK THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 4 DURING AN ARMS SEIZURE OPERATION AGAINST AN "ABU NIDAL ORGANIZATION (ANO) ARMS DEPOT" LOCATED JUST OUTSIDE THE AL-GALIL PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMP IN THE BIQA. ONE LAF SOLDIER [...] |
2002-09-04 20:55:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER MOPS PGOV LE KPAL |
| 02BEIRUT3470 |
LEBANESE INTERIOR MINISTER BANS OCTOBER 31 [...] (U) SUMMARY: INTERIOR MINISTER ELIAS MURR ANNOUNCED ON OCTOBER 30 THAT HE WOULD NOT GRANT PERMISSION TO OPPOSITION GROUP QORNET SHEHWAN'S (QS) "PRO-FREEDOM" PROTEST OR TO THE COUNTER-DEMONSTRATION PROPOSED BY THE PRO-SYRIAN ISLAMIC GATHERING, BOTH SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 31. QS MEMBERS QUICKL [...] |
2002-10-31 15:36:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM LE |
| 02BEIRUT3741 |
LEBANON: 2002 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT [...] SECURITY CONDITIONS IN LEBANON WORSENED DURING 2002 WITH THE KILLING OF AN AMERICAN MISSIONARY, EXPLOSIONS AT SEVERAL AMERICAN FRANCHISE RESTAURANTS, AND A SPIKE OF CROSS-BORDER ATTACKS INTO ISRAEL IN MARCH-APRIL. LEBANON, LIKE MANY COUNTRIES IN THE REGION, IS EXPERIENCING AN INCREASE IN TER [...] |
2002-11-29 15:00:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PREL PGOV LE |
| 03BEIRUT3697 |
FORMER HIZBALLAH LEADER RESURFACES TO DENOUNCE ... [...] (C) SUMMARY: SPEAKING AT THE FUNERAL OF HIS FATHER, FORMER HIZBALLAH SECRETARY GENERAL SHAYKH SUBHI TUFAYLI DENOUNCED GOL OFFICIALS AS "MONSTERS," HIZBALLAH AS "BORDER GUARDS FOR ISRAEL," AND IRAN AS AN ALLY OF THE UNITED STATES. THIS WAS THE FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE IN TWO YEARS BY TUFAYLI, [...] |
2003-09-10 14:29:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PINR KISL IR LE SY |
| 03BEIRUT4562 |
LEBANON: SPEAKER BERRI URGES U.S. TO WORK WITH [...] (C) Summary: Ambassador met with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri October 27. The discussion focused principally on Iraq and Syria. Berri, having just returned from Damascus, again tried to impress upon us that Syrian President Asad desires a good relationship with the United States and that [...] |
2003-10-28 17:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER LE SY LY |
| 03BEIRUT4629 |
LEBANON: INTERIOR MINISTER MURR DISCUSSES [...] (C) Summary: Ambassador met with Interior Minister Elias Murr October 31 to discuss Hizballah interference with an embassy motorcade, progress on the McDonalds bombing investigation, and the preparation of municipalities/electoral laws. Murr comprehends the seriousness of Hizballah interfe [...] |
2003-10-31 17:35:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PREL PGOV LE |
| 03BEIRUT5034 |
LEBANON: 2003 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT [...] No summary [...] |
2003-11-28 15:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER LE |
| 03BEIRUT5454 |
LEBANON: ISLAMIC REFORM: THE BEGINNING OF A [...] (C) Summary. Meeting in Beirut to address the misuse of Islamic endowments by extremist groups, the Executive Council of the Ministers of Islamic Endowments rejected any link between Islam and terrorism, denouncing terrorists as "infidels." Prime Minister Hariri called for reforming Islamic [...] |
2003-12-23 10:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER KISL KIRF SOCI EFIN LE SA |
| 03BEIRUT795 |
TFIZO1: LEBANESE, PALESTINIAN FACTIONS UNITED IN [...] (C) SUMMARY. THE LEADERS OF 34 LEBANESE POLITICAL PARTIES AND 11 PALESTINIAN FACTIONS, A GROUPING THAT MEETS SEVERAL TIMES ANNUALLY, HELD AN "EXCEPTIONAL AND URGENT" MEETING MARCH 19. THE GROUP ISSUED A COMMUNIQUE CALLING FOR BOYCOTTING U.S. PRODUCTS, "ENCIRCLING" U.S. AND COALITION EMBASS [...] |
2003-03-20 13:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PTER LE IZ |
| 03BEIRUT908 |
TFIZ01: LEBANESE SPEAKER BERRI DISCUSSES SHI'ITE [...] (C) SUMMARY: AMBASSADOR MET WITH LEBANESE PARLIAMENT SPEAKER NABIH BERRI MARCH 31. DISCUSSIONS CENTERED AROUND AMERICAN-LEBANESE RELATIONS, THE WAR IN IRAQ AND SHI'ITE REACTION TO THE COALITION'S CAMPAIGN, THE ROADMAP, AND USG WARNINGS TO SYRIA REGARDING TRANSSHIPMENTS TO IRAQ. END SUMMAR [...] |
2003-03-31 14:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL IZ SY LE |
| 04BEIRUT1108 |
LEBANON: SPEAKER BERRI AND SHEIKH QABALAN ON IRAQ [...] (C) AMBASSADOR CONVEYED POINTS IN REF A ON THE TERRORIST ATTACKS IN IRAQ TO PARLIAMENT SPEAKER (AND SHI'ITE LEADER) NABIH BERRI MARCH 4. BERRI, WHO PUBLICLY DENOUNCED THE ATTACKS FROM DAMASCUS ON MARCH 2 (REF B), SAID THAT "INSIDE THE ROOMS" OF INFLUENTIAL SHI'A LEADERS, THERE IS AGREEMENT TH [...] |
2004-03-05 11:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PREL LE IZ |
| 04BEIRUT3300 |
LEBANON: THE "BEIRUT DECLARATION" -- BACKGROUND, [...] (C) Lebanese authorities inadvertently gave the "Beirut Declaration" -- a ringing denunciation of Lebanon's political status quo covered by the press in both Lebanon and France (Ref A) -- widespread publicity as a result of their ham-handed attempt to block the document's public unveiling. T [...] |
2004-06-25 15:09:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SOCI SY LE |
| 04BEIRUT3713 |
LEBANON: THE TWO FACES OF HIZBALLAH; PART ONE -- [...] (C) A number of Lebanese observers who favor the idea of transforming Hizballah into a normal political party see hopeful signs of this happening. Specifically, they point to expressions from some Hizballah members of common interest with Christian oppositionists and more recently the suppor [...] |
2004-07-30 17:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER KISL PGOV SOCI LE SY |
| 04BEIRUT408 |
LEBANON: BERRI EMPHASIZES AL-SISTANI'S IMPORTANCE [...] (C) IN A JANUARY 15 CONVERSATION WITH AMBASSADOR, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER NABIH BERRI SAID HE AND HIS AMAL MOVEMENT FOLLOWERS LOOKED TO IRAQ'S GRAND AYATOLLAH ALI AL-SISTANI AS THEIR PRIMARY SOURCE OF RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY. ACCORDING TO BERRI, AMAL HAD PREVIOUSLY LOOKED TO ITS FOUNDER, IMAM M [...] |
2004-01-22 16:29:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KISL PINR SOCI LE IZ |
| 04BEIRUT4423 |
PARLIAMENT SPEAKER WANTS LARGE NATIONAL UNITY [...] (C) Lebanese Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri, in a 10/11 meeting with the Ambassador, said that he wanted the next cabinet to be a national unity government. Only by getting sufficient representation from the Christian opposition and Walid Jumblatt's bloc, he said, could Lebanon face the [...] |
2004-10-12 08:44:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE SY |
| 04BEIRUT4941 |
LEBANON: WHAT'S WRONG WITH AMAL? [...] (S) Summary and comment: The Amal Movement is unable to keep up with Hizballah's popularity because Amal is seen as disorganized, corrupt, and based too much on party leader Nabih Berri. Referred to as "the thieves," Amal's leaders maintain party support through a patronage system that uses [...] |
2004-11-30 14:34:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PGOV KISL PTER LE SY |
| 05BEIRUT1123 |
MGLE01: AMAL SUCCESSION: BERRI'S BITTER, FRUITLESS [...] (C) Summary. Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, 67 years old, has not groomed a credible successor to lead his Amal Movement. Like almost every other Lebanese party, he has kept the line of succession murky to avoid threats to his own leadership. Berri expelled a popular Amal leader whom h [...] |
2005-04-06 15:35:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL LE PGOV |
| 05BEIRUT1322 |
MGLE01: SYRIAN INTELLIGENCE MAY HAVE WORKED WITH [...] (S) Introduction and summary. Tyre businessman Qassim Daoud (strictly protect) provided econoff on April 19 with further details on Hizballah's "Mirsad-1" Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flight into Israeli airspace on April 11 (reftel). Daoud has well-placed contacts in the southern Shia co [...] |
2005-04-25 15:26:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | LE MOPS PTER SY |
| 05BEIRUT2068 |
MGLE1: LEBANON'S NEW PARLIAMENTARY LEADERSHIP [...] (C) Four major personalities will dominate the new Parliament. These leaders -- Saad Hariri, Walid Jumblatt, Hassan Nasrallah, and Michel Aoun -- have the votes and the voices they need to push for -- or to block --change. The men and women who counsel these figures will be among our chief [...] |
2005-06-24 16:29:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PHUM PINR |
| 05BEIRUT2153 |
THE NEW AND IMPROVED NABIH BERRI SAYS THE RIGHT [...] (C) Newly re-elected Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, opening a 6/30 meeting with the Ambassador, growled about alleged USG attempts to "veto" his candidacy. But after this initial scratchy start, Berri turned uncharacteristically friendly and polemics-free, saying he wanted to set aside pol [...] |
2005-06-30 14:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KDEM PTER LE SY |
| 05BEIRUT2285 |
MGLE01: BIOGRAPHY OF POTENTIAL CANDIDATE FOR [...] WE have learned that Prime Minister-designate Fouad Siniora has agreed with the two main Shiite political forces to name Fawzi Salloukh as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Salloukh is a retired diplomat and a moderate Shia figure with national standing as an independent intellectual. He is 74 y [...] |
2005-07-12 12:55:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR ECON SOCI LE |
| 05BEIRUT2293 |
MGLE01: DAS DIBBLE MEETING WITH WALID JUMBLATT -- [...] (C) Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, defending (somewhat sheepishly) his public support for Hizballah, claimed to NEA DAS Dibble that doing so was the only obvious way to "cool down" Hizballah and "bring them inside." While this may involve paying lip service to Hizballah's loopy claim to the "S [...] |
2005-07-13 07:57:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PGOV KDEM PTER LE SY |
| 05BEIRUT2355 |
MGLE01: MARONITE PATRIARCH ON CABINET FORMATION: [...] (C) The Maronite Patriarch suggested that, while he was trying to help Prime Minister-designate Siniora's efforts to form a Cabinet, he was at a loss as to what one of the principal obstacles, Michel Aoun, really wanted. Aoun's supporters might take to the streets if Aoun is left out of the [...] |
2005-07-18 16:08:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PREL PTER LE SY |
| 05BEIRUT2386 |
MGLE01: HIZBALLAH'S CABINET SHUFFLE [...] (C) Introduction and summary. Hizballah gained all its cabinet demands as Prime Minister-designate Fouad Siniora on July 19 announced his cabinet lineup that included Fawzi Salloukh as Foreign Minister, Trad Hamadeh as Labor Minister, and Hizballah member MP Mohammed Fneish as Energy and Wat [...] |
2005-07-20 14:53:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KPAL LE PGOV PTER SENV |
| 05BEIRUT2425 |
MGLE01--AMBASSADOR'S FIRST MEETING WITH FOREIGN [...] (C) Summary: In his first meeting with the Ambassador, Fawzi Salloukh on 7/25 highlighted his long friendship with the United States, promised an open dialogue between the two countries, and tried to put a good face on future Lebanon-Syrian relations. Salloukh, a Shia from southern Lebanon, [...] |
2005-07-25 16:04:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 05BEIRUT2707 |
MGLE01: NOTABLE LEBANESE SHIA INTELLECTUALS [...] (C) Summary: During a luncheon on August 21, Shia clerics gave the Charge and emboffs their views on the situation of the Shia community in the south. They addressed practical views on the problems facing the Shia community in southern Lebanon, namely the lack of access to water and reliab [...] |
2005-08-23 15:10:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ENRG KISL LE SENV |
| 05BEIRUT3084 |
MGLE01: SPEAKER NABIH BERRI CALMS DOWN, BUT [...] (C) SUMMARY: Coming only a day after his public outburst against PM Fuad Siniora and the Core Group meetings, the Nabih Berri who met the Ambassador and Poloff on 9/22 was notably calm and full of sweet reason. He insisted his only concern in voicing his displeasure was the well-being of L [...] |
2005-09-23 15:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE PGOV PREL SY |
| 05BEIRUT3122 |
MGLE01: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH FOREIGN [...] (C) Summary: On September 27, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fawzi Salloukh met with Ambassador and Poloff to discuss the recent Lebanese meetings in the U.S. The Minister was in good spirits. He expressed his overall satisfaction with the reception he received in the U.S., including a side v [...] |
2005-09-27 15:09:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM LE PGOV PREL SY UNGA |
| 05BEIRUT3155 |
MGLE1 MURR POINTS FINGER AT SYRIA AND REVEALS [...] (C) Summary: At least until the 7/12 assassination attempt against him, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Elias Murr was always seen locally as an insider's insider during the Syrian occupation. His credentials seemed perfect: son-in-law of President Lahoud, son of a prominent [...] |
2005-09-28 15:44:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM KPAL LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 05BEIRUT3291 |
MGLE01: JUMBLATT'S STRAIGHT TALK [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a meeting with the Ambassador on the afternoon of October 6, Druse leader Walid Jumblatt flatly stated his belief that the assassination of Rafiq Hariri, and the series of bombings committed since then, were the work of the Syrian regime, specifically Bashar Assad. His colle [...] |
2005-10-06 16:20:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE KPAL PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 05BEIRUT3341 |
MGLE01: A/S WELCH MEETING WITH LEBANESE FOREIGN [...] (C) Summary: On October 12, NEA A/S Welch, accompanied by Ambassador and PolChief (notetaker), met with Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh at the Office of the Foreign Minister in Beirut. With respect to the UN Mehlis investigation into the murder of Rafiq Hariri, Salloukh said the G [...] |
2005-10-13 08:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KDEM KPAL SY LE IS |
| 05BEIRUT3498 |
MGLE01: FM SALLOUKH DISCUSSES MEHLIS AND [...] (C) SUMMARY: Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh was enthusiastic in his support of the Mehlis report findings, but was reluctant to send a Lebanese representative to next Monday's planned UNSC meeting of foreign ministers. He considers this meeting strictly an affair between Syria and the Sec [...] |
2005-10-26 16:53:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KPAL LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 05BEIRUT3658 |
MGLE01: FURY IN BEIRUT AT BASHAR AL-ASAD'S [...] (C) Summary and Introduction: The full range of Lebanon's political spectrum has reacted angrily to Syrian President Bashar al-Asad's November 10 speech at Damascus University. Our contacts find the speech confrontational, threatening, and insulting. Most take special note of Asad's descr [...] |
2005-11-10 17:07:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER LE SY |
| 05BEIRUT3670 |
MGLE01: DEFENSE MINISTER MURR SAYS ARMY UNABLE TO [...] (S) In a November 8 meeting with NEA DAS Elizabeth Dibble, the Ambassador, the defense attache, and econoff, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias Murr said that he is trying to transform the Lebanese military after 15 years of Syrian direction. He wanted to change the "Syrian me [...] |
2005-11-14 08:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | KPAL MARR MASS MCAP MOPS PGOV PTER SY LE |
| 05BEIRUT3818 |
MGLE01: SPEAKER BERRI HALF-HEARTEDLY DEFENDS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Speaker Nabih Berri tried to explain Hizballah's November 21 attack on an Israeli position in the Blue Line village of Ghajjar as merely a response to Israeli military activity earlier in the month. Yet Berri indicated he understood that Hizballah's aggression in Ghajjar, and i [...] |
2005-11-29 08:45:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 05BEIRUT523 |
NABIH BERRI AUDITIONS FOR ROLE AS RECONCILIATOR [...] (C) Add Lebanese Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri to the list of prominent Lebanese who seem genuinely shocked by Rafiq Hariri's murder a week ago. In a 2/21 meeting with the Ambassador that was free of his usual polemics and bombast, Berri vowed to play a moderating role on two fronts. Fi [...] |
2005-02-21 13:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER LE SY |
| 05BEIRUT541 |
OPPOSITION A ROLL: FORCE CABINET TO QUIT, GET [...] (C) Chattering away at a 2/21 dinner hosted by Boutros Harb, leading members of the Christian opposition and Walid Jumblatt's bloc were visibly buoyed by what they saw as three victories earlier that day: the largest anti-Syrian demonstration in Lebanon's history, Parliament Speaker Nabih B [...] |
2005-02-22 15:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PGOV LE SY |
| 05BEIRUT654 |
Lebanon Biographies of Potential Prime Ministers [...] Followig are biographies of potential candidates to repace Prime Minister Omar Karami who resigned on Febuary 28, 2005. According to the 1943 National Pat and the 1989 Taif Accord, Lebanon's Prime Miniter must be a Sunni Muslim. Several names of poential candidates are being discussed i [...] |
2005-03-03 11:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR ECON LE |
| 05BEIRUT767 |
MGLE01: PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER BERRI SEES SYRIANS [...] (C) Nabih Berri, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and leader of the Shia Amal Movement, assured the Ambassador that Syrian forces would redeploy to the Biqa' Valley in short order and complete their withdrawal to Syria within months. Looking on the bright side, Berri claimed that Syria's de [...] |
2005-03-09 16:43:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PTER SY LE |
| 06BEIRUT1001 |
MGLE01: MINISTER OF JUSTICE EXPLAINS DECISION ON [...] (C) On March 22, Minister of Justice Charles Rizk and Judge Chukri Sadr discussed with the Ambassador the MOJ's deliberations regarding the U.S. extradition request for the four terrorists -- Mohammod Ali Hamadei, Hasan Izz-al-Din, Ali Atwa, and Imad Mughniyah -- responsible for the hijacking [...] |
2006-03-30 05:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | LE PGOV PREL PTER |
| 06BEIRUT1010 |
MGLE01: NORTHERN LEBANON POOREST DISTRICT IN THE [...] On March 22, econoff met with Statistics Lebanon chief Rabih Haber to attain non-governmental statistics on poverty in Lebanon. According to its recently completed annual survey of households, Statistics Lebanon found that qadas in northern Lebanon had the highest poverty rates in the countr [...] |
2006-03-30 11:44:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PTER ECON SOCI LE |
| 06BEIRUT1013 |
INL BUDGET CALL: LEBANON RESPONSE [...] (SBU) While Embassy Beirut is not an NAS post, it can conduct activities in support of INL's two performance goals: -- Countering international trafficking in drugs, persons, and other illicit goods; and -- Promoting international cooperation to combat drugs and crime. With this in min [...] |
2006-03-30 14:02:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ABUD ASEC EAID KCRM LE SNAR |
| 06BEIRUT1024 |
MGLE01: LEBANON'S RELIGIOUS LEADERS NOT [...] (C) Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, head of the Maronite church, and Patriarch Catholicos Aram I, head of Lebanon's Armenian Orthodox community, both expressed doubt that the current political deadlock between the March 14 forces and the informal coalition of Hizballah, Amal, and Michel Aoun's Fr [...] |
2006-03-31 15:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT1029 |
MGLE01: HARIRI DEFENDS MEETING WITH PFLP-GC CHIEF [...] (C) On 4/2, MP Saad Hariri defended his meeting on 3/31 with Damascus-based PFLP-GC leader Ahmad Jibril. Responding to the Ambassador's objections, Hariri said that his meeting was connected directly to the ongoing national dialogue. Participants in the national dialogue asked Hariri, Parli [...] |
2006-04-03 08:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER KDEM LE SY KPAL |
| 06BEIRUT1038 |
MGLE01: HIZBALLAH ASSOCIATE SEES A MISUNDERSTOOD [...] (C) Econoff and FSN political specialist met with former Hizballah bloc MP Georges Najm on March 29. Najm, who is not a member of Hizballah, said that he maintained ties to Hizballah, especially MP Mohammad Raad and Minister of Energy and Water Mohammad Fneish. Najm painted a moderate pictu [...] |
2006-04-03 15:32:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KISL KPAL LE PGOV PTER |
| 06BEIRUT1040 |
MGLE01: AOUN ADVISOR COMMENTS ON DETERIORATING [...] (C) Gebran Bassil, senior advisor to Michel Aoun, said the recent deterioration in relations between the March 14 coalition and the Hizballah/Amal/Lahoud alliance was just the latest indication the Siniora/Hariri government was incapable of leading the country. Bassil, who appears to have c [...] |
2006-04-03 15:39:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KDEM LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT1050 |
MGLE01: INDEPENDENT MP FRANJIEH TRIES A NEW [...] (C) MP Samir Franjieh, a founding member of the Qornet Shehwan pro-reform movement, believes the March 14 coalition has effectively worked its way into a trap, partly set by the Syrian regime, by focusing almost exclusively on the replacement of President Emile Lahoud. He contends that chan [...] |
2006-04-04 14:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KDEM LE PGOV PREL SY |
| 06BEIRUT1072 |
MGLE01: SAUDI AMBASSADOR SEES NASRALLAH (WHO [...] (S) In a 4/5 meeting with the Ambassador, Saudi Ambassador Abdulaziz Khoja reported on his two-hour meeting the previous evening with Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah. Nasrallah, Khoja said, reported that Hizballah would back Michel Aoun for Lebanon's presidency and would oppose [...] |
2006-04-06 12:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PGOV KDEM PTER LE SY SA |
| 06BEIRUT1086 |
MGLE01: SPECIAL CABINET SESSION DISCUSSES [...] Summary: The GOL's economic reform agenda was presented before the full Cabinet for the first time during a special session on April 5. President Lahoud chaired the session where both Finance Minister Azour and Economy Minister Haddad made Power Point presentations outlining the GOL's reform [...] |
2006-04-06 15:34:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV ECON EFIN LE |
| 06BEIRUT1090 |
MGLE01: AMAL-HIZBALLAH MARRIAGE WEAKENING AMAL [...] (C) Econoff met separately with independent Shia leaders Mohammad Obeid and Mohammad Baydun on April 5. Both Obeid and Baydun reported that Amal's support is crumbling away at the rank-and-file level. The main reason was Amal movement leader and Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri's perceived [...] |
2006-04-07 11:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IR IS KISL LE PGOV PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT1092 |
MGLE01: PARLIAMENTARIAN SEES PARLIAMENT NEGLECTED [...] No summary [...] |
2006-04-07 12:18:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV KPAL LE SY IR |
| 06BEIRUT1106 |
MGLE01: FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION CASE IN LEBANON [...] (C) Summary: Lebanon's Office of the Military Justice will hear a case on April 17 to determine if a reformist attorney is guilty of "defaming the institution of the military" when he made statements before the European Commission in November 2003. In the opinion of the Ministry of Foreign [...] |
2006-04-10 07:20:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM LE PGOV PHUM PREL |
| 06BEIRUT1107 |
MGLEO1: NASSIB, NAYLA, BOUTROS EVALUATE THEIR [...] (C) Over the past week, the Ambassador had one-on-one lunches with the three presidential candidates generally considered the front-runners of the March 14 presidential contenders: Nayla Mouawad, Boutros Harb, and Nassib Lahoud. The policy differences among the three pro-independence politi [...] |
2006-04-10 07:21:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT1120 |
MGLE01: LEBANON, SHEBAA FARMS, AND THE GHAJAR [...] (C) On April 7, UNIFIL Senior Adviser Milos Strugar briefed econoff on the unusual situation of the divided village of Ghajar. The Blue Line cuts through the center of the village with the northern two-thirds inside Lebanon, and the southern one-third inside the Israeli-occupied Golan Heigh [...] |
2006-04-11 15:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KPKO LE PBTS PGOV PTER |
| 06BEIRUT1147 |
MGLE01: QUARTERLY REPORT ON FREEDOM AGENDA [...] (C) This is post's progress report for the second quarter of FY-06 on the Lebanon country strategy for democratic reform. Refs A and B identified three outcomes for our country strategy: -- a new electoral law, -- competent, effective, transparent government, and -- reform of the judi [...] |
2006-04-13 09:58:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KPAO KDEM KMPI PREL ECON LE |
| 06BEIRUT1164 |
MGLE01: SCENESETTER FOR CODEL DODD [...] (SBU) The current political situation in Lebanon is highly uncertain: the National Dialogue process, which raised expectations for significant political progress when it began six weeks ago, appears to have run its course. The rivalry between the pro-reform "March 14" coalition (consisting [...] |
2006-04-13 14:13:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | OREP PGOV PREL LE |
| 06BEIRUT1166 |
MGLE01: FM SALLOUKH REVIEWS ISSUES IN ADVANCE OF [...] (C) Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh said this coming week's visit to Washington and New York by PM Siniora and four of his ministers is well-timed and should produce helpful results. The pro-Syrian foreign minister insisted he welcomes the support of Washington in Lebanon's transition to de [...] |
2006-04-13 15:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KDEM KPAL LE PGOV PREL SY |
| 06BEIRUT1204 |
MGLE01: FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION CASE DISMISSED BY [...] (U) In an unexpected development, the slander case against human rights activist Mohammad Mugraby was dismissed by Lebanon's appellate-level Military Court of Cassation on April 15, two days before the case was scheduled to be heard by the country's Military Tribunal. This decision, in effe [...] |
2006-04-18 14:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM LE PHUM PREL |
| 06BEIRUT1238 |
MGLE01: CODEL DODD MEETS GENERAL MICHEL AOUN [...] (C) Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Michel Aoun informed visiting Senator Christopher Dodd that it was up to the Lebanese people themselves to defend their sovereignty and not rely excessively on foreign assistance. He criticized the Siniora government for not doing an effective job in [...] |
2006-04-20 15:19:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KDEM LE PGOV PREL SY |
| 06BEIRUT1239 |
MGLE01: ELECTORAL REFORM COMMISSION MEMBER [...] (C) Electoral commission member Abdel Salam Cheaib told Embassy officers that Lebanon has a rare chance to enact real, lasting reform, but warned that reform efforts will only succeed with long-term, stalwart support from the United States and the European Union. He acknowledged that Lebanese [...] |
2006-04-20 15:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM KMPI SOCI PINR LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT1240 |
MGLE01: SENATOR DODD'S APRIL 19 LUNCH WITH [...] (C) Senator Dodd's April 19 luncheon with Lebanese MPs Nayla Mouawad, Boutros Harb, and Jawad Boulos was dominated by a discussion of General Michel Aoun and his alliance with Hizballah. Mouawad and Harb characterized their rival for the presidency, Aoun, as a "Syrian agent" willing to sacri [...] |
2006-04-20 15:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV OREP SY LE |
| 06BEIRUT1245 |
MGLE01: LEBANESE FOCUS ON PRESIDENCY, ISRAEL, [...] (C) At a 4/19 dinner hosted by the Charge d'Affaires, Lebanese guests of various regional, political, and confessional stripes focused on the issue of the presidency in an occasionally boisterous discussion. "March 14"-affiliated guests called for the USG to use its leverage in forcing the S [...] |
2006-04-24 11:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL OREP KDEM KPAL PTER LE IS |
| 06BEIRUT1276 |
MGLE01: SPEAKER BERRI GIVES PREVIEW OF NATIONAL [...] (C) In an April 25 meeting with the Ambassador and econoff, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri said that Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh was happy with Prime Minister Siniora's visit to Washington last week. When the Ambassador asked why Salloukh maintained an unpleasant expression the whole [...] |
2006-04-25 15:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IR IS LE PARM PGOV PREL PTER |
| 06BEIRUT1277 |
MGLE01: HARIRI SAYS HE IS READY TO CONFRONT [...] (C) During an April 25 meeting with MP Saad Hariri, the Ambassador and econoff briefed him on Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's visit to Washington last week. Hariri agreed the visit was a success, and was also heartened by what he described as revitalized Saudi and Egyptian support for Lebano [...] |
2006-04-25 15:56:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EG IR KISL LE PGOV PREL PTER SA SY |
| 06BEIRUT1290 |
LEBANESE RESPONSE TO 2005 SUA PROTOCOLS DEMARCHE [...] No summary [...] |
2006-04-26 14:13:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | KNNP MNUC PARM PREL KTIA PHSA EWWT PTER UN LE |
| 06BEIRUT1297 |
MGLE01: SHIA POLITICIANS VIEW HIZBALLAH'S [...] (C) Former MP Salah Harake provided econoff with impressions of the two Hizballah-nominated ministers in the cabinet within the Shia community. Harake described Minister of Energy and Water Mohammad Fneish as a "good guy" who has run his ministry well. Fneish, "competent and rational," is [...] |
2006-04-26 15:15:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL LE PGOV PTER |
| 06BEIRUT1307 |
MGLE01: PATRIARCH SFEIR NOT CONFIDENT LAHOUD WILL [...] (C) In an April 27 meeting, the Ambassador and econoff discussed with Maronite Patriarch Mar Nasrallah Sfeir the recent visit of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to Washington. Sfeir agreed with the Ambassador on the success of the visit, saying that Justice Minister Charles Rizk had also given h [...] |
2006-04-27 14:29:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IR LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT1308 |
MGLE01: JUMBLATT CONCERNED WITH GROWING IRANIAN [...] (C) Walid Jumblatt expressed concern that Iran appears to be gaining influence in south and north Lebanon. In both regions, the economically disadvantaged are vulnerable to well-funded and growing Iranian efforts. When he visited Saudi King Abdullah two weeks ago, Jumblatt discussed this i [...] |
2006-04-27 14:34:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KDEM LE PGOV PREL SY |
| 06BEIRUT1310 |
MGLE01: SCENESETTER FOR MAY 3-5 VISIT OF PM A/S [...] (C) During his recent visit to Washington, Prime Minister Siniora expressed confidence about Lebanon's ability to tackle critical problems through a process of national dialogue. Of these problems, the two most prominent are the fate of President Lahoud, who remains in place through a Syrian [...] |
2006-04-27 15:54:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MASS PTER KPKO OTRA LE |
| 06BEIRUT1335 |
MGLE01: SALEM OPTIMISTIC ON ELECTORAL LAW, [...] (C) Paul Salem, a member of the national commission charged with reforming Lebanon's electoral law, told us he was optimistic about the commission's ability to reach consensus on a districting plan in the coming weeks. He said the overall atmosphere in the commission, while still affected by [...] |
2006-04-28 15:42:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM KMPI EAID LE |
| 06BEIRUT1336 |
MGLE01--JA'JA' TO HARIRI CHRISTIANS NEED MORE [...] (C) On April 28, just hours before the start of the national dialogue, Samir Ja'ja' stopped by the embassy to apply for a visa and to meet briefly with the Ambassador and PolChief. Ja'ja' said the national dialogue will not reach a conclusion on the presidency, but he hoped they might begin [...] |
2006-04-28 16:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PHUM PGOV LE |
| 06BEIRUT1337 |
MGLE01: DEFEATED LEBANESE CLOSE TO SYRIA ORGANIZE [...] (C) Elie Ferzli, former Minister of Information and apologist for Syrian influence in Lebanon, is working to form a political "movement" with other like-minded politicians such as Former Interior Minister Suleiman Franjieh, and Former PM Omar Karame. PolChief met with Ferzli, former Minis [...] |
2006-04-28 17:08:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PINS PHUM PREL SY LE |
| 06BEIRUT1338 |
MGLE01: NATIONAL DIALOGUE DISCUSSES PRESIDENCY, [...] (C) According to six participants in the 4/28 session of the National Dialogue, the issue of Lebanon's presidency was discussed at length but not resolved. Rather than defer or close the topic in order to proceed to the next and final point -- Hizballah's arms -- on the Dialogue's agenda, th [...] |
2006-05-01 10:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT1339 |
MGLE01: AOUN DEFENDS HIS POSITION, CRITICIZES [...] (S) In a 4/29 meeting, the Ambassador shared USG concerns about Iran, Syria, and Hizballah with presidential aspirant and MP Michel Aoun. Aoun denied being a tool of any of the three. The USG, in his view, should welcome the alliances he has made with Hizballah and pro-Syrian politicians. [...] |
2006-05-01 12:43:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PGOV KDEM PTER LE SY IS IR |
| 06BEIRUT1342 |
LEBANESE RESPONSE TO U.S. CANDIDATE FOR ITU RADIO [...] No summary [...] |
2006-05-02 08:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC ECPS LE |
| 06BEIRUT1356 |
MGLE01: ARCHBISHOP AUDI SUSPICIOUS OF HIZBALLAH [...] (C) In a May 2 meeting with the Ambassador and econoff, Greek Orthodox Archbishop Ilias Audi bemoaned the lack of leadership in Lebanese politics, especially "those who pretend to be leaders who are working in their own interests." The Ambassador briefed Audi on Prime Minister Fouad Siniora [...] |
2006-05-02 14:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IR LE PGOV PTER SOCI SY |
| 06BEIRUT1357 |
MGLE01: UNIFIL SEES NO REASON FOR SPIKE IN [...] (C) On May 2, UNIFIL Senior Adviser Milos Strugar told econoff that UNIFIL observed 10 Israeli jets violating the Blue Line on May 1. He said that the Lebanese army had opened fire with anti-aircraft artillery, but Hizballah did not respond in any way. According to Strugar, there had been [...] |
2006-05-02 15:09:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KPKO LE MOPS PTER |
| 06BEIRUT1369 |
MGLE01: PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE REACTS TO [...] (C) Polchief and econoff met with Rola Noureddine, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, on May 3 to discuss the widely reported Syrian-built earthen berms in the Biqa' Valley. Noureddine and General Said Eid confirmed the press reports, showing us a video of the berms. They said Syrian [...] |
2006-05-03 14:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | LE PBTS PREL SY |
| 06BEIRUT1380 |
MGLE01: PSI: URGING PSI ENDORSEMENT [...] (C) On May 3 DCM raised with MFA Acting Secretary General Boutros as-Sakr reftel issues concerning Lebanese participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). as-Sakr said that the GOL had received an invitation for the senior-level PSI meeting in Poland in June, and replied that [...] |
2006-05-04 09:46:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KNNP MNUC PARM PGOV PHSA LE |
| 06BEIRUT1392 |
MGLE01: JOINT AMBASSADORIAL-PHARMACEUTICAL [...] (C) Summary. The Ambassador, French Ambassador Emie, and European Commission Head of Delegation Renauld, together with a delegation that included members of the pharmaceutical industry, discussed the problems of the intellectual property rights (IPR) climate concerning pharmaceuticals in Leb [...] |
2006-05-04 12:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EINV EFIN KIPR LE |
| 06BEIRUT1416 |
MGLE01: CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM ON ELECTORAL LAW [...] (C) Summary: During a May 2 meeting with emboffs, Electoral Law Reform Commission member Ziad Baroud expressed cautious optimism that the Commission would delineate Lebanon's electoral districts and complete its draft electoral law by the end of May. Baroud, corroborating earlier reports by [...] |
2006-05-05 15:43:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM KMPI LE |
| 06BEIRUT1417 |
MGLE01: UNIIIC CHIEF BRAMMERTZ CITES PROGRESS, [...] (U) This message contains an action request. See para 16 below. SUMMARY ------- 2. (C) UNIIIC Commissioner Brammertz said his team is now well-established, has considerable momentum, and is pursuing several fruitful lines of inquiry. In a meeting that took place before the GOL's o [...] |
2006-05-05 15:54:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT1424 |
MGLE01: A/S HILLEN MEETS WITH PM SINIORA [...] (C) Pol-Mil A/S Hillen informed Lebanon's PM Siniora that the final approvals were in the works for what we hope will be USD 10 million grant (Section 1206) for immediate equipment and training needs of the Lebanese Armed Forces. Expressing deep appreciation to the President and Secretary, P [...] |
2006-05-08 09:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL CASC MASS KDEM LE IS SY |
| 06BEIRUT1444 |
MGLE01: A/S HILLEN'S DINNER WITH LEBANESE [...] (C) On May 3, the Ambassador hosted a dinner at his residence for visiting PM A/S Hillen. The guests represented a diverse range of international and Lebanese political figures, all united by their common interest in Lebanon's security situation and relationship with the United States. Durin [...] |
2006-05-08 12:42:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM LE PGOV PM SY |
| 06BEIRUT1461 |
MGLE01: A/S HILLEN MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (C) Summary: The normally taciturn Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh was almost buoyant in his May 5 meeting with PM A/S Hillen. A/S Hillen accompanied by the Ambassador spoke with Salloukh about U.S. assistance to Lebanon, and U.S. commitment to Lebanon in the wake of PM Sinora's A [...] |
2006-05-10 05:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MASS ASEC SNAR PTER LE |
| 06BEIRUT1462 |
MGLE01: A/S HILLEN MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER [...] No summary [...] |
2006-05-10 05:26:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MASS ASEC SNAR PTER LE |
| 06BEIRUT1464 |
MGLE01: PM A/S HILLEN MEETS DEPUTY PM AND DEFENSE [...] (S) In a 5/4 dinner meeting with the Ambassador and PM A/S Hillen, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias al-Murr said that enhanced U.S. security assistance would boost morale in the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and make his job easier in soliciting equipment donations from Gulf cou [...] |
2006-05-10 06:45:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL MASS ASEC SNAR PTER LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT1465 |
MGLE01: A/S HILLEN MEETS WITH UN REPRESENTATIVE [...] (C) UN Representative Geir Pedersen believes the events of the past few months have greatly changed the political situation in Lebanon, particularly concerning Hizballah. Whereas before, Hizballah essentially had a free pass on its arms and political objectives, now the terrorist organization [...] |
2006-05-10 06:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MASS ASEC SNAR PTER LE SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT1466 |
MGLE01: A/S HILLEN'S MEETING WITH ISF GENERAL RIFI [...] (C) A/S Hillen met with ISF General Ashraf Rifi at the ISF headquarters in Beirut to discuss U.S. - Lebanese cooperation on security assistance programs. Rifi thanked A/S Hillen and the U.S. for our assistance, and said he looked forward to a long partnership with the United States. Rifi sai [...] |
2006-05-10 07:16:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MASS ASEC SNAR PTER CASC LE |
| 06BEIRUT1467 |
MGLE01: A/S HILLEN MEETS WITH LAF COMMANDER [...] (C) SUMMARY: On May 4, Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs Hillen, accompanied by Ambassador, DATT, and ODC Chief, met with Lebanese Armed Forces Commander Michel Suleiman at the Lebanese Armed Forces Headquarters at the Ministry of Defense. Suleiman welcomed the prospect of g [...] |
2006-05-10 07:24:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MASS ASEC SNAR PTER PBTS LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT1470 |
MGLE01: CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR DISCUSSES ECONOMIC [...] (C) Summary. On May 9, Ambassador and Econ/Commercial Officer met with Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh to discuss the health of the Lebanese economy and the prospects of PM Siniora's economic reform program. Salameh began the meeting by briefing the Ambassador on two recent reports by t [...] |
2006-05-10 10:04:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON ETRD EINV KIPR LE |
| 06BEIRUT1471 |
MGLE01: SHIA SPIRITUAL LEADER SPEAKS OUT FOR [...] (C) On May 9, Ambassador accompanied by PolChief met with head of the Higher Shia Council, Abed al-Amir Qabalan to brief him on PM Siniora's visit to the United States. Qabalan said the Taif accords are the solution to Lebanon's troubles and the leaders should return to that as the basis for [...] |
2006-05-10 10:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM CASC KISL PGOV PHUM |
| 06BEIRUT1481 |
MGLE01: SCENE-SETTER FOR VISIT OF IO/AS [...] (C) Summary: Your visit to Lebanon will underscore USG interest in Lebanon, and the role of the United Nations here. PM Siniora and four of his ministers visited Washington and New York April 17-22 to discuss the government's reform efforts and U.S. support for the country in its transition [...] |
2006-05-10 14:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER MARR KCRM PGOV UN LE SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT1482 |
MGLE01: GOL PROPOSES NEW PROGRAM FOR PALESTINIAN [...] (U) This messsage contains an action request. See para 24. SUMMARY ------- 2. (U) PM Siniora called a 5/5 meeting of foreign ambassadors assigned to Lebanon to explain a comprehensive government-approved program of improvements for the Palestinian refugee camps located throughout [...] |
2006-05-10 15:04:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | IS JO KDEM KPAL LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT1483 |
MGLE01: SHIA CLERIC TELLS OF HIZBALLAH DOMINANCE, [...] (C) Sheikh Ahmed Taleb describes himself as a member of a small group of apolitical Shia clerics. He came to the embassy to "set the record straight' about his relationship with Hizballah and his connection to his father-in-law Sheikh Mohamed Hussein Fadlallah, the doyen of the spiritual and [...] |
2006-05-10 15:16:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KDEM PHUM SOCI SY |
| 06BEIRUT1495 |
MGLE01: SPEAKER BERRI ON LABOR DEMONSTRATIONS, [...] (C) In a 5/11 meeting with the Ambassador, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri downplayed the importance of the 5/10 demonstrations led by Hizballah, Amal, and Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement (reftel). While Aoun may hope to topple the cabinet, Berri claimed credit for limiting Hizballah an [...] |
2006-05-11 14:57:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM ELAB LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT1496 |
MGLE01: BAABDA PALACE WHISPERS [...] (S) Seeing Egypt as a natural ally in its resistance to U.S. promotion of democracy in the region, President Lahoud plans to travel to Sharm El-Sheikh this month to "sit in the lap" of President Mubarak, as one of Lahoud's aides candidly put it. In the meantime, various allies of the Syrian r [...] |
2006-05-11 14:57:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PINR PTER KISL KPAL LE SY EG |
| 06BEIRUT1507 |
MGLE01: TWO "MARCH 14" MINISTERS AND ONE AOUN MP [...] (C) Two of Prime Minister Siniora's "March 14" cabinet ministers criticized Hizballah's support for a anti-government demonstration on May 10, pointing at the incongruity of Hizballah supporting an effort to bring down a cabinet in which it participates. They were considerably more forgiving [...] |
2006-05-12 14:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER ELAB KISL ASEC LE |
| 06BEIRUT1508 |
MGLE01: DEFENSE AND ACTING INTERIOR MINISTERS [...] (C) In a May 11 meeting with acting Interior Minister Ahmad Fatfat (other issues discussed are reported in reftel), the Ambassador raised the subject of the Secretary of Defense's coming invitation to Fatfat and Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias al-Murr to visit Washington. Fa [...] |
2006-05-15 05:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL OVIP ASEC MASS PTER KCRM LE |
| 06BEIRUT1521 |
MGLE01: JA'JA' FRUSTRATED BY FAILURES, SEEKS [...] (C) Samir Ja'ja', leader of the Lebanese Forces political movement, received the Ambassador and Polchief on May 12 for lunch in his home in the mountains of northern Lebanon. The meeting was a broad tour d'horizon with Ja'ja' expressing concern over the May 10 "labor" demonstrations in Beir [...] |
2006-05-16 06:55:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PINS LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT1530 |
MGLE01: UNIIIC SAYS USG ASSISTANCE IS [...] (U) This message contains an action request for the Department -- please see paras 9-10. SUMMARY ------- 2. (S) In a May 12 meeting with emboffs, senior investigators from the UN International Independent Investigation Commission (UNIIIC) said that the USG's responsiveness on the UNII [...] |
2006-05-16 12:13:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PTER PINR KCRM LE SY UN |
| 06BEIRUT1540 |
MGLE01: UNIFIL COMMANDER SAYS HIZBALLAH IS [...] (C) The UNIFIL Force Commander, General Alain Pellegrini, confirmed to IO A/S Silverberg that UNIFIL has recently observed increased construction activities at Hizballah positions on the Lebanese side of the Blue Line. Noting that the new outposts were more sophisticated in their design and [...] |
2006-05-17 14:04:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KPKO LE MOPS PTER IO |
| 06BEIRUT1544 |
MGLE01: A/S SILVERBERG MEETS LEBANESE POLITICIANS [...] (C) At a May 15 dinner for visiting IO A/S Silverberg, Lebanese politicians and opinion-makers of different stripes had at least one thing in common: dissatisfaction with Lebanon's current atmosphere of stagnation, impasse, and finger-pointing, especially regarding President Lahoud's tenacio [...] |
2006-05-17 15:33:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PTER EAID KDEM KWMN LE |
| 06BEIRUT1545 |
MGLE01: PM SINIORA MEETING WITH A/S SILVERBERG -- [...] (C) Summary: On May 15, A/S for International Organizations Affairs, Kristen Silverberg, accompanied by the Ambassador, met with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in his offices at the Grand Serail in Beirut. PM Siniora opened the meeting by expressing his satisfaction with his visit to Washin [...] |
2006-05-17 15:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PORG PREL KDEM UNSC LE SY QT KPAL |
| 06BEIRUT1546 |
MGLE01: IO A/S SILVERBERG'S 15 MAY MEETING WITH [...] (C) Lebanese Minister of Justice Charles Rizk asked for Assistant Secretary Silverberg's assistance in pushing the United Nations to produce a timetable for the establishment of an international tribunal to try suspects in the February 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq [...] |
2006-05-17 15:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER KCRM CASC KDEM LE |
| 06BEIRUT1547 |
MGLE01: KINDER, GENTLER SALLOUKH SEES FULL [...] (C) Summary: IO A/S Silverberg, Ambassador and emboff met with Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh on May 15 in the first official meeting of A/S Silverberg's Beirut schedule. During the QQ:R$o1QQ~impression that Prime Minister Siniora and his delegation (which included the FM) had made in Washi [...] |
2006-05-17 15:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IO KDEM LE PGOV PHUM SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT1548 |
MGLE01: SINIORA-MURR SPAT NEARLY SPLITS CABINET, [...] (C) Almost a week ago, away from the public eye, claims amounting to only 60,000 USD nearly wrecked the Siniora cabinet. Minister of Defense/Deputy PM Elias Murr backed a proposed compensation package for two retired generals exiled with Michel Aoun in Paris. PM Siniora, citing similar case [...] |
2006-05-17 16:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM LE |
| 06BEIRUT1559 |
MGLE01--MICHEL AOUN ON HIZBALLAH DEFENSE VISION [...] (C) Summary: On May 17, The Ambassador, accompanied by PolChief, met with Michel Aoun, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), to discuss USG concerns over the presentation reportedly made by Hizballlah at the 5/16 National Dialogue session. The Ambassador revealed pieces of the full r [...] |
2006-05-18 12:42:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PTER KISL KPAL PGOV PINS IS LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT1560 |
MGLE01: NASRALLAH SKETCHES OUT PERMANENT STATE OF [...] (S) In separate meetings with the Ambassador, Amin Gemayel and Marwan Hamadeh read aloud their notes from the 5/16 session of the National Dialogue. The participants agreed to disagree on the issue of the presidency, leaving the subject unresolved. On Hizballah's weapons -- the final agend [...] |
2006-05-18 13:56:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PTER PGOV PREL KDEM LE SY IS IR KISL |
| 06BEIRUT1575 |
MGLE01: JUMBLATT BELIEVES HIZBALLAH INTENDS [...] (C) On 5/19, Druse leader Walid Jumblatt hosted the P-3 Ambassadors, Argentine Ambassador, Norwegian Ambassador, and UN representative Geir Pedersen for an open-air coffee in the Chouf mountains. Jumblatt's read-out of Hassan Nasrallah's hardline speech at the 5/16 National Dialogue session [...] |
2006-05-19 15:00:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER PGOV KDEM LE SY IR |
| 06BEIRUT1576 |
MGLE01: UNIFIL COMMANDER SEES HIZBALLAH IMPROVING [...] Summary: UNIFIL commander Major-General Alain Pellegrini briefed the Ambassador on increased Hizballah construction activity along the Blue Line, a rise in the number of Israeli overflights, and plans to enhance contacts between UNIFIL and the LAF. The General was uncertain about the reasons [...] |
2006-05-19 15:19:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER KPAL PBTS PREL LE IS |
| 06BEIRUT1577 |
MGLE01: NATIONAL ELECTORAL REFORM COMMISSION [...] (SBU) According to a member of the national commission charged with reforming the electoral law, the commission has finally reached agreement on a draft law. The draft would call for a mixed electoral system, one with both small districts and large districts. According to this system, 79 Me [...] |
2006-05-19 15:33:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM KMPI EAID SOCI LE |
| 06BEIRUT1579 |
MGLE01: A/S SILVERBERG MEETING WITH UN SYG REP [...] (C) SUMMARY: IO A/S Silverberg hosted UN envoy Geir Pedersen to a relaxed dinner on 5/16. Pedersen had no definitive answer regarding why Hizballah had stepped up the construction of military infrastructure along the Blue Line, but he argued that Hizballah tried to maintain "constructive am [...] |
2006-05-22 06:00:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER EAIC KDEM KWMN LE |
| 06BEIRUT1644 |
DEMARCHES TO NAM/G-77 MEMBERS IN PREPARATION FOR [...] (U) On May 24 and May 25, Post delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reftel demarches concerning the May 27-30 NAM ministerial. The Director for the Americas Ghady al-Khoury received the material and promised to pass it to the responsible delegation members in preparation for the NAM [...] |
2006-05-25 10:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | AORG UNGA PREL LE IR |
| 06BEIRUT1675 |
MGLE01: S/CT COORDINATOR CRUMPTON HEARS STRAIGHT [...] (S) Visiting S/CT Coordinator Crumpton had a long 5/22 conversation with Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias al-Murr, and Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh -- three men convinced they have been, or will be, targeted for assassination by the S [...] |
2006-05-30 11:00:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL ASEC MASS PTER KCRM KISL LE |
| 06BEIRUT1676 |
MGLE01: UN SYG'S REPRESENTATIVE DISCUSSES [...] (S) In a 5/23 meeting, the UN Secretary-General's Personal Representative to Lebanon told visiting S/CT Coordinator Crumpton that Hizballah emerged as a "mixture" of Iranian Islamic-revolutionary links, social grievances in the Shi'a community, a fight against Israel, and what eventually beca [...] |
2006-05-30 11:17:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PTER KISL MOPS KDEM SOCI LE SY IR IS |
| 06BEIRUT1677 |
MGLE01: S/CT CRUMPTON MEETING WITH MICHEL AOUN -- [...] (C) On May 23, Coordinator for Counterterrorism Ambassador Crumpton met with Lebanese parliamentary minority leader Michel Aoun at Aoun's home near Beirut. S/CT Crumpton encouraged Aoun to use his influence to make Lebanon a solid partner with the USG in the fight against terrorism. He exp [...] |
2006-05-30 11:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER KPAL KDEM PINS LE SY IR |
| 06BEIRUT1678 |
MGLE01: CT COORDINATOR CRUMPTON AND ISF DIRECTOR [...] (S) In a May 23 meeting, Internal Security Forces (ISF) Director General Ashraf Rifi told Counterterrorism Coordinator Crumpton, the Ambassador, and emboffs that the ISF was rapidly expanding both its size and mission. From a personnel level of 13,000 last year, Rifi plans to increase the I [...] |
2006-05-30 11:54:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | ASEC JO LE MAS PTER SA SY |
| 06BEIRUT1679 |
MGLE01: S/CT CRUMPTON MEETING WITH PM SINIORA -- [...] (C) On May 23, S/CT Crumpton met with PM Siniora at Siniora's office in Beirut's Grand Serail. Ambassador Crumpton told the Prime Minister that the USG was prepared to help Lebanon as it moved to strengthen its institutions through a Lebanese process. He expressed USG condolences upon the [...] |
2006-05-30 12:00:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PTER PINS KPAL LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT1680 |
MGLE01: S/CT COORDINATOR'S MEETING WITH LEBANESE [...] (C) SUMMARY: S/CT Coordinator Crumpton and the Ambassador, accompanied by Defense Attache, met May 23 with Director of LAF G2 Brigadier General Georges Khoury. BG Khoury provided an overview of the terrorism situation from the LAF G2 perspective. He noted three distinct terrorist threat l [...] |
2006-05-30 12:04:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PTER PREL MARR MOPS LE |
| 06BEIRUT1681 |
MGLE01: FOREIGN MINISTER SALLOUKH DEFENDS [...] (C) In a May 23 meeting with Counterterrorism Coordinator Henry Crumpton, the Ambassador, and econoff, Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh -- in an unusually belligerent and offensive performance -- steadfastly defended Hizballah. He claimed that the majority of Lebanese consider Hizballah to b [...] |
2006-05-30 12:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IR KPAL LE PBTS PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT1682 |
MGLE01: S/CT CRUMPTON MEETING WITH INTERIOR [...] (S) SUMMARY: In a May 23 meeting, Acting Interior Minister Ahmad Fatfat, accompanied by Internal Securtity Forces Director General Ashraf Rifi, told Counterterrorism Coordinator Crumpton, the Ambassador, and emboff that his highest priority regarding counterterrorism in Lebanon was reconstruc [...] |
2006-05-30 13:02:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PTER MASS PREL PGOV LE |
| 06BEIRUT1690 |
MGLE01: A WEEKEND OF VIOLENCE IN SOUTHERN LEBANON [...] (C) The weekend of May 26-28 saw some of the most intense violence in southern Lebanon since the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000. On May 26, a car bomb in Sidon killed Islamic Jihad official Abu Hamzeh and his brother. Islamic Jihad blamed Israel and then retracted its stat [...] |
2006-05-30 13:28:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KPAL KPKO LE MOPS PTER |
| 06BEIRUT1711 |
MGLE01: AMBASSADOR CRUMPTON DISCUSSES TERRORISM [...] (C) SUMMARY. U.S. State Department Coordinator for Counterterrorism Ambassador Crumpton and the Ambassador visited Justice Minister Charles Rizk to discuss the causes and possible solutions to terrorism in the region. Rizk told Ambassador Crumpton that the major cause of political instabil [...] |
2006-05-31 12:00:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PREL PGOV LE |
| 06BEIRUT1712 |
MGLE01: FINANCE MINISTER UPBEAT ABOUT ECONOMIC [...] (C) Summary. On May 30, Ambassador and Econ/Commercial Officer met with Finance Minister Azour to discuss the status of GOL economic reform efforts. Azour was upbeat as a result of the Lebanese economy's encouraging macroeconomic indicators and what he described as the positive reception he [...] |
2006-05-31 12:07:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON EINV LE |
| 06BEIRUT1715 |
MGLE01: BERRI UNDERCUTS SINIORA IN MEETING WITH [...] (C/NF) In a May 31 meeting with the Ambassador and econoff, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri was critical of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. Berri accused Siniora of squandering an opportunity to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Asad that Berri had so delicately and s ecretly set up. Be [...] |
2006-05-31 15:32:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS KPAL LE PGOV PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT1716 |
MGLE01: FORMER FINANCE MINISTER ON LEBANON'S [...] (C) Damianos Kattar, Lebanese Finance Minister during the government of Najib Mikati in 2005, believes that the present government must restore crebibility before it can advance economic reform. He estimates that at least USD 15 billion of Lebanon's USD 38 billion national debt derives from [...] |
2006-05-31 15:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN SOCI PGOV LE |
| 06BEIRUT1717 |
MGLE01: JUSTICE MINISTER COMPLAINS THAT SINIORA [...] (C) Justice Minister Charles Rizk voiced disappointment with Prime Minister Siniora's apparent decision to reject Rizk's proposed list of candidates for Lebanon's Higher Judicial Council. Rizk maintained that Siniora is bent on achieving a council majority that would allow him to control th [...] |
2006-06-01 07:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | CASC KDEM LE PGOV PREL PTER SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT1733 |
MGLE01: CIVIL SOCIETY PREPARES FOR RELEASE OF [...] (C) As the national commission charged with drafting a new electoral law has been conducting its work, civil society activists have been developing an eight-point platform for promoting electoral reform. All eight points, including proportional representation and an independent electoral com [...] |
2006-06-01 14:43:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM KMPI EAID LE |
| 06BEIRUT1734 |
MGLE01: DEMARCHE DELIVERED REGARDING U.S. [...] (C) Ambassador conveyed reftel talking points to Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. Siniora applauded the Secretary's statement and said it was an important step for SIPDIS the United States and Iran to work diplomatically in solving regional security issues. Siniora also agreed that [...] |
2006-06-01 14:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM LE PFLP PGOV PTER |
| 06BEIRUT1735 |
MGLE01: MINDEF MURR OFFERS THEORY ON BLUE LINE [...] (S) Summary and comment: In a 6/1 meeting with the Ambassador, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias Murr said that Hizballah was the primary instigator of Sunday's Blue Line incidents (reftel) but had seriously miscalculated, believing that the Israeli response would be limited [...] |
2006-06-01 15:36:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PTER MOPS KPKO PREL KPAL LE IS JO |
| 06BEIRUT1746 |
MGLE01: SINIORA SEES SYRIAN AND PALESTINIAN [...] (S) In a 6/1 meeting, Prime Minister Siniora told the Ambassador he suspects Syrian and Palestinian agents were behind a violent 5/28 exchange with Israel. He also said it was impossible for the attacks to have been carried out without Hizballah's knowledge, and expressed concern that Hizbal [...] |
2006-06-02 12:39:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PTER KDEM MOPS KPAL KPAO LE IS SY |
| 06BEIRUT1747 |
MGLE01: DISTURBANCES IN BEIRUT AND ELSEWHERE OVER [...] (SBU) At 2300 hrs. local on June 1, Lebanese Shi'ite Muslims rioted in Rweissat Jdeideth, West Beirut, Baalbeck, Nabatieh, Sidon and Tyre in protest of a satirical TV show, entitled "Basmat-Watan," which mocked Hizballah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. The largest number of prote [...] |
2006-06-02 13:20:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | ASEC LE PTER |
| 06BEIRUT1748 |
MGLE01: C/CT5/015376 -- STUDY SHOWS IRANIAN AID [...] (S/NF) On May 31, independent Shia politician Ahmad al-Asad told econoff that Hizballah has increased the number of paid employees, including civilian and military, by 23 percent since last year. This increase was financed by a 37 percent increase in Iranian funding since the Syrian withdra [...] |
2006-06-02 13:30:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | EFIN IR LE PGOV PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT1752 |
MGLE01: MARONITE PATRIARCH CONCERNED ABOUT SUNNI [...] (C) Maronite Patriarch Sfeir expressed unease with reports that Lebanon's Sunni-dominated Internal Security Force (ISF) could become a Sunni "gendarmerie" outside the control of the state. He said he fully supports proposals to increase the capabilities of the more broadly representative Le [...] |
2006-06-05 07:45:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KDEM LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT1771 |
MGLE01: SAUDI AMBASSADOR WORRIED ABOUT SINIORA'S [...] (S) In a 5/5 meeting with the Ambassador, Saudi Ambassador Abdulaziz Khoja insisted that there is no current "Saudi initiative" to reduce Syrian-Lebanese tension. He expressed deep worry about Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's safety. He cited a recent article in al-Hayet by Syria's Ambassado [...] |
2006-06-05 14:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PTER PGOV LE SY SA |
| 06BEIRUT1772 |
MGLE01: FORMER UNIFIL OFFICIAL VIEWS RECENT [...] (C) In a June 1 meeting with econoff, former UNIFIL spokesman Timur Goksel said he believed Hizballah was involved in the early morning Katyusha barrage that began the fighting in southern Lebanon on May 28 (reftel). For Goksel, the rocket strike was too accurate not to involve a Hizballah [...] |
2006-06-05 14:05:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN IR IS LE MOPS PTER |
| 06BEIRUT1775 |
MGLE01: KARAME RALLY REVEALS OPENING OF A NEW/OLD [...] (SBU) Summary: On June 3, a political gauntlet was thrown down during a rally marking the anniversary of the 1987 death of a prominent Sunni figure in northern Lebanon. Omar Karame, former Prime minister and friend to Syria, was joined by several ex-deputies, and followers of anti-Hariri fo [...] |
2006-06-05 15:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PTER SY LE |
| 06BEIRUT1796 |
MGLE01: TRIPOLI SUNNI MP ADVOCATES A HARIRI [...] (C) During a 6/6 meeting with the Ambassador, Tripoli (Sunni) MP and Minister of Public Works and Transport Mohammed Safadi deflected questions about the June 8 session of the National Dialogue, in which he participates. Instead, he wanted to share his ideas on correcting what he sees as an [...] |
2006-06-06 14:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT1805 |
MGLE01: PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL BELIEVES ELECTORAL [...] (C) Maronite presidential hopeful Nassib Lahoud said he believes that adoption of Lebanon's draft electoral law will hinge on how much political capital Saad Hariri commits to it -- as well as a decision by Michel Aoun and Hizballah's Hassan Nasrallah to only mildly resist it. The reform min [...] |
2006-06-07 11:46:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KDEM LE PGOV PREL SY |
| 06BEIRUT1807 |
MGLE01: SHIA CONTACTS SEE NASRALLAH'S CULT OF [...] (C) On June 6, Hizballah expert Amal Saad-Ghorayeb told econoff that the June 1 riot in response to a LBCI parody of Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah (ref A) was an embarrassment to Hizballah and the Shia community. She believed the riot was spontaneous, but Hizballah was not co [...] |
2006-06-07 12:44:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IR IS KISL LE PGOV PTER |
| 06BEIRUT1808 |
MGLE01: A STRATEGY TO SUPPORT ELECTORAL REFORM [...] (C) Reform of the electoral law is the bellwether of the Lebanese government's overall reform plan, and U.S. support for it is in entirely keeping with the President's Freedom Agenda. While there is widespread popular support for replacing the electoral law currently in effect -- associated [...] |
2006-06-07 12:53:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM KMPI EAID KPAO LE |
| 06BEIRUT1811 |
MGLE01: MICHEL AOUN -- STILL NOT READY TO TAKE [...] (C) In a meeting with Ambassador and PolChief, Michel Aoun fended off attempts to nudge him back into the mainstream of Lebanon's political life. We told Aoun that the Lebanese may be ready to accept a leader with strong moral authority who is neither March 14/Hariri, nor March 8/Hizballah- [...] |
2006-06-07 13:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM KISL PTER KPAL PGOV LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT1849 |
MGLE01: SAAD HARIRI ON IRAN, SINIORA, AOUN, [...] (S) In a 6/7 meeting with the Ambassador, MP Saad Hariri spent most of the time discussing his recent travels in Europe, which he claimed to have used to push for international consensus on Iran and Syria. The Russians, he claimed, were persuaded by his arguments not to abstain on any UNSCR [...] |
2006-06-08 15:30:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PGOV KDEM PTER LE SY IR RS FR |
| 06BEIRUT1870 |
MGLE01: NATIONAL DIALOGUE DISCUSSIONS REVEAL [...] (C) On June 8, the Lebanese national dialogue reconvened. Two important events hung over the discussions of this round: 1) the Blue Line incidents of May 28 in which Hizballah positions were destroyed by Israeli air strikes, and 2) the June 1 riot that followed the television spoofing of H [...] |
2006-06-09 15:11:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PINS KISL PTER KPAL LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT1892 |
MGLE01: SLEIMAN FRANJIEH ANNOUNCES "MARADA," A [...] (C) Summary: On June 11, Sleiman Franjieh announced his new political party named "Marada." The announcement was made as Franjieh commemorated the anniversary of the murder, presumably by Lebanese Forces militia, of his family in June 1978. The party seems to be a personality cult that e [...] |
2006-06-12 15:02:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM SOCI PINS KISL LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT1902 |
MGLE01: PM SINIORA UPBEAT ON ELECTORAL REFORM AND [...] (C) PM Siniora is optimistic that Lebanon's draft electoral law will survive intact upcoming debates in the Cabinet and Parliament. Although the size of the electoral districts could be a sticking point with several constituencies, Siniora believes the overall beneficial impact of a new ele [...] |
2006-06-13 08:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KDEM LE PGOV PREL SY |
| 06BEIRUT1915 |
MGLE01: INFORMATION ON SA'AD HARIRI [...] (C/NF) Reftel requested information on Member of Parliament Sa'ad Hariri. Embassy Beirut's answers are keyed to the questions as set forth in reftel. HARIRI'S PERSONALITY -------------------- 2. (C/NF) Hariri is open, engaged, generally warm and friendly, and easily accessible (when [...] |
2006-06-13 14:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PINR PGOV FR LE SA |
| 06BEIRUT1916 |
MGLE01: JUMBLATT LOOKING FOR WAYS TO PUT SARG AND [...] (C) In a 6/12 meeting, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt confessed to being disappointed with the June report of the UN investigation of the Hariri assassination, the latest in a series of events seeming to benefit the Syrian regime and its allies in Lebanon. Lebanon may not be on the brink of civi [...] |
2006-06-13 15:09:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PTER KISL KDEM LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT1921 |
MGLE01: HIZBALLAH TOLD UN IT DID NOT FIRE FIRST [...] (C) On June 13, Georges Nasr, political officer in the office of UNSYG Personal Representative to Lebanon Geir Pederson, briefed econoff on a recent meeting between the UN office and Hizballah representatives in early June. Nasr said the Hizballah officials denied that Hizballah fired the f [...] |
2006-06-14 09:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KPKO LE MOPS PTER |
| 06BEIRUT1963 |
MGLE01: POTENTIAL REQUEST TO UNIIIC TO EXAMINE [...] (S/NF) Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Elias Murr claimed that the evidence is "very strong" that Israel, using local agents, was behind the 5/26 car bombing that killed the Majzoub brothers (PIJ activists and Lebanese citizens) in Sidon. Murr described what he believes was a [...] |
2006-06-15 14:31:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PTER KCRM PGOV LE SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT1964 |
MGLE01: SCARED OF BLOODSHED, SA'AD MUSES ABOUT [...] (S) In a June 14 meeting with the Ambassador and emboff at his Qorytem residence, Sa'ad Hariri expressed alarm at mounting Sunni-Shiite tensions that he believes have driven Lebanon to the brink of civil war. Citing his concern following the May 28 attack on Israel and the June 1 Hizballah r [...] |
2006-06-15 14:44:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | IR LE PGOV PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT1965 |
MGLE01: SCENESETTER FOR VISIT OF LEBANESE ACTING [...] (C) The visit of Acting Interior Minister Ahmad Fatfat offers the opportunity to press U.S. security interests in Lebanon: counterterrorism including Sunni extremism, Syrian influence, Palestinian weapons inside and outside the refugee camps, and arms smuggling into Lebanon. We have begun m [...] |
2006-06-15 15:02:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER KCRM LE |
| 06BEIRUT1966 |
MGLE01: HARIRI ADVISOR STRONGLY CRITICIZES DRAFT [...] (C) MP Bahije Tabbarah, a close advisor to former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, gave a point-by-point critique of the draft electoral law that left little doubt he would be advising his Future Movement colleagues to oppose the law when it comes up for debate in Parliament. Tabbarah, who is n [...] |
2006-06-15 15:28:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KDEM LE PGOV PREL SY |
| 06BEIRUT1994 |
MGLE01: SUNNI MARCH 14 PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMENTS [...] (C) In a June 14 meeting with econoff and FSN political specialist, MP Mosbah Ahdab, a moderate Sunni from Tripoli, provided his insight into the personality and leadership style of MP Sa'ad Hariri. Ahdab described Hariri as likable and a "good guy." Ahdab blamed Hariri's inexperience and a [...] |
2006-06-16 14:24:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KISL LE PGOV |
| 06BEIRUT1996 |
MGLE01: IRAN AND SYRIA ATTEMPT TO MAKE INROADS [...] (C) On June 14, econoff and FSN political specialist made an official visit to Akkar, the poorest and northernmost district in Lebanon. Local religious and municipal leaders reported that Iran is attempting to support Sunni extremist views in the poverty-stricken region. Syria still maintai [...] |
2006-06-19 09:26:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | ECON IR KISL LE PGOV PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2034 |
MGLE01: UNIIIC AND THE DEFENSE'S CASE FOR JAILED [...] (S) Reftel reports that UNIIIC Commissioner Serge Brammertz is deeply worried that the evidence against the four jailed Lebanese generals, suspected of complicity in the Hariri assassination, may not be strong enough to justify their continued detention. Release of the generals would have a [...] |
2006-06-20 12:44:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PTER KCRM PINR KISL ASEC LE SY UN |
| 06BEIRUT2067 |
MGLE01: FM AZOUR DISCUSSES REFORM MEASURES AND [...] (C) Summary. During a June 20 meeting with the Ambassador and Econ/Commercial Officer, Finance Minister Azour discussed the GOL's recent economic reform work and a recent economic meeting among PM Siniora, Azour, Economy and Trade Minister Haddad, and Future Movement leader Sa'ad Hariri. A [...] |
2006-06-21 13:42:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON EINV LE |
| 06BEIRUT2072 |
MGLE01: SOME SHIA LOOK FOR A WAY TO ESCAPE CLIENT [...] (C/NF) In a June 21 meeting with econoff and FSN political specialist, independent Shia intellectual Mohammad Obeid said he is trying to reform Nabih Berri's Amal movement from the inside. He wants to take advantage of growing discontent over Speaker Berri's perceived sell-out of the moveme [...] |
2006-06-21 15:53:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EFIN IR KISL LE PGOV PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2087 |
(S/NF) MGLE01: SINIORA PRESSES AHEAD ON ECONOMIC [...] (C) Ignoring an unseemly, ongoing food fight among Maronite politicians sparked by President Lahoud's non-invitation to the Francophone summit, Prime Minister Siniora used a 6/21 meeting with the Ambassador to portray his government as moving ahead on a number of fronts, including economic re [...] |
2006-06-22 12:56:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL EAID EAIR PTER KPAL KDEM BEXP LE |
| 06BEIRUT2091 |
MGLE01: ECONOMY AND TRADE MINISTER HADDAD [...] (C) Summary. On June 20, the Ambassador and Econ/Commercial Officer met Minister of Economy and Trade (MOET) Sami Haddad to discuss trade and intellectual property rights (IPR) issues. The Ambassador told Haddad that he would like to see a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) si [...] |
2006-06-23 12:16:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EINV ETRD KIPR LE |
| 06BEIRUT2092 |
MGLE01: MINISTRY OF JUSTICE "FULL STEAM AHEAD" ON [...] (C) In a 6/22 meeting, Minister of Justice Rizk confirmed that senior Lebanese judges Choucri Sader and Ralph Riachy will travel to The Hague on July 4 to make progress on a draft agreement with the UN on establishing a special tribunal with international character for the Hariri assassinatio [...] |
2006-06-23 12:30:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER KDEM KCRM MARR EAID KMPI LE |
| 06BEIRUT2093 |
MGLE01: MICHEL AOUN RATCHETS UP THE [...] (C) Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun strongly attacked an array of perceived enemies in a televised speech on June 21, and the next day led a combined FPM/Hizballah delegation to Lebanon's Constitutional Council to protest judicial "inactivity" regarding a number of FPM challenges t [...] |
2006-06-23 12:36:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KDEM LE PGOV PREL SY |
| 06BEIRUT2154 |
MGLE01: JIHAD AL-BINAA WIDELY KNOWN AS A [...] (C/NF) In June, econoff spoke with the Embassy's best contacts on Hizballah to determine the role, activities, and status of Jihad al-Binaa. Complicating matters was the fact that the official Jihad al-Binaa Arabic website does not directly reveal its ties to Hizballah. All contacts reporte [...] |
2006-06-28 07:21:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EFIN IR LE PTER |
| 06BEIRUT2155 |
MGLE01--CHRISTIAN POLITICIAN FEARS [...] (C/NF) Summary: On June 26, PolChief, accompanied by Pol Assistant, paid a farewell call on Minister of Social Affairs Nayla Mouawad. The Minister was in the mood to send a message to the USG. It was a simple and often repeated refrain: We are worried about extremism in the north of Leba [...] |
2006-06-28 07:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PREL PINS KDEM LE SY KPAL IR |
| 06BEIRUT2175 |
MGLE01: ISF FACING INCREASING DRUG ENFORCEMENT [...] (C) Econoff attended a June 26 Internal Security Forces (ISF) briefing to the Mini-Dublin Group. Col. Kowalty Abdel Razzak, head of the ISF's 200-person drug enforcement unit, told the group that drug enforcement has become more difficult since the Syrian withdrawal. More farmers in the Bi [...] |
2006-06-28 14:08:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KPAL LE PBTS PGOV SNAR SOCI SY |
| 06BEIRUT2220 |
MGLE01: WITH SYRIA AND ITS ALLIES ON THE [...] (S) In a 6/28 meeting -- a day before the National Dialogue was to reconvene -- Druze leader and "March 14 Forces" figure Walid Jumblatt described a "stalemate" among National Dialogue participants over the deadline they had set on disarmament of Palestinian militias outside the refugee camps [...] |
2006-06-30 15:24:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PGOV KDEM PTER KPAL ECON SY LE |
| 06BEIRUT2221 |
MGLE01: JA'JA SEES "SMALL WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY" [...] (C/NF) On June 29, the Ambassador and econoff met with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Ja'Ja and his adviser Elie Khoury at the Embassy. Ja'Ja was upbeat about the day's National Dialogue session, saying that Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah was restrained. Nasrallah, along with Speaker of [...] |
2006-06-30 15:31:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS LE PGOV PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2223 |
MGLE01: HARIRI, HAMADEH DESCRIBE AS BOTH GOOD AND [...] (C/NF) In separate one-on-one meetings with the Ambassador on 6/30, MP Sa'ad Hariri and Minister of Telecommunications Marwan Hamadeh expressed basic satisfaction with the previous day's national dialogue session. Israel's actions in Gaza and the arrests of Hamas cabinet members and lawmake [...] |
2006-07-03 07:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PTER PGOV KISL LE SY IS KPAL KWBG |
| 06BEIRUT2236 |
MGLE01: SPEAKER BERRI MEETS WITH CODEL DREIER; [...] (C/NF) In a July 3 meeting with Codel Dreier and the Ambassador, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri welcomed the delegation and agreed enthusiastically to future parliamentary exchanges. Regarding the national dialogue, Berri said that it was Lebanon's only chance to avoid confessional strif [...] |
2006-07-03 15:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS KDEM LE OVIP PGOV PREL PTER |
| 06BEIRUT2256 |
MGLE01: SCENESETTER FOR ELIAS MURR'S JULY 16-19 [...] (S/NF) Just over a year since surviving what is thought to have been a Syrian-ordered assassination attempt, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias Murr heads to Washington July 16-19. The scion of a powerful and wealthy Greek Orthodox family closely linked to Syria, Murr has forg [...] |
2006-07-05 14:21:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PARM PTER PGOV MASS LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT2258 |
MGLE01: MEA LIKELY TO CHOOSE AIRBUS BECAUSE OF [...] (C/NF) Summary. The Ambassador and econoff met with Middle East Airlines (MEA) President Mohammad Hout on June 28 and Edward Schachle, Sales Director for Boeing in the Middle e"QZz[t_Q/=^QtqOa+(5QQQ 2012, and MEA cannot afford short-term leases on its aircraft to "bridge the gap." In nine [...] |
2006-07-05 15:15:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EAIR EFIN PREL ECON PGOV BEXP LE |
| 06BEIRUT2272 |
MGLE01: INDEPENDENT SHIA POLITICIAN SAYS [...] (C/NF) In a late June meeting with econoff, independent Shia politician Ali Sabra Hamadeh reported that Hizballah has been cooling down its rhetoric in the Biqa Valley during the past three months. It seems the very confessional tensions that Hizballah has been working to inspire since the H [...] |
2006-07-06 15:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IR IS LE PGOV PTER SNAR SY |
| 06BEIRUT2290 |
MGLE01: FORMER PRESIDENT ELIAS HRAWI PASSES AWAY [...] At about 3:00 PM local on July 7, former Lebanese President Elias Hrawi passed away from cancer. Reftel describes in detail the record and legacy of President Hrawi, who served in office from 1989 to 1998. 2. With Hrawi's death occurring only a few hours ago, funeral arrangements are sti [...] |
2006-07-07 13:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV LE |
| 06BEIRUT2291 |
MGLE01: A STRATEGY SESSION WITH PRIME MINISTER [...] (C/NF) The current weakness of the "March 14" parliamentary majority -- and the deleterious effect this has on Prime Minister Siniora's ability to govern -- has become a matter of great concern for supporters of Siniora, such as former Central Bank Governor Michel el Khoury. At a 7/3 dinner [...] |
2006-07-07 14:00:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV KDEM PTER ECON KISL PINR SY LE |
| 06BEIRUT2292 |
MGLE01: AOUN DISCUSSES SUMMER PLANS; PROMISES TO [...] (C/NF) In a July 7 meeting with the Ambassador and econoff, MP Michel Aoun was optimistic that his new television station would garner a strong sudience and earn a profit. Aoun, along with his adviser Gibran Bassil, commented on Suleiman Franjieh's controversial recent statements, saying th [...] |
2006-07-07 14:13:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | CASC IS KDEM KPAL LE PGOV PTER |
| 06BEIRUT2293 |
MGLE01: BRAMMERTZ SLOGS ON WITH UNIIIC BOUND BY [...] (S/NF) According to United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission (UNIIIC) Commissioner Serge Brammertz, administrative delays with the UN's bureaucracy have taken up 50 to 70 percent of his time in the last month and have significantly hindered the UNIIIC's efficacy and p [...] |
2006-07-07 15:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PTER KCRM PINR ASEC SY LE |
| 06BEIRUT2322 |
MGLE01: JA'JA' SAYS FEAR OF SECTARIAN CLASHES IS [...] No summary [...] |
2006-07-10 14:57:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PTER KISL KDEM ASEC MCAP LE SY IZ |
| 06BEIRUT2323 |
MGLE01: JUMBLATT RECOUNTS SAUDI TRIP, MONEY [...] (S/NF) In a 7/7 meeting, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt said he had recently asked Saudi King Abdullah for funding to help him and his "March 14" allies counter Iranian/Syrian influence in Lebanon. King Abdullah had been noncommittal, and Jumblatt was left waiting for his partner Sa'ad al-Harir [...] |
2006-07-11 05:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PGOV PTER KISL KDEM EAID LE SA SY |
| 06BEIRUT2343 |
MGLE01: PLO REP TO LEBANON LAUDS GOL'S [...] (C) The recently-appointed Palestinian Representative to Lebanon, Abbas Zaki, described humanitarian conditions in the 12 refugee camps located in Lebanon as dire, requiring immediate, comprehensive infrastructure and humanitarian assistance. Representative Zaki praised the efforts of Prime [...] |
2006-07-11 15:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KDEM KPAL LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2347 |
MGLE01: HIZBALLAH ABDUCTION OF TWO IDF SOLDIERS [...] (C) According to local UN officials, a day of heavy fighting in southern Lebanon began at approximately 0900 local when an undetermined number of rockets launched from southern Lebanon landed the area of Shlomi, Israel, injuring at least four Israeli civilians. Nearly simultaneously, fighti [...] |
2006-07-12 16:33:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KPKO LE MOPS PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2349 |
MGLE01: FIGHTING ESCALATES AS ISRAEL STRIKES [...] (C) On the morning of July 13, Israel continued airstrikes on southern Lebanon, increasing the death toll to more than 30 civilian casualties. Israeli aircraft also bombed Beirut International Airport (BIA) and Hizballah targets in southern Beirut. BIA is closed until further notice. Hizb [...] |
2006-07-13 09:02:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EAIR IS KPKO LE MOPS PTER |
| 06BEIRUT2351 |
MGLE01: INITIAL REACTION TO NASRALLAH'S SPEECH [...] (C) Hassan Nasrallah's latest attempt to portray Hizballah as the "Great Arab Protector" has embarrassed and cornered much of Lebanon's political elite. Nasrallah used a widely watched news conference late on July 12 to defend Hizballah's unprovoked abduction of two IDF soldiers from Israeli territ [...] |
2006-07-13 09:46:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KDEM LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2353 |
MGLE01: LEBANESE PM SINIORA: "WE NEED HELP." [...] (S) Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora expressed deep concern to the Ambassador this morning that the current security crisis is unfolding "as if by script," with Israel and Hizballah dutifully playing out the assigned roles one would expect in a worst case scenario path to regional war. He argu [...] |
2006-07-13 11:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | IS IZ LE PGOV PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2386 |
TFLE01: ISRAEL HITS SOUTHERN BEIRUT HARD; AIRPORT [...] (C) Subsequent to reftel, Israeli aircraft have bombed two small airports, a power plant, and struck hard at targets in the southern suburbs of Beirut. Two rockets were reported to have struck Haifa, but Hizballah denied responsibility and UNIFIL could not confirm that the rockets were launched fro [...] |
2006-07-14 10:13:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE MOPS PTER |
| 06BEIRUT2387 |
TFLE01: PM SINIORA CONVOKES P-5, URGES "HELPFUL" [...] (C) Convoking the P-5 ambassadors on 7/14, Prime Minister Siniora urged that the UN Security Council issue a presidential statement that calls for: 1) an immediate, comprehensive cease-fire, 2) a lifting of the blockade on Lebanon, and 3) encouragement of the Lebanese government's stated int [...] |
2006-07-14 10:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS PTER LE IS |
| 06BEIRUT2390 |
TFLE01: HIZBALLAH'S RECKLESSNESS SPLITS AOUN'S [...] (C) Aounist advisor MP Ibrahim Kanaan expressed frustration and deep concern over the present course of events in Lebanon and said he has advised his party leader General Michel Aoun to put distance between himself and Hassan Nasrallah. Kanaan is convinced that Hizballah, with "its extreme overconf [...] |
2006-07-14 13:29:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS KDEM LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2403 |
TFLE01: LARSEN TO PROPOSE HANDOVER OF ISRAELI [...] (C/NF) On July 16, the Ambassador and econoff had a late night meeting with UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen and UNSYG Personal Representative to Lebanon Geir Pederson. Larsen showed a draft proposal to the Ambassador, which Larsen said that he was drawing from orally but not providing to GOL officials. [...] |
2006-07-17 11:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2407 |
TFLE01: BERRI SAYS CEASE-FIRE NECESSARY [...] (C/NF) Lebanon's Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri told the Ambassador today (7/17) that within another week, continued Israeli strikes will solidify Lebanese popular opinion against Israel. For now, however, he suggested in a most oblique manner that the potential for Israel's assault to we [...] |
2006-07-17 17:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2412 |
TFLE01: CENTRAL BANK REQUESTS USG ASSISTANCE IN [...] (U) This message contains an action message for the Department -- see para 6. 2. (C) Finance Minister Jihad Azour alerted us this morning to a forthcoming request from the Lebanese Central Bank for assistance in transporting cash in US dollars from Cyprus to Beirut. The Central Bank planned to co [...] |
2006-07-18 16:20:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS EFIN ASEC LE IS |
| 06BEIRUT2413 |
TFLE01: INCENSED BY ISRAELI TARGETING OF LAF, [...] (S/NF) While acknowledging that there was something not quite right abotu the activities at the Jamhour military base, French Ambassador Emie described recent Israeli strikes on Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) facilities as "unbelievable." If the Israeli campaign was going to continue along these lines [...] |
2006-07-18 16:26:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL MOPS PTER ASEC CASC LE FR |
| 06BEIRUT2415 |
TFLE01: UNSYG PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE PEDERSON [...] (C) In a July 18 meeting with the Ambassador and econoff, UNSYG Personal Representative to Lebanon Geir Pederson shared a new draft of the UN proposal to end the fighting (reftel). This document (which has many elements that spell its doom in its current form) is transcribed below in para 3. Peders [...] |
2006-07-18 16:43:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IR IS KPKO LE MOPS PTER |
| 06BEIRUT2417 |
TFLE01: AOUN'S ADVISORS PROPOSE DIFFERENT PATHS [...] (C) While Michel Aoun's close advisor Gebran Bassil continues to defend Hizballah's actions (but with less energy than before), Aoun's other influential advisors MP Farid el-Khazen and MP Ibrahim Kanaan unambiguously stated to poloff that Hizballah deliberately started the current cycle of violence [...] |
2006-07-18 18:33:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2422 |
TFLE01: LEBANESE ECONOMY DEVASTATED BY AIR [...] No summary [...] |
2006-07-19 15:10:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV EFIN ECON EINV LE |
| 06BEIRUT2427 |
TFLE01: UNSYG PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE URGES [...] (C/NF) In a 7/19 meeting, the Personal Representative of the UN Secretary-General (PRSG), Geir Pedersen, told the Ambassador there is an urgent need to establish humanitarian corridors to southern Lebanon in order to address an "increasing humanitarian disaster" there. Among these routes wou [...] |
2006-07-20 16:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | MOPS EAID PREF PREL LE IS |
| 06BEIRUT2428 |
TFLE01: HIZBALLAH EXPERTS SAY EARLY END TO [...] (C) On July 20, econoff polled three Hizballah experts on the party's strategy and next steps in the current fighting with Israel. All three agreed that if the fighting ended now, Hizballah would appear victorious. As of July 20, much of Hizballah's military capabilities and support in the Shia com [...] |
2006-07-20 16:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IR IS LE MOPS PGOV PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2429 |
TFLE01: SINIORA CONVOKES DIPLOMATIC CORPS TO [...] (U) In a terse but emotionally-tinged 7/19 address to the diplomatic corps, Prime Minister Siniora demanded an immediate end to hostilities between Hizballah and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), a lifting of the Israeli naval blockade, and delivery of urgently-needed humanitarian assistance. [...] |
2006-07-20 16:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL MOPS EAID PTER PREF LE IS |
| 06BEIRUT2437 |
TFLE01: MINISTER MOUAWAD URGES HUMANITARIAN [...] (S/NF) Minister of Social Affairs Nayla Mouawad described the humanitarian situation in Lebanon as approaching a critical point. Although she used less alarming terms than PM Siniora employed in his speech of July 19, Minister Mouawad still insisted the greatest challenge was not the supply of food [...] |
2006-07-21 12:39:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2440 |
TFLE01: SPEAKER BERRI SAYS HE IS WAITING FOR [...] (C/NF) In a July 22 meeting with the Ambassador and econoff, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri recited the devastation Israeli military operations have caused to his native southern Lebanon. By contrast, Berri asserted that Israel has not exacted much damage on Hizballah's military wing, saying onl [...] |
2006-07-22 14:09:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS LE MOPS PGOV PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2441 |
TFLE01 MARCH 14 LEADER BOUTROS HARB ALSO URGES [...] (C) MP Boutros Harb, a key figure in the pro-reform March 14 movement, believes Hizballah, as of July 21, has not been significantly hurt -- either in its leadership or its military capabilities. Harb said that if Hizballah can reach a cease-fire in its present relatively strong condition, it will [...] |
2006-07-22 14:13:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2443 |
TFLE01: AMINE GEMAYEL SAYS CEASE-FIRE SHOULD [...] (S/NF) In a 7/21 meeting, Amine Gemayel, former President of the Republic of Lebanon, told the Ambassador that diplomatic efforts to solve the current conflict should focus on securing a long term solution to the cyclical security crises along the Lebanese-Israeli border, with any discussions of pr [...] |
2006-07-23 09:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2447 |
TFLE01: MARONITE DOYEN WARNS: "THE WEST MUST WIN [...] (C/NF) On 7/22, Maronite doyen Sheikh Michel el Khoury (and son of Lebanon's first president) told the Ambassador that the West's hopes for democracy in the Middle East depend upon winning the current war against Hizballah and its Syrian and Iranian backers. Still, Sheikh Michel warned that with it [...] |
2006-07-23 18:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2464 |
TFLE01: BERRI SAYS ISRAEL WON'T WIN [...] (C/NF) In July 25 meeting with Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, the Ambassador followed up Secretary Rice's visit in presenting updated elements for a cease-fire package. Berri, after his customary review of Israeli acts, said he was still doubtful Hizballah would accept the proposal if a prisone [...] |
2006-07-25 13:33:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS LE MOPS PBTS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2469 |
TFLE01: SINIORA SAYS HE IS READY TO REQUEST AN [...] (C/NF) In a 7/25 meeting, Prime Minister Siniora, after much prodding, told the Ambassador that he was ready to make a public call for the deployment of an international stabilization force in southern Lebanon. (He said he would do so at a 7/26 Core Group conference in Rome.) He urged that the USG [...] |
2006-07-25 16:17:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PINS MOPS PTER KPKO LE IS |
| 06BEIRUT2470 |
TFLE01: UN PRSG: "DON'T RUSH" ON INTERNATIONAL [...] (C/NF) In a 7/25 conversation, Geir Pedersen, Personal Representative of the UN Secretary-General (PRSG), emphasized the importance of showing Lebanon's Shia community that a domestic political approach to Hizballah's disarmament remained possible. He recommended that an international stabilization [...] |
2006-07-25 16:20:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PINS PTER MOPS KPKO EAID LE |
| 06BEIRUT2471 |
TFLE01: SAMIR JA'JA' SUPPORTS PROPOSED PATH TO [...] (C) After the Ambassador reviewed current thinking regarding the components of a possible cease-fire, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Ja'ja' expressed his overall support of the approach, particularly the intent to implement all the components in a single phase. He also conveyed his belief that a holl [...] |
2006-07-25 18:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2474 |
TFLE01: SHIA ANGER BUTTRESSING HIZBALLAH; [...] (C/NF) On July 26, Embassy contacts in the Shia community reported that Shia support for Hizballah was strong, as was anger at the USG for supporting Israel. There was a general feeling that Hizballah must remain armed or "they" will pick off the Shia one by one. Morale inside Hizballah remains hig [...] |
2006-07-26 15:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS KISL LE MOPS PTER |
| 06BEIRUT2475 |
TFLE01: UN IN LEBANON FEELING PRESSURE FROM BOTH [...] (C/NF) On July 26, UNIFIL Senior Adviser Milos Strugar told econoff that UNIFIL suspected that the July 25 Israeli airstrike on an UNTSO post near Khiam was deliberate. UNIFIL had warned the IDF for several days that it was striking a UN post. Close calls have been reported at other UN posts along [...] |
2006-07-26 15:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS KPKO LE MOPS PREL PTER |
| 06BEIRUT2476 |
TFLE01: UNSYG PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE PEDERSEN [...] (C/NF) In a July 26 meeting with the Ambassador and econoff, UNSYG Personal Representative to Lebanon Geir Pedersen urged an immediate de-escalation to the fighting even if a cease-fire takes some time. He warned that the humanitarian situation and violence could spiral out of control in less than [...] |
2006-07-26 16:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS KPKO LE MOPS PBTS PTER |
| 06BEIRUT2487 |
TFLE01: REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE IN DELIVERING OIL [...] (U) This is an action message. Please see paragraphs 12 and 13. 2. BACKGROUND: Lebanon is currently facing a humanitarian crisis with more than 700,000 Lebanese now displaced from their homes. Humanitarian supplies are arriving and negotiations are being made for a humanitarian corridor to help d [...] |
2006-07-27 12:07:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON EINV ETRD EPET LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT2488 |
TFLE01: SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN VILLAGES BESET BY [...] (C) A delegation of the municipal heads of four Christian villages located near the Blue Line told econoff on July 28 that Hizballah was sneaking into their villages and launching rockets from inside them. The resulting Israeli airstrikes damage houses and kill civilians. The municipal hea [...] |
2006-07-28 13:17:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE MOPS PHUM PTER |
| 06BEIRUT2489 |
TFLE01: PM SINIORA UPBEAT ON CEASE-FIRE [...] (C/NF) In a July 28 meeting with the Ambassador, PM Fouad Siniora was in buoyant spirits following what he saw as a major political victory in last night's (July 27) meeting of the Council of Ministers. Siniora said after several hours of tense argument, he finally told the Council that either they [...] |
2006-07-29 06:58:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2490 |
TFLE01: MARWAN HAMADEH DISCUSSES CEASE-FIRE [...] (C/NF) During a July 28 meeting with the Ambassador and econoff, Minister of Telecommunications Marwan Hamadeh gave a briefing on the July 27 cabinet meeting and the Rome conference. Al-Nahar publisher Ghassan Tueni was also present. Hamadeh said the cabinet meeting was "epic" as he verbally parrie [...] |
2006-07-29 09:58:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IR IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2491 |
TFLE01: UNSYG REPRESENTATIVE PEDERSEN SEES ISRAEL [...] (C/NF) In a July 28 meeting with the Ambassador and econoff, UNSYG Personal Representative Geir Pedersen said that he saw Israel getting bogged down in its military campaign. Based on information Pedersen was receiving, Israel's ground incursion was not successful, and a full-scale invasion [...] |
2006-07-29 10:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IR IS KPKO LE MOPS PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2492 |
TFLE01: SINIORA WORRIED ABOUT FUEL, EMBARGO; [...] (C) In a 7/29 meeting with the Ambassador, PM Siniora, visibly angry, expressed three major concerns. First, he described the humanitarian corridors as "a joke." The Israelis were not serious, he argued, citing examples of humanitarian convoys that had been delayed for days, given approvals but fir [...] |
2006-07-29 15:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ENRG ECON LE IS |
| 06BEIRUT2504 |
TFLE01: SINIORA BELIEVES HE HAS THE CONFIDENCE OF [...] (C/NF) In a meeting with the Ambassador and poloff late on July 31, Prime Minister Siniora explained that his declaration to not negotiate until a cease-fire had been implemented gave him the credibility and support he needs across Lebanon's political spectrum to conclude a durable cease-fire agree [...] |
2006-08-01 07:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2508 |
TFLE01: AOUN PARROTS PIAF: "JE NE REGRETTE RIEN" [...] (C/NF) Former General Michel Aoun displayed a stubborn refusal to face the reality of Hizballah's renegade status in Lebanon. Far from holding Hassan Nasrallah accountable for the violence that began with Hizballah's attack on July 12, Aoun said that as long as the fighting continued, all of Lebano [...] |
2006-08-01 12:34:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2509 |
TGLE01: UNREP WITH OMINOUS MESSAGE FROM HIZBALLAH [...] (S/NF) Geir Pedersen, the UN Secretary General's Personal Representative for Lebanon, contacted the Ambassador on 8/1 to say that he had received an "alarming message" from his "usual contact." (Note: Pedersen's usual contact is Hizballah's Wafiq Safa. End note.) The message was initially reassurin [...] |
2006-08-01 13:00:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL MOPS PTER KISL LE SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT2511 |
TFLE01: HAMADEH SEES RESOLUTION OF SHEBAA FARMS AS [...] (C/NF) On August 1, Minister of Telecommunications Marwan Hamadeh told the Ambassador and Emboff that there is no need to get Syrian support for a potential settlement of the Shebaa Farms issue. Hamadeh expressed confidence that any agreement for an Israeli withdrawal from Shebaa, whether or not Sy [...] |
2006-08-01 15:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IR IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2513 |
TFLE01: MP BOUTROS HARB: NASRALLAH CANNOT BECOME [...] (C) SUMMARY: On August 1, Ambassador and Emboff met with MP Boutros Harb at his home in Beirut. Harb insisted that Hizballah must be prevented from emerging from the conflict in a position of power, as this would spell tragedy for Lebanon and the region. Yet he warned that as Hizballah continues to [...] |
2006-08-01 16:10:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC IS LE MOPS PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2518 |
TFLE01: SOURCES: HIZBALLAH FEELS IT IS WINNING [...] (C/NF) On August 1, three reliable sources on Hizballah told us that Hizballah believes it is winning the war with Israel. Former UNIFIL spokesman Timur Goksel said that Hizballah has already won in the minds of the Lebanese people for standing up to Israel. Israeli tactics and ineffectiveness has [...] |
2006-08-02 10:54:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IR IS LE MOPS PTER |
| 06BEIRUT2526 |
TFLE01: LEBANESE INDUSTRY HEADS CALL FOR BUSINESS [...] (SBU) Leading Lebanese business and industry associations have asked Embassy Beirut for the immediate establishment of safe commercial corridors for passage of imports and exports. Lebanese business leaders stressed the need for industry leaders to have "a sense that this war will never happen [...] |
2006-08-03 14:05:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL SY EFIN ECON ETRD EINV |
| 06BEIRUT2527 |
TFLE01: PATRIARCH SFEIR WANTS DISPLACED SHIA TO [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: On August 3 Ambassador and Emboff met with Patriarch Sfeir at his summer residence in Diman, North Lebanon. Concerned about sectarian tensions, Sfeir was adamant that displaced Shia in Beirut and Mount Lebanon must return to their villages without delay. Regarding Hizballah disarmam [...] |
2006-08-03 16:09:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PREF KDEM PTER LE SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT2529 |
TFLE01: NASSIB LAHOUD OFFERS ADVICE FOR THE DAY [...] (C/NF) Displaying notable resilience and cautious optimism despite the difficult conditions his country faces, pro-reform leader Nassib Lahoud advised the Embassy that the most critical element in preventing a Hizballah "victory" after the war is to take the lead in the reconstruction of post-confl [...] |
2006-08-03 17:09:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2534 |
TFLE01: ISRAELI ATTACKS ON NORTH COAST BRIDGE [...] (C) No doubt the Israelis can provide military justification for their attacks on three bridges going north starting from the Christian port city of Jounieh this morning (8/04) and cutting off the &corridor8 that the GOI told the world would remain open to Syria. But whatever the Israeli rationale, [...] |
2006-08-04 13:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS PTER PROG CASC LE IS |
| 06BEIRUT2535 |
TFLE01: PM SINIORA WANTS A SINGLE PHASE AGREEMENT [...] (C/NF) PM Siniora pushed back hard against the US/FR plan to implement a cessation of hostilities and Israeli withdrawal in two phases. Worried about Israeli troops remaining inside Lebanon, Siniora prefers a single phase that combines a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory with an [...] |
2006-08-05 08:00:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE MOPS PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2538 |
TFLE01: LEBANON,S YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ON [...] (C) SUMMARY: On August 3 PolOff hosted a dinner at his residence in the Embassy compound. The guests were young professionals in the government, media, and private sectors. They are disappointed that in their view Israel is losing the war against Hizballah. These educated, Christian professionals d [...] |
2006-08-05 13:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC IS LE PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2539 |
TFLE01: UN REP SEES CRITICAL WINDOW OF [...] (C) On August 5, A/S Welch and Ambassador Feltman met with the UNSYG's Personal Representative for Lebanon Geir Pedersen and UN Senior Political Affairs Officer Salman Sheikh. Reiterating concerns expressed previously (refs a and b), Pedersen stressed that Israeli military action would not achieve [...] |
2006-08-05 15:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KPKO MOPS PREL PTER IS SY LE |
| 06BEIRUT2540 |
TFLE01: JUMBLATT AND HAMADE ON TWO-PHASE SOLUTION [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: On August 4 A/S Welch, Ambassador, and PolOff attended a dinner hosted by Marwan Hamade, Minister of Telecommunications, and attended by Walid Jumblatt, leader of the Druze community and the Progressive Socialist Party. Jumblatt warned that what he described as Israel's ineffective [...] |
2006-08-06 07:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS LE MOPS PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2541 |
TFLE01: A/S WELCH MEETS WITH SPEAKER BERRI [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: On August 5, NEA Assistant Secretary Welch, Ambassador, and PolOff met with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, accompanied by Foreign Policy Advisor Ali Hamdan, at his office in Ain al-Tinneh, Beirut. A/S Welch explained to Berri the two-phase resolution being proposed to end [...] |
2006-08-06 07:28:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE MOPS PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2542 |
TFLE01: SINIORA SOUNDS AN OMINOUS NOTE ON DRAFT [...] (C) Prime Minister Siniora called UNSC member nations' ambassadors to the Grand Serail on the morning of August 6 for a two hour "chat" during which he outlined the GOL's main concerns with the draft UN resolution currently being discussed in New York. During the meeting, which was also attended by [...] |
2006-08-06 13:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PREL PTER SY IS LE |
| 06BEIRUT2544 |
TFLE01: CHRISTIAN POLITICAL LEADERS SAY SHEBA'A [...] (C/NF) On August 5, A/S Welch and Ambassador Feltman met with Christian leaders from the anti-Syria March 14 movement, including former President Amin Gemayel, his son and Minister of Industry Pierre Gemayel, Dory Chamoun, Carlos Edde, Fares Souaid, George Adwan, and presidential hopefuls Nayla Moa [...] |
2006-08-07 06:58:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MOPS PREL PTER SY IS LE |
| 06BEIRUT2545 |
TFLE01: PM SINIORA HOLDS FAST ON SHEBA'A, INSISTS [...] (C/NF) A/S Welch's second meeting with PM Siniora in 24 hours clarified Lebanon's preferred sequence of events at cease-fire. But the Prime Minister would not budge from his "requirement" that the IDF withdraw from all Lebanese territory, including Sheba'a. Siniora argued hard that unless the Israe [...] |
2006-08-07 06:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | IS LE MOPS PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2551 |
TFLE01: LEBANESE CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR PUSHES FOR [...] (C) In an August 7 meeting with Ambassador Feltman and TDY poloff, Central Bank of Lebanon (CBL) Governor Riad Salameh said that the Lebanese financial situation had so far avoided disaster through some creative "financial engineering" and other confidence-building measures such as a $1 billion loa [...] |
2006-08-07 15:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EFIN ECON EINV LE IS SY |
| 06BEIRUT2553 |
TFLE01: DEFENSE MINISTER MURR CONFIDENT IN RAPID [...] (C) During an August 7 meeting with the Ambassador and TDY poloff (notetaker), Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr confidently claimed that 15000 LAF troops, if called upon, could begin deploying to the South within 12 hours. (Note: this meeting took place before the cabinet decision authorizing d [...] |
2006-08-08 05:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MOPS PREL PTER LE IS SY |
| 06BEIRUT2566 |
MGLE01: BERRI IS UNDER THREAT DUE TO HIS PIVOTAL [...] (C) Ambassador and TDY poloff met with several Lebanese politicians of different confessions on August 8 in order to guage attitudes toward the draft UN resolution and sense whether there is a strategy for moving ahead in Lebanon following a ceasefire. In addition to Maronite former Preside [...] |
2006-08-08 16:54:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MOPS PREL PTER SY IS LE |
| 06BEIRUT2578 |
LEBANON: AMIN GEMAYEL SEEKS COORDINATED STRATEGY [...] (C) In an August 8 meeting with the Ambassador and poloff, Kata'eb Party leader and former President Amin Gemayel discussed what should follow a cease=fire in the current conflict with Israel. Gemayel is frustrated that the Maronite Presidency has been sidelined during Emile Lahoud's tenure, and he [...] |
2006-08-09 08:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MOPS PREL PTER LE SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT2580 |
LEBANON: A/S WELCH EXPLAINS NEW U.S. POSITION TO [...] (C/NF) On August 5, NEA Assistant Secretary Welch, Ambassador, and PolOff met with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, accompanied by his foreign policy advisor Ali Hamdan, at Berri's office in Ain al-Tinneh, Beirut. A/S Welch reviewed with Berri the possibility that, under a potential UNSCR, [...] |
2006-08-09 16:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE MOPS PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2582 |
LEBANON: TWO MEETINGS WITH SINIORA NARROW THE [...] (C/NF) PM Fouad Siniora clearly understands that time is short, and he specifically asked A/S Welch about a possible August 9 Israeli security cabinet decision to expand operations. Siniora realizes that the French-American discussions on a draft UNSC resolution are difficult, but he remains adaman [...] |
2006-08-10 05:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE MOPS PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2583 |
LEBANON: MURR SAYS LAF CAN DEPLOY TO SOUTH IN [...] (C) In an August 9 meeting with A/S Welch, Ambassador Feltman, Deputy Legal Adviser Jonathan Schwartz, and poloff, Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias Murr said 15,000 LAF troops could deploy to southern Lebanon within eight hours and assume security there along with a beefed- [...] |
2006-08-10 05:46:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MOPS PREL PTER LE IS SY |
| 06BEIRUT2587 |
LEBANON: FUEL AND ELECTRICAL POWER STATUS AS OF [...] (C/NF) The fuel and electrical power shortages in Lebanon have become serious. Lebanon's economy is operating at greatly reduced leels through austere rationing of gasoline, reduced consumption in the transport sector, selective brownouts of the electrical power grid. Some increase in the [...] |
2006-08-10 09:58:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY ENRG |
| 06BEIRUT2588 |
LEBANON: SINIORA DISCUSSES LATEST DRAFT RESOLUTION [...] (C) PM Siniora and senior advisers Mohammad Chatta and Rola Noureddine met with Ambassador Feltman and poloff (notetaker) on the morning of August 10. Ambassador Feltman reviewed the latest U.S. draft resolution with Siniora (Note. Siniora had a meeting immediately afterwards with French Ambassador [...] |
2006-08-10 12:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PREL PTER LE SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT2599 |
LEBANON: MARWAN HAMADEH DISCUSSES DRAFT RESOLUTION [...] (C) A/S Welch, Ambassador Feltman, Deputy Legal Adviser Jonathan Schwartz and poloff (notetaker) met with Lebanese Minister for Telecommunications Marwan Hamadeh and Minister of Displaced Naame Tomeh, both close allies of Druze leader Walid Joumblatt, at Hamadeh's downtown office on the afternoon o [...] |
2006-08-11 17:13:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MOPS PREL PTER LE IS SY |
| 06BEIRUT2600 |
LEBANON: FOR BERRI RESOLUTION COMES DOWN TO ONE [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: On August 11 NEA A/S Welch, Ambassador, and PolOff met with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, accompanied by his foreign policy advisor Ali Hamdan, at Berri's Ain Al Tinneh office. A/S Welch told Berri that we hoped that the UNSC resolution addressing the current conflict wou [...] |
2006-08-11 17:24:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE MOPS PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2601 |
LEBANON: A/S WELCH'S MEETINGS WITH PM SINIORA ON [...] (C/NF) Over the course of three hours in two meetings on August 11, PM Fouad Siniora made steady, but incremental movement toward accepting the most recent draft language of the UN resolution. His strongest objections were directed toward the specific use of chapter 7 to authorize the multi-nationa [...] |
2006-08-12 13:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2602 |
LEBANON: SAAD HARIRI WANTS LAHOUD OUT [...] (C/NF) In a meeting with Ambassador Feltman and poloff (notetaker) on August 12 at his Qoreitem mansion, Future Movement leader Saad Hariri spoke about his key objectives in the aftermath of a ceasefire between Israel and Hizballah. Convinced at the time of the meeting that the Lebanese Cabinet wil [...] |
2006-08-12 13:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MOPS PREL PTER LE SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT2604 |
LEBANON: SALLOUKH PREDICTS CABINET APPROVAL OF [...] (C) Summary: In a meeting with Ambassador Feltman and poloff (notetaker) on August 12, Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh, joined by three of his MFA staff, urged that the Israeli blockade be lifted as soon as possible, but brushed aside concerns that arms smuggling will resume withou [...] |
2006-08-12 16:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PTER PREL LE SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT2608 |
LEBANON: JUSTICE MINISTER CONFIDENT OF GOL [...] (C) During an expansive conversation on 8/13 with Ambassador and poloff over lunch, Lebanese Minister of Justice Charles Rizk said that the unanimous 8/12 Cabinet decision to accept UNSCR 1701 had strengthened the GOL. He added that while this first session had been a simple agreement on pr [...] |
2006-08-14 04:26:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MOPS PTER PREL LE SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT2609 |
LEBANON: JUSTICE MINISTER SAYS DRAFT TRIBUNAL [...] (C) During an August 13 meeting with Ambassador and poloff, Lebanese Minister of Justice Charles Rizk said that the United Nations had provided him with a draft framework for a "special tribunal of international character" to try suspects in the assassination of Rafiq Hariri, and that the draft is [...] |
2006-08-14 08:30:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KCRM PTER PINR MOPS LE SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT2613 |
LEBANON: SAMIR JA'JA URGES FULL HIZBALLAH [...] (C) During an August 12 meeting with Ambassador and poloff at the Embassy, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Ja'Ja' urged that the debate on full Hizballah disarmament should not be postponed, and that internal and external pressure should be applied to "squeeze" Hizballah on this issue. Ja'ja suggested [...] |
2006-08-14 12:33:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MOPS PREL PTER LE SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT2615 |
STRENGTHENING A SHAKY CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES -- [...] (SBU) This message contains a non-exhaustive list of initiatives that we suggest the USG support, in the first days of the fragile cessation of hostilities forged by U.S. leadership in UNSCR 1701. We seek to strengthen the GOL and move Lebanon toward a permanent cease-fire. After the U.S. [...] |
2006-08-14 15:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS PTER EAID LE SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT2620 |
LEBANON: PM SINIORA DISCUSSES TOP PRIORITIES WITH [...] (C) SUMMARY: On August 14, the first day of the cessation of hostilities, Prime Minister Siniora convoked the Ambassadors of the UNSC Perm-5. Siniora requested support to provide temporary steel bridges that will help the return of displaced Shia to the south, and to remove the "siege" from the air [...] |
2006-08-14 16:21:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE MOPS PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2625 |
LEBANON: GHATTAS KHOURY SUPPORTS GRADUAL SOLUTION [...] (C) During an August 14 lunch with Ambassador Feltman and poloff, former Hariri MP and Jumblatt-ally Ghattas Khoury said that now -- meaning today -- is not the time to corner Hizballah on full disarmament, although that moment is quickly approaching. Voicing concern about the increasingly threteni [...] |
2006-08-14 16:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PREL PTER SY LE IS |
| 06BEIRUT2643 |
JUMBLATT CONCEDES VICTORY TO NASRALLAH, WORRIES [...] (S/NF) On 8/14, the Ambassador spent an unrelentingly bleak evening with Walid Jumblatt, Marwan Hamadeh, Ghattas Khoury, and (joining late) Bernard Emie. Nasrallah's televised "victory speech" cast a pall over the discussion, with honking horns and cheering Shia making a ruckus on the nearby Beirut [...] |
2006-08-15 08:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL MOPS PTER KDEM LE SY IR IS |
| 06BEIRUT2644 |
LEBANON: CODEL ISSA MEETS WITH PM SINIORA [...] PM Siniora described to Congressman Issa the serious damage the present conflict has inflicted on his country, as well as his hope that the American people would continue to support the people of Lebanon. Congressman Issa praised PM Siniora's leadership and courage during this difficult peri [...] |
2006-08-15 09:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT2649 |
ARTICLE THREATENS MARWAN HAMADEH, WHO SEES IT AS [...] (S/NF) Reftel noted that Minister of Telecommunications Marwan Hamadeh -- who survived one assassination attempt already, on 10/1/04 -- believes that he is again being targeted. He heard a veiled threat in the 8/14 "victory speech" by Hizballah Secretary General, and he pointed out that he [...] |
2006-08-15 13:26:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PTER ASEC MOPS SY LE IS |
| 06BEIRUT2652 |
LEBANON: WHEAT SHIPMENT NEEDED TO KEEP BREAD ON [...] This message contains an action message for the Department -- please see para 6. 2. Embassy meetings with GOL and agrifood industry leaders have confirmed that current stocks of wheat in Lebanon are at a critically low level. President of Dora Flour Mills and Chair of the Agrifood Trader [...] |
2006-08-16 06:19:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID ECON IS LE PREL SY |
| 06BEIRUT2665 |
LEBANON: DEFENSE MINISTER AWAITS CABINET DECISION [...] (C) During a downbeat 8/15 meeting with the Ambassador and poloff, Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr said he awaits a Cabinet decision on moving forward with LAF deployment to the South, but that his personal opinion is that the LAF cannot coexist for long in the South with an armed Hizba [...] |
2006-08-16 09:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PTER PREL LE SY IS |
| 06BEIRUT2671 |
LEBANON: NAYLA MOAWAD VOWS TO STAND FIRM [...] (C/NF) During an 8/16 meeting with the Ambassador and poloff in the Baabda apartment where she is staying, Zgharta MP and Minister for Social Affairs Nayla Moawad said that, though she is threatened by the recent speeches by Hassan Nasrallah and Bashar al-Asad accusing the March 14 movement [...] |
2006-08-16 15:43:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EAID EFIN PTER PREL SY ISLE |
| 06BEIRUT2672 |
LEBANON: PM SINIORA PLANS COUNTER-PUNCH (BUT, [...] (C/NF) In a 8/16 meeting with the Ambassador, PM Siniora stated that his number one goal at this point is to get the LAF into south Lebanon as quickly as possible. This will be a significant achievement. He discounted much of Hassan Nasrallah's recent "victory" rhetoric as simply that, and [...] |
2006-08-16 16:53:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 06BEIRUT268 |
MGLE01: UN LEGAL AFFAIRS CHIEF BRIEFS P-3 ON UNSCR [...] (S) In a 1/28 meeting, UN Under Secretary General for Legal Affairs Nicolas Michel briefed P-3 ambassadors on his consultations with GOL authorities on follow-up to UNSCR 1644. Michel said that he was pleasantly surprised and relieved by the broad base of support he found for an internatio [...] |
2006-01-30 07:30:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PGOV PTER KCRM LE SY |
| 06BEIRUT2680 |
ISF COMMANDER ON AIRPORT SECURITY, NEEDS FOR [...] (C/NF) In a 8/16 meeting with Ambassador and emboff, Internal Security Forces Commander Ashraf Rifi expressed confidence that the removal of an LAF unit from the Beirut airport and its replacement by the ISF (with its Sunni command hostile to Hizballah) has vastly improved the security of passenger [...] |
2006-08-17 08:10:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EAIR PTER MOPS PREL PARM LE IS SY |
| 06BEIRUT2683 |
LEBANON: PEDERSEN SAYS NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO [...] (C/NF) The Ambassador and poloff met with the UNSYG's Personal Representative for Lebanon Geir Pedersen and UN Senior Political Affairs Officer Salman Shaikh on Augest 16 for a frank discussion over lunch at the Ambassador's residence. (Note: Pedersen asked that his comments be kept very c [...] |
2006-08-17 12:04:00< | |||