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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07BEIRUT638 |
LEBANON TRIBUNAL: CHATAH AND HAMADEH REVIEW DAYS [...] (C) Mohamad Chatah, Senior Advisor to PM Siniora, told the Ambassador in a 5/5 meeting that, based on his consultations in New York (reftel), he was awaiting receipt of a draft UNSCR regarding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Siniora's letter to the UN will be finalized according to the for [...] |
2007-05-07 07:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER UNSC SY LE |
| 07BEIRUT645 |
FRENCH AMBASSADOR ON TRIBUNAL, BRAMMERTZ, [...] (C) In a 5/7 meeting with Ambassador Feltman, French Ambassador Bernard Emie, just back from Paris, reported that France wants to move quickly toward a simple UNSCR establishing the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Emie agreed that it appears that the pro-Syrians already recognize the inevita [...] |
2007-05-07 14:46:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PREL UNSC LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT650 |
LEBANON: INDEPENDENT SHIA POLITICIAN SUGGESTS [...] (SBU) Independent Shia political leader Mohammad Baydoun in early May expressed frustration that the March 14 movement continues to approach the Shia community exclusively through Nabih Berri, whom Baydoun considers an unreliable partner. The main impediment to progress in Lebanon is Hizballah [...] |
2007-05-08 16:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER SY IS LE |
| 07BEIRUT651 |
LEBANON: HARIRI PROMISES SINIORA WILL SEND SECOND [...] (C) Indicative of increasing momentum toward Chapter VII, March 14 parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri told the Ambassador in a 5/8 meeting that PM Siniora is about to send a second, more emphatic letter to UNSYG Ban Ki-moon. Although Chapter VII was not explicitly referred to in the d [...] |
2007-05-08 16:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 07BEIRUT655 |
NABIH BERRI SEEKS USG HELP TO DERAIL LAHOUD-SYRIAN [...] (S) Describing President Emile Lahoud as a "bastard," Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri used a 5/9 meeting with the Ambassador to seek USG help in derailing what Berri suspects is a diabolical Syrian-inspired plot Lahoud plans to implement to destroy Lebanon's parliament. (Yes, gentle reader, [...] |
2007-05-09 17:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PGOV KDEM LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT657 |
URGENT: REQUEST FOR AMBASSADOR'S ASSESSMENT ON [...] (C) As of May 10, it appears that Lebanon has not yet determined whether it will support the candidacies of Slovenia and Bosnia, and refrain from support for Belarus, at the May 17 elections for new members of the UN Human Rights Council. The Ambassador met on May 10 with Prime Minister Sin [...] |
2007-05-10 13:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL UNHRC LE |
| 07BEIRUT66 |
WHERE ARE THE DEMONSTRATORS? [...] (S) Curiously, the much ballyhooed "anti-Paris III" labor protests that the March 8-Aoun opposition promised -- from Michel Aoun's front yard -- would shake the foundations of the Siniora government this week have fizzled. After two days of lackluster turn-out, the General Labor Confederatio [...] |
2007-01-12 16:29:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PTER PGOV KDEM LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT665 |
PATRIARCH SFEIR UNENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT VATICAN [...] (C) In a 5/10 meeting with the Ambassador, Maronite Patriarch Sfeir downplayed the possibility of a special Vatican envoy helping to solve Lebanon's political crisis. A Vatican envoy, Sfeir said, would be perceived as coming to unite the Christians in advance of presidential elections. As t [...] |
2007-05-11 17:20:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL KDEM PGOV LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT666 |
LEBANON: AOUN ADVISOR'S RECONCILIATION INITIATIVE [...] (C) General Aoun's son-in-law and senior advisor Gebran Bassil provided details about Michel Aoun's anticipated initiative, which has yet to be publicly released. Bassil has been preparing the initiative for some time, but Aoun decided to wait until all of Lebanon's political players appeare [...] |
2007-05-11 17:26:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER KCRM LE |
| 07BEIRUT673 |
SCENESETTER FOR A/S WELCH'S 5/15-17/07 VISIT TO [...] (S) David: You last visited Lebanon in August 2006. Then, as now, Lebanon was in deep crisis. Yet the impact of today's crisis -- when Syria's allies seek to paralyze and make irrelevant the cabinet of Fouad Siniora and then install a pro-Syrian president in autumn -- stands in sharp contras [...] |
2007-05-15 08:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PGOV KDEM LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT68 |
LEBANON: EAC TO ADDRESS THREATS TO EMBASSY [...] (S) On January 12 the DCM convened the Emergency Action Committee (EAC) to review current threats in the wake of the early morning attack against Embassy Athens. EAC members discussed press reports of the Atnens attack, reftel description of an alleged missile threat against Embassy Beirut, [...] |
2007-01-12 17:07:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | ASEC PTER CASC PGOV LE |
| 07BEIRUT690 |
LEBANON: AOUN SAME GOALS, BUT DIFFERENT MEANS TO [...] (SBU) Former General Michel Aoun displayed to visiting NEA A/S Welch a friendly, near collegial demeanor as he outlined his plan for disarming Hizballah and assuring Hizballah supporters in southern Lebanon that a legitimate government can keep them safe from Israel. Welch said the U.S. woul [...] |
2007-05-17 11:52:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE |
| 07BEIRUT691 |
LEBANON: PATRIARCH SFEIR DISMISSES POPULAR [...] (C) In a May 15 meeting with visiting NEA A/S Welch and the Ambassador, Maronite Patriarch Sfeir -- commemorating his 87th birthday on the same day -- reported that his rare visit to President Emile Lahoud the previous week was to warn against Lahoud's appointment of a second cabinet. Lahoud d [...] |
2007-05-17 12:58:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT692 |
LEBANON: A/S WELCH AND PM SINIORA COORDINATE [...] (C) In a 5/16 meeting, PM Siniora informed the visiting NEA A/S Welch that he is ready to initiate an all-out final diplomatic push to garner support for Chapter VII to establish the Special Tribunal. Once the P-3 draft resolution text has been agreed upon, Siniora will concentrate on winni [...] |
2007-05-17 13:17:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 07BEIRUT695 |
LEBANON: PM SINIORA CONVOKES UNSC MEMBER STATE [...] (C) SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION: PM Siniora summoned the chiefs of missions of all UNSC member embassies in Beirut at 6:00 PM on May 16 to make a pitch for UNSC adoption of a Chapter VII resolution on the Special Tribunal. Present were the ambassadors of Italy, Russia, China, and Belgium; Char [...] |
2007-05-17 15:09:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNSC KCRM LE |
| 07BEIRUT696 |
LEBANON: A/S WELCH DISCUSSES DEVELOPMENTS WITH [...] (C) In a 5/15 meeting with Walid Jumblatt, Marwan Hamadeh, Ghazi Aridi and other March 14th figures, NEA A/S Welch assured them that U.S. support is non-negotiable and the pro-reform movement in Lebanon enjoys strong bi-partisan support in Congress. The state of play in the UN Security Coun [...] |
2007-05-17 16:19:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER LE IS SY |
| 07BEIRUT697 |
LEBANON: BERRI PRESENTS HIS ROADMAP: [...] (C) In a 5/16 meeting with A/S Welch, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri argued that the U.S. should welcome and support his announcement of, and commitment to, a 9/25 parliamentary session to initiate Lebanon's parliamentary elections. That date can be used as the action-forcing event to resolve [...] |
2007-05-17 16:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT698 |
LEBANON: GEAGEA FOCUSES ON ELECTIONS WITH A/S [...] (C) In a 16 May meeting with visiting NEA A/S Welch and the Ambassador, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea expressed confidence that the 14 March coalition could unite behind one presidential candidate. He insisted that March 14 would elect a president with a simple majority, but urged the [...] |
2007-05-17 16:52:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT699 |
LEBANON: A/S WELCH VISITS FORMER PRESIDENT [...] (C) In a May 16 meeting with visiting NEA A/S Welch and the Ambassador, former President Amine Gemayel stressed the need for a successful UN Security Council vote to establish the tribunal to try suspects in the death of former Prime Minister Hariri. Gemayel also hopes for a strongly-worded r [...] |
2007-05-17 16:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KCRM PGOV PREL LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT701 |
LAF COMMANDER FRETS ABOUT UNIFIL UNDER "TWO [...] (C) On May 16, NEA A/S David Welch met with Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander General Michel Sleiman. General Sleiman was confident that the LAF would maintain unity and remain neutral politically. However, he admitted that if President Emile Lahoud appoints a second government -- a scen [...] |
2007-05-18 09:44:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS PGOV PREL PTER LE |
| 07BEIRUT704 |
LEBANON: HARIRI FEELS GOOD ABOUT FRENCH AND BAD [...] (C) In a 5/15 meeting with A/S Welch, MP Saad Hariri reported with satisfaction about the start of his relationship with French President Sarkozy, which Hariri interpreted as a promising sign of continued French support. The Syrians, however, continue to worry Hariri. Having blocked the gover [...] |
2007-05-18 15:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER SY LE |
| 07BEIRUT706 |
LEBANON: A/S WELCH ASSURES CHRISTIAN LEADERS [...] (C) Christian leaders of the pro-reform March 14 Movement met on May 15 at the Ambassador's residence with NEA Assistant Secretary David Welch. In what was the A/S's first official meeting in Lebanon, the they expressed their hopes for the quick establishment of the Special Tribunal and noted [...] |
2007-05-18 16:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE |
| 07BEIRUT707 |
THE SEDUCTION OF THE WIDOW HARIRI: HOPES FOR [...] (C) Further to something we first mentioned in the 4/23/07 daily sitrep, beach resort owner and political gadfly Roger Edde has pursued a far-fetched plan to achieve his long-shot goal of becoming Lebanon's next president: he has dangled before the eyes of Rafiq Hariri's Paris-based widow N [...] |
2007-05-21 07:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM LE SY SA |
| 07BEIRUT708 |
LAHOUD'S LEGAL ADVISOR CLAIMS TWO-CABINET SCENARIO [...] (C) Judge Selim Jeressaiti has a tough job: to persuade otherwise intelligent people that President Emile Lahoud's views have constitutional weight. Lahoud's recent rambling, ridiculous, but damaging letter to the UNSYG Ban regarding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon was a Jeressaiti product [...] |
2007-05-21 09:31:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER KDEM LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT709 |
LEBANON: ATTACKS ON SINIORA ESCALATE, BECOME [...] (C) Summary: Attacks against Prime Minister Siniora, both in the press and in local conversations, have escalated and taken on a more personal tenor. These attacks, largely led by Hizballah, but with contributions from both Sunni and Shia individuals, have resurrected stories about Siniora a [...] |
2007-05-21 09:57:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER LE |
| 07BEIRUT710 |
LEBANON: EAC MEETS TO REVIEW VIOLENCE OF MAY 20-21 [...] (C) Summary: On May 21 at 0900 local, the DCM convened a full Emergency Action Committee (EAC) meeting to review the events of May 20-21 and to consider follow-up security measures. It was agreed that the Embassy would maintain its strict review of all off-compound moves, issue a U.S. citiz [...] |
2007-05-21 10:42:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC CASC PTER LE |
| 07BEIRUT712 |
HAMADEH, MURR ON TRIPOLI FIGHTS; SEEKING [...] (C) In a 5/21 meeting with the Ambassador, Minister of Communications Marwan Hamadeh and Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias Murr (who joined the conversation by speaker phone from Switzerland) previewed what they predicted wouuld be the conclusions of the cabinet meeting being h [...] |
2007-05-21 15:18:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PARM MOPS PGOV PTER LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT713 |
LEBANON: FOLLOW-UP EAC MEETING TO REVIEW SECURITY [...] (C) Summary: On May 22 the Embassy Beirut EAC reviewed security developments in Lebanon and corresponding measures to address continuing threats. The Embassy's RSO will stay in close contact with Lebanese Internal Security Forces to evaluate risks to off-compound moves of Embassy Beirut Am [...] |
2007-05-22 12:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC AMGT PTER CASC LE |
| 07BEIRUT726 |
LEBANON: AOUN'S MESSAGE: FORGET ABOUT HIZBALLAH [...] (C) On May 22, an agitated Gebran Bassil insisted on calling on the Ambassador on behalf of General Aoun, but, even after an hour conversation, the reasons he requested the meeting remained obscure. Bassil stressed Aoun's support for the LAF, but said that the GOL had not heeded Aoun's warnin [...] |
2007-05-23 09:30:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER LE |
| 07BEIRUT727 |
LEBANON: SINIORA STRESSES TRIBUNAL, AMMUNITION [...] (C) In a May 22 meeting with the Ambassador, Prime Minister Siniora urged a quick UN Security Council resolution establishing the Special Tribunal and expressed confidence that Indonesia, as a UNSC member, supports the tribunal. Siniora was convinced of Syrian involvement in the recent violenc [...] |
2007-05-23 09:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PARM MOPS LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT732 |
ELIAS MURR, APPRECIATIVE OF USG HELP, PUSHES FOR [...] (C) Back in Beirut after another medical procedure in Switzerland, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias Murr called the Ambassador today (5/23) with two messages. First, Murr noted that he had been fully briefed by LAF Commander Michel Sleiman and other officers on the planned US [...] |
2007-05-23 14:21:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PARM MOPS PGOV PTER LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT733 |
LEBANON: ISF'S GENERAL RIFI SEES SYRIA BEHIND [...] (C) In a meeting with the Ambassador on May 23, Director General of the Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) General Ashraf Rifi added his voice to the chorus of those who assume a Syrian role in the recent violence in Lebanon. Rifi supports immediate action to eliminate Fatah al-Islam from [...] |
2007-05-23 15:28:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT740 |
SCENESETTER FOR CODEL PRICE'S 5/28-29/07 [...] (SBU) The House Democracy Assistance Commission last hosted Lebanese members of parliament (MPs) for a legislative strengthening visit to Washington in April. Then, as now, Lebanon was in deep crisis. Your visit comes amidst heightened tensions and renewed security concerns that will likely [...] |
2007-05-24 14:35:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT743 |
DEFMIN MURR SAYS DECISIVE BATTLE WITH FATAH [...] (S) Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias Murr told the Ambassador in a 5/24 meeting that the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) will initiate a major assault on Nahr al-Barid camp in about 4-5 days, the time needed to assemble troops and ammunition and clear the camp of as many civilians [...] |
2007-05-25 11:30:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PARM MOPS PTER PREF LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT744 |
LEBANON: LAF COMMANDER SEES CRUCIAL MOMENT FOR LAF [...] (C) On May 25, the Ambassador met with Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander General Michel Sleiman. Sleiman indicated that it was important for the LAF to succeed in its fight with Fatah al-Islam at the Nahr el-Bared Palestinian refugee camp, not only for its own credibility, but for Lebanon [...] |
2007-05-25 15:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS PGOV PREL PTER LE |
| 07BEIRUT745 |
LEBANON: UNIFIL COMMANDER POSITIVE ON MANDATE, [...] (C) UNIFIL Commander Major-General Claudio Graziano feels confident that UNIFIL's mandate would be renewed by the UNSC in August and, if given the opportunity for a wish list, he would like to expanded UNIFIL,s area of operations beyond the Litani River and have a clearer interpretation of the [...] |
2007-05-25 15:55:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS PGOV PREL PTER LE |
| 07BEIRUT746 |
MURR ON NASRALLAH SPEECH: HARMFUL, BUT GOL/LAF [...] (S) In a 5/26 meeting with the Ambassador, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias Murr attacked as "unacceptable" Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah's televised speech the previous evening. While according to Murr Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander Michel Sleiman also [...] |
2007-05-28 05:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PTER PREL MOPS PREF MASS LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT747 |
PM SINIORA RESOLUTE ON NAHR AL-BARID, MAKES FINAL [...] (S) In a one-on-one 5/28 meeting with the Ambassador, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora speculated that the political will to "finish" Fatah al-Islam (FAI) had increased, not decreased, in the aftermath of Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah's 5/25 televised address. SIPDIS He [...] |
2007-05-28 17:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PTER PREL PARM MASS MOPS LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT754 |
LEBANON: EAC SETS TRIPWIRE OF ARMY ENTRY INTO [...] (S) On May 29, DCM chaired a full session of the Embassy Beirut EAC. Principal subjects included the increasing frequency of credible threat information against western and Lebanese government interests, tensions arising from the standoff at the Nahr el-Barad Palestinian refugee camp, and a [...] |
2007-05-29 12:02:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | ASEC CASC PTER LE |
| 07BEIRUT756 |
LEBANON: PARLIAMENTARIANS STRESS COOPERATION, AID [...] (U) On May 28, the House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC) Legislative Strengthening Program brought together members of the U.S. House of Representativs and leading members of the Lebanese Parliament. The U.S. delegation held three sessions with the following groups of Lebanese MPs: M [...] |
2007-05-29 15:09:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM EAID LE |
| 07BEIRUT757 |
LEBANON: HARIRI TELLS THE HDAC THAT "DEMOCRACY IS [...] (SBU) Saad Hariri told members of the House Democracy Assistance Commission that the establishment of the International Tribunal investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and others would send a strong message throughout the Arab world. He warned that Syria is oppo [...] |
2007-05-29 15:28:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER LE |
| 07BEIRUT767 |
LEBANON: SPEAKER BERRI DEFENDS CLOSURE OF [...] (C) In a 5/29 meeting with CODEL Price, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri thanked the delegation for its legislative strengthening assistance. Chairman Price expressed surprise and concern that Berri has not used the institution of the parliament to resolve the political impasse. Berri once aga [...] |
2007-05-31 13:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT769 |
BERRI CLAIMS ONLY SINIORA'S RESIGNATION CAN SAVE [...] (C) Conveying a message to the Ambassador on 5/30 via an aide, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri warned that President Emile Lahoud plans to announce the dissolution of parliament in the coming weeks, using a dubious constitutional interpretation (described reftel). Hinting at fears of Syrian [...] |
2007-05-31 15:42:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT771 |
LEBANON: SPEAKER BERRI LASHES OUT AFTER TRIBUNAL [...] (C) Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri lashed out at CODEL Leahy and the Ambassador during a meeting on 5/31, the day after Chapter VII adoption of UNSCR 1757 to create an international tribunal. Berri's advisor, before the meeting, highlighted to Emboffs the communique Berri had just issued, wh [...] |
2007-05-31 16:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT772 |
LEBANON: SINIORA CALLS FOR "CONVIVENCIA" [...] (SBU) In a meeting with the House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC), Prime Minister Siniora shared his own understanding of the Lebanese will to live with one another. He insisted that Lebanon must exert sovereignty over its own lands, which in his definition include Sheb'a Farms. Recover [...] |
2007-05-31 16:20:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER LE |
| 07BEIRUT773 |
LEBANON: CODEL LEAHY MEETS WITH PM SINIORA [...] (C) On 5/31, PM Siniora conveyed to CODEL Leahy his sincere gratitude for U.S. leadership in yesterday's UN Security Council vote for resolution 1757, which will establish the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. He said the June 10 sunset clause was almost irrelevant because Speaker Berri will co [...] |
2007-05-31 16:29:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 07BEIRUT777 |
LEBANON: ECONOMY MINISTER REVIEWS WTO MEETINGS [...] (C) Minister of Economy and Trade (MOET) Sami Haddad expressed frustration that, in his view, U.S. trade negotiators asked more of Lebanon than they have asked of other recent WTO members. He argued that any message of strong American political support to the besieged GOL is not trickling dow [...] |
2007-06-01 11:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ETRD PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT780 |
LEBANON: EAC CONVENES TO REVIEW COMBAT AT NAHR [...] (C) The full Embassy Beirut Emergency Action Committee (EAC) convened at 1600 hrs. local to review security threats in the aftermath of the Lebanese Armed Forces' entry into the Nahr el-Barad Palestinian refugee camp. The EAC confirmed that off-compound personal moves have been suspended and [...] |
2007-06-01 14:21:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC AMGT PTER CASC LE |
| 07BEIRUT782 |
LEBANON: EAC REVIEWS COMBAT AT NAHR EL-BARAD; [...] (C) On June 2 at 1300 hrs. local, the DCM chaired a full emergency action committee (EAC) meeting to review the status of military operations at the Nahr el-Barad Palestinian refugee camp and related security threats throughout Lebanon. The EAC agreed to lift the suspension of all off-compou [...] |
2007-06-02 11:36:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC PTER CASC AMGT LE |
| 07BEIRUT783 |
LEBANON: AOUN BLOC TELLS HDAC THEY ARE THE [...] (SBU) On May 28, Aoun bloc member Ibrahim Kenaan told visiting members of the House Democracy Assistance Commission that the Aoun bloc was the original opposition; this status derives from the bloc having always opposed any government formed via elections that took place under the old Syrian- [...] |
2007-06-02 12:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE |
| 07BEIRUT784 |
POST-TRIBUNAL POLITICAL INITIATIVES: WHICH IS THE [...] (S) With the passage of UNSCR 1757 on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the international community handed a significant victory to the March 14 and GOL leaders. While figures such as Saad Hariri have strained to project a spirit of magnanimity toward Hizballah and its allies in the afterma [...] |
2007-06-02 13:39:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PGOV KDEM LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT785 |
DEFMIN MURR ON NAHR AL-BARID FIGHT [...] (S) In a one-on-one meeting with the Ambassador on the evening of June 2, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias Murr, while describing that day's house-to-house combat in Nahr al-Barid as "tough," forcefully rejected the worry of some Lebanese politicians that the LAF had, on the s [...] |
2007-06-03 07:39:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PTER PREL MASS MOPS LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT789 |
LEBANON: ECONOMY MINISTERS UPBEAT ON FINANCES, [...] (C) Ministers Azour and Haddad met the Ambassador on June 1 ahead of a ministerial meeting scheduled to give political affirmation to the LAF's military operations in Nahr al-Barid. Haddad described his determination to use economic policy to address extremism. Azour reassured us that the GO [...] |
2007-06-04 08:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | ECON EFIN ETRD PGOV PREL PTER LE |
| 07BEIRUT794 |
HADDAD, AZOUR CONVINCED SYRIA WANTS RIAD SALAMEH [...] (S) After shooing out their staff members and Embassy notetaker after a lengthy meeting on economic and financial matters (reftel), Minister of Finance Jihad Azour and Minister of Economy and Trade Sami Haddad told the Ambassador on 6/1 that they were deeply concerned about the "charm offens [...] |
2007-06-04 16:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL KDEM PGOV LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT805 |
LEBANON: A/S SILVERBERG MEETS WITH PM SINIORA [...] (C) On 6/5, PM Siniora informed A/S Silverberg that LAF operations against Fatah al-Islam terrorists cornered in the Nahr al-Barid refugee camp were proceeding according to plan and that only two outcomes were acceptable: surrender to Lebanese justice, or elimination. Siniora agreed with the [...] |
2007-06-06 09:32:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 07BEIRUT812 |
LEBANON: PROMINENT BEIRUT CHRISTIAN TALKS [...] (C) Massaoud Ashqar, widely regarded as one of the best known Christian figures in Beirut, discussed with poloff political trends and concerns of the Lebanese Christian population. He described Michel Aoun as the most popular Christian leader in Lebanon despite Aoun's unpalatable alliance wit [...] |
2007-06-06 13:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT813 |
LEBANON: JUSTICE MINISTER RIZK LOOKS AHEAD ON [...] (C) Visiting Assistant Secretary for International Organizations Kristen Silverberg and the Ambassador on June 5 discussed upcoming issues regarding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon with Minister of Justice Charles Rizk. Fully supportive of A/S Silverberg's argument to make progress on making [...] |
2007-06-06 15:18:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT814 |
LEBANON: SAAD HARIRI REVIEWS NEXT STEPS ON THE [...] (C) Saad Hariri thanked the Ambassador and IO A/S Silverberg in a 6/5 meeting for U.S. support in adoption of the tribunal, and he pledged to move quickly on selecting Lebanese judges. He suggested that locating the tribunal in Cyprus could handicap the ability of Turkish pressure on Syria t [...] |
2007-06-07 06:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT817 |
LEBANON: MITRI MOVING AHEAD ON TRIBUNAL, NEW [...] (C) Acting Foreign Minister Mitri in a 6/4 meeting with IO A/S Silverberg and the Ambassador thanked the U.S. for its efforts to pass the tribunal and pledged quick Lebanese action to establish it. Mitri did not advocate expanding UNIFIL's mandate, but saw no obstacle to renewing the current [...] |
2007-06-07 15:21:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT818 |
LEBANON: UN ENVOY PEDERSEN ON UNIFIL RENEWAL AND [...] (C) SUMMARY: The UN SYG's Special Coordinator for Lebanon Geir Pederseon shared his thoughts about UNIFIL renewal, the upcoming UNSCR 1701 report, and Hizballah thinking on dialogue with March 14, at a dinner hosted by the Ambassador for IO A/S Kristin Silverberg on June 4. Pedersen noted t [...] |
2007-06-07 15:33:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT820 |
LEBANON: PM SINIORA ON NARH AL-BARID, CABINET [...] (C) In a June 7 meeting with the Ambassador, Prime Minister Siniora said the destination of the weapons intercepted by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) on June 6 had not yet been determined, but the GOL would not return them to Hizballah under any circumstances. He said the LAF will keep them [...] |
2007-06-07 16:43:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT824 |
LEBANON: MARADA ALLY BLAMES HARIRI FOR SECURITY [...] (C) Richard Haykel, AmCham Vice President, general manager of a Tripoli hospital, and close friend of Marada Forces leader Suleiman Franjieh, on May 31 theorized about the recent security incidents in the north. He blamed Hariri and the Future Movement for the existence of Fatah al-Islam and [...] |
2007-06-08 10:17:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT830 |
LEBANESE DEFMIN CONFIDENT ON NAHR AL-BARID FIGHT [...] (S) Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias Murr told Ambassador and DCM on 6/8 that GOL forces are committed to completing the operation at Nahar al-Barid against Fatah al-Islam insurgents; he estimated the LAF needs three to five more days. In recent fierce fighting, the LAF had ki [...] |
2007-06-10 08:33:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL MOPS PTER MASS LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT831 |
LEBANON: FRENCH AMBASSADOR TRIES TO DOWNPLAY [...] (C/NF) In a 6/9 meeting with French Ambassador Bernard Emie, Ambassador Feltman registered strong concern about the proposal by French Foreign Minister Kouchner to host Lebanese political and civil society figures to a national dialogue in France in late June. Emie (please protect throughout [...] |
2007-06-10 10:36:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV KDEM LE SY FR |
| 07BEIRUT837 |
LEBANON: GEAGEA URGES DEAL ON PRESIDENCY, PRESSURE [...] (C) In a June 8 meeting with the Ambassador, Lebanese Forces leader Dr. Samir Geagea said the key to resolving Lebanon's political crisis is the presidency, suggesting that a deal over President Lahoud's replacement is possible if the Saudis exert their influence with Parliament Speaker Nabih [...] |
2007-06-11 15:58:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT851 |
LEBANON: BERRI RAISING THE BAR ON NATIONAL UNITY [...] (C) In a June 11 meeting with the Ambassador, Parliament Speaker and Amal leader Nabih Berri hardened his positions on three issues. First, he rejected the 19-11 cabinet formula he had previous advocated, demanding instead a 17-13 division (with two seats more for the opposition). Second, Be [...] |
2007-06-13 13:46:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT853 |
LEBANON: EAC REVIEWS BOMBING IN BEIRUT; SECURITY [...] (C) On June 13 at 1900 hours local, DCM chaired an emergency action committee EAC meeting to review security situation in the wake of bombing in Beirut that afternoon that killed MP Walid Eido and several others. EAC agreed to cancel off-compound moves for evening of June 13. RSO will eva [...] |
2007-06-14 04:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC PTER CASC AMGT LE |
| 07BEIRUT858 |
LEBANON: EXPLOSION KILLS MARCH 14 PARLIAMENTARIAN [...] (C) March 14 MP Walid Eido was killed June 14 in what sources tell us was a targeted bombing on Beirut's waterfront corniche. Eido, an outspoken opponent of Syrian interference in Lebanon, was a member of Saad Hariri's Future Movement and a close personal friend of Social Progressive Party le [...] |
2007-06-14 09:35:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT859 |
LEBANON: FIGHT FOR CONTROL OF LBCI TELEVISION [...] (C) Twice in recent weeks, most recently during a meeting with the Ambassador and Pol/Econ chief on political matters (reftel), Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has sounded alarm bells about control of the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International television network (LBCI) passing i [...] |
2007-06-14 13:39:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KPAO PREL PGOV LE SA |
| 07BEIRUT860 |
LEBANON: GOL MOVING QUICKLY ON SPECIAL TRIBUNAL [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 10. 2. C) SUMMARY: The Lebanese government is moving quickly on steps it must take to start the UN Tribunal. Minister of Justice Charles Rizk told the Ambassador June 14 that the GOL will submit to the UN Legal Adviser a list of twelve [...] |
2007-06-14 16:19:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL UNSC AA |
| 07BEIRUT861 |
LEBANON: BRAVO ZULU FOR U.S. MILITARY ASSISTANCE [...] Speed, professionalism, effectiveness: those qualities exemplified the extraordinary effort put forth by our EUCOM, CENTCOM and TRANSCOM military brethren and our State and DOD civilian colleagues in providing urgently needed military assistance to Lebanon's fledgling armed forces in their ti [...] |
2007-06-14 16:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MASS MOPS PTER PREL LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT866 |
LEBANON: UN ASSESSMENT TEAM IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE [...] (C) At a 6/14 meeting requested by the International Donors Border Security Sub-group, members of the UN border assessment team spoke in worrying tones of what their team had found in its two-week examination of the Lebanese-Syrian border. In contrast to his aloof address to the same group [...] |
2007-06-15 09:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 07BEIRUT870 |
LEBANON: SAFADI SEES SYRIAN HAND BEHIND EIDO [...] (C) In a June 14 meeting with the Ambassador, Minister of Public Works and Transportation Mohammad Safadi blamed Syria for the June 13 assassination of March 14 MP Walid Eido. Eido and March 14 Youth and Sports Minister Ahmed Fatfat have both been targets for some time, he claimed, due to thei [...] |
2007-06-15 14:36:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT871 |
POST CONCURRENCE - PROPOSED NIH RESEARCH PROJECT [...] Embassy Beirut has no objections to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) proposed award of research project AG01284613 entitled, "Michigan Center on the Demography of Aging," to the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and the American University of Beirut. Embassy Beirut sees no adverse U [...] |
2007-06-15 14:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | TBIO OSCI KSCA LE |
| 07BEIRUT872 |
LEBANON: COUSSERAN READOUT: FRANCE REVISED ITS [...] (C) The reactions to the French initiative that Lebanese interlocutors gave envoy Jean-Claude Cousseron during his visit to Lebanon caused the French to modify their original plan for participation, French Embassy charge Joseph Silva told DCM on June 14. Interlocutors from both political camps [...] |
2007-06-15 14:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PREL PGOV LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT874 |
LEBANON: PREVENTING IRAN-SYRIA ARMS SHIPMENTS [...] (S) The Ambassador on June 13 and 14 delivered Ref B demarche to Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Tariq Mitri, Minister of Defense Elias Murr, and Minister of Transportation Mohammed Safadi. In addition, the DATT demarched Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander General Michel Sleiman on June [...] |
2007-06-15 15:09:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PARM PREL MOPS ETTC PGOV SY IR LE |
| 07BEIRUT875 |
LEBANON: DO BY-ELECTIONS INCREASE THE CHANCES OF [...] (C) In a June 16 session, the Lebanese cabinet rushed through a decree to hold by-elections for the two March 14 parliamentary seats made vacant through assassination; by-elections will be scheduled for August 5. Former President Amine Gemayel told us that he hesitates to run for his son's [...] |
2007-06-18 06:11:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER KDEM LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT876 |
UN ENVOY PEDERSEN, MOHAMAD CHATAH ON 1701 REPORT [...] (C) In a July 16 meeting with the Ambassador that focused largely on Lebanon's internal politics, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Geir Pedersen also talked of the next UNSCR 1701 report. On Sheba' Farms, Pedersen, showing a map, said that the cartographer's work revealed that the area of [...] |
2007-06-18 06:11:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER UNSC LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT89 |
LEBANON: ARMENIAN CATHOLICOS SEES LEBANON'S [...] (C) The Patriarch of the Armenian Church in Lebanon, Catholicos Aram I, believes that Lebanon's political situation has reached a "crossroads" at which conflict between government and opposition cannot continue. The priority of all Lebanese must be the well-being of Lebanon, not the promotion [...] |
2007-01-17 16:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT896 |
LEBANON: AOUN RECEPTIVE TO RAPPROCHMENT WITH MARCH [...] (C) In a June 18 meeting with the Ambassador, Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader General Michel Aoun agreed that a second government would be catastrophic for Lebanon. The FPM is exploring cooperation with the March 14 majority to form a national unity government, but claims the ball is in M [...] |
2007-06-19 16:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL UNSC AA |
| 07BEIRUT898 |
LEBANON: SCENESETTER FOR FBI DIRECTOR MUELLER [...] (SBU) As you visit Lebanon, the much-buffeted democratic government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora is fully engaged on a number of critical issues. The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are now locked in close combat with Sunni extremists who profess affiliation with Al Qaida, but who many believ [...] |
2007-06-20 12:30:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 07BEIRUT899 |
APPALLINGLY BAD EXAMPLE OF UNAUTHORIZED PERSONAL [...] (U) We urge all recipients of this message to remind all employees that Embassy Beirut is a partially unaccompanied post. All USG employees from all agencies, as well as their families and members of households, are subject to reftel guidance on travel to Beirut. Unless advised differently [...] |
2007-06-20 13:42:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | AMGT ASEC APER LE |
| 07BEIRUT90 |
LEBANON: UNIIIC BRAMMERTZ APPLIES SCISSORS TO [...] (S/NF) UNIIIC Commissioner Brammertz told the Ambassador that neither any of the P-5 counties, nor Israel, were among the ten countries cited for non-compliance in last month's interim report to the UN Security Council. Indicating some surprise that this has developed into such an issue, Br [...] |
2007-01-17 16:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 07BEIRUT913 |
LEBANON: UNIFIL COMMANDER WARNS ISRAEL WILL [...] (C) UNIFIL Force Commander Graziano, calling the June 17 rocket attack against Israel a "severe violation" of UNSCR 1701, credited excellent UNIFIL communication with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and Israeli restraint for Israel's decision not to retaliate. However, he warned that Israel [...] |
2007-06-21 14:44:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 07BEIRUT917 |
LEBANON: SINIORA INTENDS TO USE NAHR AL-BARID TO [...] (C) In a 6/21 meeting, PM Siniora conveyed to the Ambassador his conviction that the fight at Nahr al-Barid was a watershed event -- one which will enable his government to take the offensive against the numerous concentrations of militants located in the 12 Palestinian refugee camps and in [...] |
2007-06-22 14:08:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 07BEIRUT922 |
LEBANON: JUMBLATT: SECOND GOVERNMENT WOULD [...] (C) In a June 21 meeting with the Ambassador, Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) and Druse leader Walid Jumblatt expressed his support for the Arab League's initiative to hold a national dialogue at the deputy level the following week (an initiative that crumbled shortly thereafter). Jumblatt [...] |
2007-06-25 04:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER SY IS LE |
| 07BEIRUT933 |
LEBANON: SINIORA REQUESTS INCREASED MILITARY [...] (C) In a 6/25 meeting with CODEL Issa, PM Siniora requested continued U.S. security assistance so that Lebanon's army could carry on its fight against Palestinian militants and other extremists. Siniora said that once the Nahr al-Barid operation is completed, he wants to "turn his attention [...] |
2007-06-25 14:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 07BEIRUT94 |
WAITING FOR HIZBALLAH: SAUDI AMBASSADOR CLAIMS [...] (S) Summary: In a 1/18 meeting with the Ambassador, Saudi Ambassador Abdulaziz Khoja said that he has received approvals from Parliament Speaker Berri and MP Saad Hariri for the broad outlines of a political deal to resolve Lebanon's political crisis. Hizballah has not yet responded to his [...] |
2007-01-18 14:20:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PGOV PTER LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT944 |
LEBANON: CONGRESSMAN ISSA VISITS BEIRUT [...] (C) Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) visited Beirut June 24-25, where he held meetings with PM Siniora (reftel), Free Patriotic Movement General Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabil Berri, Future Movement leader Saad Hariri, and March 14 MP Samir Franjieh. The visit occurred in the wake of A [...] |
2007-06-26 13:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 07BEIRUT945 |
LEBANON: BRAMMERTZ PREVIEWS NEXT REPORT ON HARIRI [...] (C) In a June 20 meeting with the Ambassador, UNIIIC Commissioner Serge Brammertz said he was in the process of finalizing his next report to the UN Security Council (which he expects to present on July 19). While the report will not include the names of those believed responsible for the 200 [...] |
2007-06-26 14:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER SY IS LE |
| 07BEIRUT952 |
LAHOUD'S SECOND CABINET SCENARIO: EVEN IF HE'S [...] (C) Rumors about if and when President Emile Lahoud will unilaterally form a second cabinet continue to dominate political talk in Lebanon. There are some indications that Lahoud might move far more quickly than expected to take this step to undermine Siniora's cabinet. Elias Murr, citing h [...] |
2007-06-27 16:19:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PGOV KDEM LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT96 |
LEBANON: BANKS DENY RELATIONS WITH IRAN, HIZBALLAH [...] (S) Pol-EconOff delivered reftel demarche to senior officials at six banks, per reftel request. The officials denied any current relations with Iran- or Hizballah-related entities, and reasoned that there is neither a market nor a political basis for such relationships. The officials told us [...] |
2007-01-18 16:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | ETTC KTFN PTER EFIN PREL LE |
| 07BEIRUT963 |
LEBANON: GOL CLOSE TO SUBMITTING TRIBUNAL JUDGE [...] (C) Justice Minister Charles Rizk provided Ambassador on June 28, 2007 with a list of names of twelve Lebanese judges the GOL intends to nominate to the UN for selection for the four seats on Special Tribunal. He said all twelve have agreed to have their names put forward. The GOL has its p [...] |
2007-06-28 15:09:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER SY IS LE |
| 07BEIRUT967 |
LEBANON: FBI DIRECTOR EXPLORES COUNTERTERRORISM [...] (S) FBI Director Mueller on June 26 met with Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias Murr, Minister of Interior Hassan Sabaa, Head of the Internal Security Forces Ashraf Rifi, Minister of Justice Charles Rizk, and Chief Prosecutor Jean Fahd to offer FBI assistance to Lebanon's securit [...] |
2007-06-29 09:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PGOV PREL PTER KCRM LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT97 |
LEBANON: JA'JA' BRINGS IDEAS DOWN FROM THE [...] (C) Samir Geagea, newly installed in the hills north of Beirut (vice the distant Cedars region), advocated to the Ambassador early parliamentary elections, prior to the presidential election, as a "master stroke" for March 14. He acknowledged, however, that March 14 forces are divided over w [...] |
2007-01-18 16:57:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE |
| 07BEIRUT972 |
LEBANON: UNIFIL DISCUSSES TRIPARTITE TALKS, VBIED [...] (C) On June 27, UNIFIL's Chief of Planning and Coordination described the June 24 attack on the UNIFIL patrol near the village of El Khaim as a "specific terrorist attack" directed against UNIFIL, but he refrained from saying it had deliberately targeted the forward-leaning Spanish contingen [...] |
2007-06-29 14:35:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IS LE PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 07BEIRUT974 |
LAHOUD'S LEGAL ADVISOR: SECOND CABINET (OR [...] (C) Lebanese President Emile Lahoud's amiable legal advisor, Selim Jeressaiti, told the Ambassador on 6/29 that -- based on Jeressaiti's advice -- Lahoud has begrudgingly delayed the appointment of a second cabinet from July until September. If no consensus presidential candidate emerges by [...] |
2007-07-02 05:09:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KDEM PGOV LE SY |
| 07BEIRUT977 |
LEBANON: ARE MODERATE SHIA THE ANSWER TO MARCH [...] (C) Recent discussions with two political figures from opposite sides of the confessional spectrum revealed a common thread in terms of broadening March 14's political alliances -- the need to secure the support of moderate Shia. While one advocated an alliance with Amal as a means for March [...] |
2007-07-02 06:15:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER SY IS LE |
| 07BEIRUT984 |
LEBANON: SINIORA CONFIDENT DESPITE CONCERTED [...] (C) Coming off a pivotal trip to Paris, Rome, Madrid, Cairo and Jeddah, PM Siniora spoke confidently of the pro-democracy movement's successful facing down of Syria's focused campaign to destabilize the country. Siniora believes the pro-Syrian opposition just might be becoming frustrated. [...] |
2007-07-03 10:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER SY LE FR |
| 07BEIRUT993 |
LEBANON: DEFENSE MINISTER SUGGESTS NEW TWIST ON [...] (C) Defense Minister Elias Murr believes Syria ultimately will scuttle the most recent compromise idea (promoted by his father Michel) for solving Lebanon's political impasse -- appointing Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander General Michel Sleiman for a two-year term to replace President Emil [...] |
2007-07-05 15:19:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER SY IS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1009 |
LEBANON: GOL UNLIKELY TO FUND PALESTINIAN [...] (SBU) PolOff delivered reftel demarche on supporting the Palestinian Authority to Oussama Khachab and Rana Mokaddem, officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Acknowledging the financial challenges faced by the PA, the MFA officials said it was nevertheless not financially feasible for Leb [...] |
2008-07-11 16:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | KWBG KPAL IS PGOV PREL ECON LE |
| 08BEIRUT1011 |
LEBANON: A CABINET IS FORMED [...] (C) After seven weeks of negotiations between and within the opposition and the majority blocs, President Michel Sleiman, Prime Minister-designate Fouad Siniora, and Speaker Nabih Berri came together at the presidential palace for the announcement of the formation of a 30-member cabinet at 1610 [...] |
2008-07-11 16:55:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE |
| 08BEIRUT1014 |
SYRIA TAX ON TRUCKS COULD OBSTRUCT TRADE, INFLATION [...] (U) On July 3,the Syrian authorities began imposing a "gas tax" of around $300 on regular trucks leaving Syrian territory and $500 on refrigerated trucks. Head of the Lebanese Syndicate of Fruit and Vegetable Exporters said that this tax would lead to losses of around $50,000 per day for refri [...] |
2008-07-14 11:19:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1015 |
Beirut Media Reaction: July 14, 2008 [...] No summary [...] |
2008-07-14 12:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PREL KMDR OPRC KPAO KISL KPAL LE |
| 08BEIRUT1017 |
Bin Talal Takes Ove LBC/Satellite [...] Saudi multi-billionaire Al Waleed Bin Talal and Lebanese media magnate Pierre El Daher announced on July 8 that Bin Talal raised his stake in El Daher's Lebanese Media Holding (LMH) to around 85 per cent with a value of US 78 million. Bin Talal is now the main shareholder. LMH encompasses th [...] |
2008-07-14 14:43:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PREL KMDR OPRC KPAO KISL KPAL LE |
| 08BEIRUT1018 |
LEBANON: WITH CABINET, BOTH SIDES TRYING TO HELP [...] (C) The transition to the new government announced on July 11 has begun, with some ministers already officially assuming their duties. The cabinet is expected to convene by mid-week to form a committee responsible for drafting the ministerial statement which is due by August 11. Negotiations [...] |
2008-07-14 16:21:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR LE |
| 08BEIRUT1021 |
LEBANON: BANKS DENY ALLEGATIONS OF SUPPORTING [...] (C) The President of the Association of Banks (ABL) in Lebanon, Dr. Francois Bassil, denies allegations that six Lebanese banks helped provided banking services supporting Hizballah's activities. Bassil and other banking officials stressed the efforts of the Lebanese banking sector to comply [...] |
2008-07-15 14:08:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PTER PREL EFIN ECON LE |
| 08BEIRUT1022 |
LEBANON: PM SINIORA WARNS AGAINST HIZBALLAH'S [...] (C) PM Siniora is pleased with the final cabinet formation and does not foresee difficulties in the preparation of the ministerial statement. However, he remains concerned about Hizballah's growing stature, particularly in light of the upcoming prisoner exchange between Lebanon and Israel. He [...] |
2008-07-15 14:54:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1023 |
LEBANON: FRANCE BEHIND SYRIA'S OVERTURES TO [...] (C) Reporting on the July 12-13 meetings in Paris between President Michel Sleiman, French President Sarkozy, and Syrian President Bashar Asad, French Embassy PolOff said that France is interested in pursuing rapprochement with Syria. Sarkozy prodded Asad into agreeing to re-establish diplomati [...] |
2008-07-15 15:39:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC FR IS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1024 |
LEBANON: ELECTORAL REFORM PACE MAY INCREASE WITH [...] (C) In recent weeks, Lebanese civil society activists have been invited to address both the parliamentary committee considering electoral reform and a group of key March 14 political leaders. Both invitations are almost unprecedented in Lebanese political tradition, according to civil society [...] |
2008-07-15 15:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM LE |
| 08BEIRUT1043 |
LEBANON: A GLOATING NASRALLAH CLAIMS HIZBALLAH [...] (C) In a July 16 five-minute personal appearance and subsequent televised speech, Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah proudly declared victory for all of Lebanon and took credit for securing the release by Israel earlier in the day of five Lebanese prisoners and 199 bodies of Lebanese [...] |
2008-07-17 17:16:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC IS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1047 |
LEBANON: OPPOSITION DRUZE ADVISOR: WE WILL WIN [...] (C) Marwan Abu Fadel, senior advisor to opposition Druze figure Minister Talal Arslan, doubts President Michel Sleiman will successfully form his own parliamentary bloc for the 2009 election. He also does not believe the appointment by March 14 of independent Shia Minister Ibrahim Shamseddine [...] |
2008-07-18 14:19:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE |
| 08BEIRUT1049 |
LEBANON: PRESIDENT SLEIMAN INTENDS TO GO TO SYRIA [...] (C) Lebanese President Michel Sleiman plans to visit Damascus as soon as a week following Syrian FM Walid Moallem's July 21 visit to Lebanon, and hopes to move forward quickly in establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries. Sleiman expressed his satisfaction with the new cabin [...] |
2008-07-18 15:17:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1050 |
LEBANON: CABINET STATEMENT WITHIN DAYS, SAYS [...] (C) Newly appointed Minister of State Nassib Lahoud of March 14 expressed confidence that parliament would approve its ministerial statement by July 24. Lahoud is a member of the committee charged with drafting the statement, which met for the first time the day before. March 14 had prepared [...] |
2008-07-18 16:02:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1051 |
LEBANON: GOL DOUBTS NAM WILL APPROVE IRAN'S DRAFT [...] (C) PolOff delivered reftel demarche to Oussama Khachab, Head of the Americas Desk, and Fadi Hajali, who holds the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) portfolio, both at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 17. Khachab reported that Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh would likely attend the 2008 NAM [...] |
2008-07-18 16:10:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | IR KNNP MNUC PARM TRGY IAEA PERL UR LE |
| 08BEIRUT1053 |
NEW MINISTERS TAKE OVER; TELECOM PRIVATIZATION ENDORSED [...] (U) During the handover ceremony at the Ministry of Finance on July 15, newly appointed Minister Mohammad Chatah expressed his belief that Lebanon could witness nine percent GDP growth if the political and security situation were stable. Chatah pledged to continue reforms at the Ministry, and [...] |
2008-07-21 08:24:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1067 |
LEBANON: MINISTERIAL STATEMENT: HIZBALLAH'S ARMS [...] (C) After its fifth meeting on July 22, the ministerial committee charged with drafting cabinet's statement to parliament has made significant progress, including text on economic objectives and Syrian-Lebanese relations, but remains deadlocked on how to address Hizballah's weapons. The commit [...] |
2008-07-22 17:46:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE |
| 08BEIRUT1068 |
LEBANON: PRESIDENT SLEIMAN ACCEPTS INVITATION TO [...] (U) On July 21 Lebanese President Sleiman accepted an invitation from Syrian FM Moallem on behalf of President Bashar Asad to visit Damascus. Moallem traveled to Beirut to deliver the invitation, and later made a press statement reiterating Syria's support for establishing diplomatic relati [...] |
2008-07-22 17:54:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1075 |
LEBANON: JUMBLATT WARY OF SYRIAN INTENTIONS, [...] (C) Druze leader Walid Jumblatt remains skeptical of Syrian intentions toward Lebanon and continues to press for expedited action on the Special Tribunal as the only way to pressure Damascus, especially in light of recent French overtures toward Syria. Agreeing that released Lebanese prisoner [...] |
2008-07-23 15:16:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1076 |
LEBANON: DEFENSE MINISTER MURR ON THE NEXT ARMY [...] (C) Please see action request in para 12. In a July 22 meeting, Defense Minister Elias Murr told Charge the decision on the next Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander is down to two names: LAF Intelligence Director BG Georges Khoury and 2nd Brigade Commander BG Jean Qahwaji. (Murr will advoc [...] |
2008-07-23 15:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR PTER MCAP MARR EAIR IR LE |
| 08BEIRUT108 |
LEBANON: AMBASSADOR FAREWELL CALL ON LEBANESE ARMY [...] (C) In a January 12th farewell office call, a confident Lebanese Army Commander Michel Sleiman discussed the ongoing investigation of General Francois Al-Hajj's assassination, the current political impasse, a new but improbable Presidential candidate, and his mandatory resignation date as Army [...] |
2008-01-24 13:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PGOV PREL PTER PARM SY IS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1084 |
LEBANON: FM SALLOUKH IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT [...] (C) Having fully resumed his role as foreign minister, Minister Fawzi Salloukh spoke of Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem's July 21 visit to Beirut as a "positive step forward" in establishing diplomatic relations with Syria. Salloukh, a member of the cabinet committee charged with draftin [...] |
2008-07-24 15:45:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1085 |
LEBANON: NEW INTERIOR MINISTER WILL FOCUS ON BOTH [...] (C) During an introductory call with the Charge Grant on July 23, newly appointed Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud said that he has a comprehensive vision for the Ministry portfolio and stressed that he will focus both on electoral and security issues. He said that the Ministry itself, rather t [...] |
2008-07-24 15:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM PINS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1086 |
LEBANON: TELECOM MINISTER PUSHES PRIVATIZATION, [...] (C) In a July 24 courtesy call by Charge Grant, newly appointed Minister of Telecommunications Gebran Bassil said that the GOL has been slow in its privatization of the mobile telecommunications market, but reaffirmed his belief that privatization in the sector is necessary. Bassil also reque [...] |
2008-07-24 16:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON ECPS EINV UNSC LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1087 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 WORKSHOP: IMPOSSIBLE TO COEXIST WITH [...] (SBU) Summary. On July 23, the March 14 Secretariat held a workshop at the Bristol Hotel in Beirut to discuss and incorporate public opinion into a draft paper on civil peace and building a state of independence. The paper concluded that it is impossible to build such a state while Hizballah [...] |
2008-07-24 16:46:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PTER LE |
| 08BEIRUT1095 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 TRYING TO BUILD A UNIFIED MESSAGE [...] (C) In a July 23 meeting with A/DCM, March 14 Secretary General (SYG) Fares Souaid was pleased to show off his coalition's new office space and signaled optimism about the creation of a common platform as unifying force for March 14 coalition. Souaid argued that while some slight differences [...] |
2008-07-25 15:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1100 |
LEBANON: SAUDIS GIVING SAAD ONE LAST CHANCE, SAUDI [...] (C) Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Khoja told Charge July 25 that the March 14 majority must win the 2009 parliamentary elections to avoid an Iranian takeover of the country. Critical of majority leader Saad Hariri, Khoja said the Saudi leaders had told Saad recently that they would provide signi [...] |
2008-07-28 08:05:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1103 |
LEBANON: MINISTERIAL STATEMENT 95 PERCENT [...] (C) Minister of State Nassib Lahoud, a member of the committee currently drafting the cabinet's ministerial statement, said the statement was "95 percent done." Hizballah's weapons remained the primary stumbling block, with the majority holding firm on keeping language that would acknowledge [...] |
2008-07-28 14:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1104 |
LEBANON: TENSION PREVAILS FOLLOWING MORE TRIPOLI [...] (SBU) On July 25-26, fierce clashes resumed in the predominantly Sunni Bab al-Tabbaneh and predominantly Alawite Jabal Mohsen areas of Tripoli, reportedly resulting in between six and nine dead and 33 wounded. The Internal Security Forces (ISF) and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) redeployed [...] |
2008-07-28 17:24:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE |
| 08BEIRUT1105 |
TELECOM MININSTER SUPPORTS PRIVATIZATION, BROADBAND [...] (SBU) During a meeting on July 24 between CDA Grant and Embassy Officers and Minister of Post and Telecommunications Gebran Bassil, the Minister indicated that he is a strong advocate of privatization, although he recognizes that it will not be easy. Meanwhile, Bassil noted that introducing bro [...] |
2008-07-28 17:29:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1111 |
LEBANON: NEW JUSTICE MINISTER WHOLEHEARTEDLY [...] (C) The well-informed new Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar emphasized his commitment to the Special Tribunal, while stressing that he will not be as outspoken as his predecessor, Charles Rizk. He plans to urge other countries for additional financial contributions to the Tribunal. Najjar inten [...] |
2008-07-29 16:46:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE |
| 08BEIRUT1112 |
LEBANON: MAJORITY LEADER SAAD HARIRI NOT IN [...] (C) Majority leader Saad Hariri accuses Syria and Hizballah of masterminding recent violence in Tripoli as part of an effort to discredit Saad and impose Syria's agenda on Lebanon. As usual, Saad complained about what he perceives as an ambivalent U.S. policy toward Syria, warning that March [...] |
2008-07-29 17:04:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1113 |
LEBANON: NEW INDEPENDENT SHIA MINISTER CALLS FOR [...] (C) In a courtesy call by Charge Grant, newly appointed non-Hizballah Shia Minister Ibrahim Shamseddine praised Saad Hariri's recent trip to Iraq as an important step in improving Arab-Iraqi relations and reducing Iranian influence over Lebanese Shia. He stressed his own independence and abil [...] |
2008-07-29 17:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1116 |
LEBANON: JUMBLATT MAY MAKE A DEAL WITH DRUZE [...] (C) Saleem Hamadeh, advisor to opposition Druze leader and Youth and Sports Minister Talal Arslan, predicted that Arslan's rival Druze leader Walid Jumblatt would make a deal with Arslan in order to maximize the number of seats he could win in the 2009 parliamentary elections. Hamadeh did not [...] |
2008-07-30 16:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1133 |
LEBANON: SCENESETTER FOR VISIT OF GENERAL DAVID [...] (C) General Petraeus, Welcome to Lebanon. Your visit provides another excellent opportunity to reinforce our message of strong, continued U.S. government support for a sovereign, independent, and democratic Lebanon. Your visit continues a series of high-level USG contacts since President Sle [...] |
2008-08-01 18:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE MARR MOPS SY |
| 08BEIRUT1134 |
LEBANON: NEW TOURISM MINISTER SAYS 2009 CAMPAIGN [...] (C) In a courtesy call by CDA Grant, newly appointed Tourism Minister Elie Marouni said the committee drafting the cabinet's ministerial statement would complete its work on August 1 but two parties, his own Kataeb (Phlange) party and the Lebanese Forces, will register "reservations" when the [...] |
2008-08-01 18:13:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID ECON PGOV PINR PREL PTER LE |
| 08BEIRUT1135 |
LEBANON: MINISTERIAL DECLARATION EXPECTED AUGUST [...] (C) Several Cabinet sources confirmed to us today that they expect the draft of Lebanese cabinet's ministerial statement to be completed by the night of August 1. Tareq Mitri, Minister of Information and a member of the drafting committee allied with March 14 and PM Siniora, told Charge and S [...] |
2008-08-01 18:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PTER PREF KDEM IS LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1138 |
LEBANON: MINISTER OF ECONOMY ON ELECTIONS; WTO [...] (C) In an August 4 courtesy call by Charge, Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade Mohammad Safadi shared his assessment of the GOL's ministerial statement as "the best possible outcome" and that the National Dialogue should be the next focal point for political decisions. Safadi, a Sunni mem [...] |
2008-08-04 17:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC ECON EAID EIND ETRD |
| 08BEIRUT1139 |
LEBANON: MINISTERIAL STATEMENT: RESISTANCE [...] (C) The ministerial committee charged with drafting the government's policy statement reached an agreement on August 1, and the full cabinet is expected to approve the statement on August 4. The statement is an improvement over the previous 2005 ministerial statement in that it gives increase [...] |
2008-08-04 18:18:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1140 |
LEBANON: TELECOM MINISTER STRESSES THAT ALL AGREE ON [...] (U) In a press conference on July 30, Telecom Minister Gebran Bassil stated telecom privatization is something that all Lebanese agree upon, and that close examination of the issue will take place as soon as the Cabinet's policy statement is ratified by parliament. Bassil noted that $67,000 ha [...] |
2008-08-04 18:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1145 |
LEBANON: MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT FOCUSED ON FOREST [...] (C) Newly appointed Minister of Environment Tony Karam discussed his priorities for the ministry with Charge in a August 4 courtesy call. First, Karam intends to work with civilian groups to enforce current environmental protection laws. Second, he would like to create an elite firefighting [...] |
2008-08-05 14:28:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR ECON EAID SENV UNSC LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1149 |
LEBANON: FINANCE MINISTER CHATAH SAYS MINISTERIAL [...] (C) Finance Minister Mohamad Chatah, former advisor to PM Siniora, views the 2008 ministerial statement as an improvement over 2005, in that it elevates the status of the state and puts limits on Hizballah. Remarkably, he notes, the statement was drafted without foreign interference. The big [...] |
2008-08-05 17:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1160 |
LEBANON: AGRICULTURE MINISTER SKAFF CONFIDENT OF [...] (C) In an August 7 courtesy call by Charge Grant, Agriculture Minister Elie Skaff emphasized the importance of the 2009 parliamentary elections, while downplaying the upcoming National Dialogue, in solving Lebanon's problems. Nevertheless, he recommended enlarging the membership of the Dialogu [...] |
2008-08-07 17:11:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC EAGR LE |
| 08BEIRUT1161 |
LEBANON: AOUNIST MP HINTS AT CONSENSUS IN 2009 [...] (C) Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) MP Ibrahim Kanaan told Charge FPM is "satisfied" with the cabinet statement. He said the kerfluffle over fellow FPM MP Gebran Bassil's remarks about reviewing Paris III were taken out of context and exploited. Kenaan said he is turning his atte [...] |
2008-08-07 17:55:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1166 |
LEBANON: SINIORA TELLS GENERAL PETRAEUS HE WILL [...] (C) Prime Minister Fouad Siniora announced to General David Petraeus, during the latter's August 6 visit to Lebanon, his plans to go to Iraq once parliament has passed the vote of confidence, expected to occur o/a August 12. Siniora said he intended to demonstrate to the Arab world his support [...] |
2008-08-08 15:28:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV PTER PINR OVIP PETRAEUS DAVID MARR |
| 08BEIRUT1168 |
LEBANON: PETRAEUS AND SLEIMAN DISCUSS SYRIAN TRIP, [...] (C) In an August 6 meeting with visiting General David Petraeus, President Michel Sleiman outlined three objectives for his upcoming meeting with Syrian President Bashar Asad. Most important, Sleiman said, is to initiate a diplomatic exchange between the two countries. Additionally, Sleiman p [...] |
2008-08-08 15:43:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | OVIP PETRAEUS DAVID PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC |
| 08BEIRUT1169 |
LEBANON: GEARING UP FOR THE NATIONAL DIALOGUE [...] (C) Parliament begins debate on the government policy statement on August 8, with the confidence vote expected a few days thereafter. President Sleiman travels to Damascus August 13-14, after which time he is expected to convene the National Dialogue. Preparations are under way; Baabda Palace [...] |
2008-08-08 15:45:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1170 |
LEBANON: NEW DEPUTY PM SAYS AOUN INTERESTED IN [...] (C) Newly-appointed Deputy Prime Minister Issam Abou Jamra expressed to CDA on August 9 his pride both in being named Deputy Prime Minister and in how well his long-time friend Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement is doing. Abou Jamra pointed to FPM's friendly alliance with Amal and Hizballah [...] |
2008-08-08 16:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE |
| 08BEIRUT1171 |
LEBANON: MINISTER HARIRI ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT HER [...] (C) In an August 8 courtesy call by Charge, Minister of Education Bahiya Hariri told us that she hopes to create standardized curricula for Lebanon's public schools. In addition, she plans to push for greater community involvement in the educational process. A longtime MP from the southern c [...] |
2008-08-08 17:08:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC SCUL SOCI LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1173 |
LEBANON: TIME IS RIGHT FOR ACTION ON DETAINEES IN [...] (C) Following Israel's July 16 release of Lebanese prisoners including Samir Kantar, the issue of Lebanese detainees (also referred to as "enforced disappearances") in Syria has risen to the forefront in Lebanon. President Sleiman told visiting MNF-I Commander General David Petraeus on August [...] |
2008-08-11 08:53:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR AI UNSC SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1176 |
LEBANON: ECONOMISTS LET DOWN BY MINISTERIAL POLICY [...] (SBU) Prominent financial economist Dr. Charbel Nahas told us on August 6 that the ministerial statement came "far below what it should have been." He said that "this cabinet has a unique opportunity as all the political parties are represented in the cabinet; thus actions can be quickly endor [...] |
2008-08-11 16:08:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1181 |
LEBANON: ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN...AND WOMAN [...] (SBU) Though President Sleiman is still in the process of forming his staff, following is a list of individuals we believe will be key advisors and members of his staff as well as persons close to him who have no official role. OFFICIAL ADVISORS ----------------- 2. (SBU) Nazem Khoury, [...] |
2008-08-12 16:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL LE |
| 08BEIRUT1187 |
LEBANON: HIZBALLAH WILL PRESS FOR ACTION AGAINST [...] (C) Majority leader Saad Hariri warned that Hizballah would soon pressure the GOL to take action against Israeli overflights. He was reacting to recent tough statements from Israel about the official GOL cabinet statement linking Hizballah's "resistance" to the authority of the Lebanese state [...] |
2008-08-13 16:56:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1188 |
LEBANON: CABINET WINS CONFIDENCE VOTE [...] (U) In the final step to form the new government, the cabinet obtained the Lebanese Parliament's vote of confidence on August 12. Of the 107 MPs in attendance, 100 voted in favor of the cabinet and accompanying cabinet statement (parliament currently has 127 members). The five days of sessi [...] |
2008-08-13 17:53:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE |
| 08BEIRUT1197 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 SECRETARIAT PERCEIVES MARCH 8 [...] (C) March 14 Secretary General (SYG) Fares Souaid and member Samir Franjieh report that March 14 is preparing to capitalize on what it perceives as a split between the "Syrian March 8" and "Iranian March 8" in an attempt to attract voters -- especially Christian voters who usually support Mich [...] |
2008-08-14 16:16:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1198 |
LEBANON: CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND CONDEMNATIONS [...] (SBU) Leaders from across Lebanon's political spectrum condemned the August 13 civilian bus bombing in the northern city of Tripoli that resulted in the deaths of several Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) soldiers, among others. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Several t [...] |
2008-08-14 16:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE MARR MOPS SY |
| 08BEIRUT1199 |
LEBANON: MINISTER OF ENERGY AND WATER GETS A [...] (C) In an August 13 courtesy call with Charge Grant, the new Minister of Energy and Water Alain Tabourian described the huge cost and capacity problems in Lebanon's electricity sector, and discussed plans to import electricity and natural gas from Egypt. Tabourian, one of the five ministers [...] |
2008-08-14 17:00:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON ENRG EPET EFIN LE |
| 08BEIRUT120 |
LEBANON: ISF INTELLIGENCE OFFICER TARGETED IN [...] (S) A huge car bomb explosion rocked the Chevrolet-Furn al-Chubbak area of east Beirut on January 25 killing Internal Security Forces (ISF) intelligence officer Captain Wissam Eid, his bodyguard, and at least two others, and injuring dozens. Eid, an Embassy contact, was in charge of the ISF's [...] |
2008-01-25 18:28:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PGOV PREL IS KPAL LE |
| 08BEIRUT1200 |
LEBANON: HIZBALLAH'S IMAGE MAKEOVER; A NEW APPEAL [...] (C) Local press reported on Hizballah's creation of an Arab relations portfolio, assigned to Sheikh Hassan Izz-al-Din. Hizballah explained to press that the new position was a product of periodic organizational restructuring. Expounding on his new role, Izz-al-Din said in an interview with a [...] |
2008-08-14 17:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC SA LE |
| 08BEIRUT1201 |
LEBANON: SLEIMAN VISIT TO DAMASCUS: DEVIL IN THE [...] (C) According to his diplomatic advisor, President Sleiman reportedly is pleased with his August 13-14 visit to Damascus, although he had hoped for more on the issue of Lebanese detainees in Syria. The advisor believes that work will begin soon on establishing diplomatic relations and borders [...] |
2008-08-18 07:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1211 |
UNIFIL: PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED NOTIFICATIONS FOR VISITS [...] (SBU) U.S. Embassy Beirut appreciates the efforts of USUN in bringing the issue of the suspicious incidents involving representatives of the Indian contingent of UNIFIL to the attention of the Asia and Middle East Director in the Office of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) detailed in reftel. In [...] |
2008-08-18 14:35:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PTER ASEC KPKO UNSC LE |
| 08BEIRUT1212 |
LEBANON: NON-COMMITAL ON THE IAEA BOARD OF [...] (C) Charge raised points about Afghanistan's candidacy with Rola Noureddine, PM Siniora's chief aide, on August 18. Noureddine took note of the information about Afghanistan's and Iran's candidacies, in addition to that of Syria, but was non-committal about what position the GOL would take. [...] |
2008-08-18 14:42:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KNNP IAEA PREL PARM MNUC LE |
| 08BEIRUT1213 |
LEBANON: PM SINIORA MAKES ENERGY DEALS IN EGYPT TRIP [...] (SBU) Board member and head of the Agriculture Committee at the Beirut Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture Raphael Debbane told us on August 13 that agriculture and industrialist representatives urged Agriculture Minister Elie Skaff to ask President Sleiman to convince his Syrian cou [...] |
2008-08-18 15:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1220 |
LEBANON: DRUZE (OPPOSITION) MINISTER: U.S. SHOULD [...] (C) An affable Minister of Youth and Sports Talal Arslan welcomed the recent Damascus meeting between Presidents Sleiman and Asad as a positive step in putting the Lebanese-Syrian bilateral relationship back on a good track. Thanking the U.S. for its military assistance, Arslan said the list o [...] |
2008-08-19 14:29:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1223 |
LEBANON: HIZBALLAH WELCOMING OR SABOTAGING [...] (C) Publicly, Hizballah officials are welcoming the upcoming National Dialogue. At the same time, however, Hizballah officials and their opposition allies are seeking an expansion of both the participation list and agenda in what we view as an attempt to dilute the process and steer the focus [...] |
2008-08-19 15:31:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE |
| 08BEIRUT1225 |
LEBANON: GEMAYEL DOWNBEAT ON RAPPROCHEMENT WITH [...] (C) Former president Amine Gemayel reacted pessimistically August 19 to outcomes from President Sleiman's August 13-14 visit to Syria. He assessed Syria was willing to make minor concessions to Lebanon only to improve Syria's reputation within Lebanon. Gemayel criticized the international co [...] |
2008-08-19 16:54:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1228 |
LEBANON: TALKING, QUIETLY, OF MARONITE PATRIARCH [...] (U) Cardinal Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, the Lebanese Maronite Patriarch, turned 88 in May and there are quiet discussions about who will succeed him in this religiously and politically significant position. Following our report on the organization of the Maronite church (Ref A), this report [...] |
2008-08-20 16:39:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | SOCI SCUL KIRF PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1233 |
LEBANON: INTERIOR MINISTER FOCUSED ON 2009 [...] (C) In a August 20 meeting with the Charge, Minister of Interior Ziyad Baroud said he is finalizing a "master plan" for donor nations who wish to provide technical assistance to Lebanon for the 2009 elections. Asked about a USG offer to assist with elections security planning, Baroud told us h [...] |
2008-08-21 16:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM PINS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1234 |
LEBANON: SINIORA'S TRIP TO IRAQ: INVESTMENT; ARAB [...] (C) PM advisor Rola Noureddine deemed Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's August 20 trip to Iraq a success and enthusiastically spoke of the future investment opportunities between the two countries. Noting to the Charge on August 21 that, "The earlier we get in, the better deals we will get," Nou [...] |
2008-08-21 17:16:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MOPS MARR IZ LE |
| 08BEIRUT1241 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 MP BOUTROS HARB: BRIDGING THE [...] (C) MP Boutros Harb told Charge Grant in an August 20 meeting that the March 14 coalition faces two problems: relations between March 14 Christians and Muslims/Druze, and relations among March 14 Christians. Expressing concern that divisions within March 14 will result in failure in the 2009 [...] |
2008-08-22 16:10:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE |
| 08BEIRUT1243 |
LEBANON: PROMISES, BUT NO FIRM COMMITMENTS, FOR EGYPTIAN [...] (SBU) During his visit to Baghdad on August 20, PM Siniora discussed reinforcing bilateral economic ties with Iraq. Iraq has long been one of Lebanon's major export markets, but it has exported only a trickle of goods to Lebanon in recent years, and no oil. Daily An Nahar reported that during [...] |
2008-08-25 11:13:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1246 |
LEBANON: PROMISES, BUT NO FIRM COMMITMENTS, FOR EGYPTIAN [...] (SBU) During his visit to Baghdad on August 20, PM Siniora discussed reinforcing bilateral economic ties with Iraq. Iraq has long been one of Lebanon's major export markets, but it has exported only a trickle of goods to Lebanon in recent years, and no oil. Daily An Nahar reported that during [...] |
2008-08-25 14:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1247 |
LEBANON: AOUNIST SOCIAL AFFAIRS MINISTER SEEKS BIGGER ROLE; [...] (SBU) During a visit by Charge Grant, newly appointed Minister of Social Affairs Dr. Mario Aoun explained that the Ministry of Social Affairs' (MOSA) main challenges in implementing social reform were overlapping responsibilities with other ministries and a small budget. Aoun said he hoped to [...] |
2008-08-25 15:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON SOCI PREL PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1248 |
LEBANON: PROGRESS TOWARDS WTO ACCESSION IS SLOW, [...] (SBU) Almost nine years after its initial World Trade Organization (WTO) membership application, Lebanon is moving forward on the multilateral track of the accession process, and only minor issues remained after the last Working Party (WP) meeting in May 2007. However, problems remain on the [...] |
2008-08-25 15:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON ETRD LE |
| 08BEIRUT1249 |
LEBANON: LEBANON'S SALAFISTS GROUPS: NEITHER [...] (C) Many in Lebanon were surprised when Shia-dominated Hizballah signed a memorandum of understanding on August 18 with some Salafist Sunni groups in the northern city of Tripoli, ostensibly to reduce Shia-Sunni tensions that had produced violent clashes and deaths there. Then, the next day, [...] |
2008-08-25 16:31:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE MARR MOPS SY |
| 08BEIRUT1262 |
LEBANON: GEMAYEL WITH HALE: CLEAR USG SUPPORT FOR [...] (C) In a August 27 meeting, former president and Kataeb party leader Amine Gemayel told visiting NEA DAS David Hale that a clear message from the U.S. would be critical for Lebanon in its struggle against Iranian and Syrian attempts to destabilize the country. Gemayel supported the idea of i [...] |
2008-08-29 09:10:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR IS LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1266 |
LEBANON: WITH DAS HALE, SINIORA CRITICIZES U.S. [...] (C) In an August 27 meeting with NEA Deputy Assistant Secretary David Hale, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora complained that the U.S. has not come through on its assistance promises and that USG assistance has been dwarfed by Iranian support for Hizballah. He said U.S. and Israeli mistak [...] |
2008-09-02 08:07:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER PINR UNSC MARR IS IR SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1269 |
LEBANON: FM SALLOUKH RECEIVES AMBASSADOR'S [...] (C) On August 27, the Ambassador presented copies of her credentials to Minister of Foreign Affairs Fawzi Salloukh. In a subsequent meeting with the Ambassador and visiting NEA DAS David Hale, Salloukh asked the USG to place pressure on Israel to implement its share of UNSCR 1701. He emphasize [...] |
2008-09-02 08:54:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR IS LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1270 |
LEBANON: NEA DAS HALE MEETS SPEAKER BERRI [...] (C) In an August 28 meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, NEA DAS David Hale reiterated the USG's continued support for Lebanon. Berri thanked DAS Hale for USG assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces and expressed his concern over the recent violence in Tripoli, blaming Al-Qaeda and f [...] |
2008-09-02 09:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR IS LE QA |
| 08BEIRUT1272 |
LEBANON: AOUN EXPECTS VIOLENCE AFTER RAMADAN [...] (C) In a August 29 meeting, Free Patriotic Movement leader General Michel Aoun told visiting NEA DAS David Hale and Ambassador that he expected the volatile northern city of Tripoli to erupt in violence after Ramadan. Aoun blamed Saudi funding and ideology for fueling the militant elements c [...] |
2008-09-02 09:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR KPAL UNSC MARR IS LE SA |
| 08BEIRUT1273 |
LEBANON: GEAGEA WARNS DAS HALE THAT ISRAEL IS [...] (C) In an August 29 meeting with visiting NEA DAS David Hale, Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea stressed the importance of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian issue to facilitate resolution of other regional issues. He said Israel is making a huge mistake by publicly criticizing the Leb [...] |
2008-09-02 09:56:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER UNSC PINR MARR IS IR FR SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1274 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 MEMBERS TO DAS HALE: HELICOPTERS [...] (C) In separate meetings August 28 and 29 with visiting NEA DAS David Hale, March 14 leaders welcomed U.S. commitments in Lebanon but expressed frustration that the U.S. had not yet provided helicopters to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). Without helicopters, March 14 members claimed, the LAF [...] |
2008-09-02 10:20:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY IS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1278 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 DRUZE MP REMINDS DAS HALE THAT [...] (C) March 14 MP Marwan Hamadeh expressed concerns about ongoing affronts to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and Israeli actions benefiting Hizballah and Syria during his August 29 meeting with visiting NEA Deputy Assistant Secretary David Hale. Hamadeh predicted Hizballah would either delay t [...] |
2008-09-02 12:26:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT128 |
LEBANON: NBPP: GERMANS DO NOT IMPRESS DURING [...] (C) European Commission officials in Lebanon harshly criticized German management of the Northern Border Pilot Program (NBPP). The EC insisted that the Germans extend their mandate on the NBPP for an additional three months and outlined a clear set of expectations for achievements. However, a [...] |
2008-01-28 16:43:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MASS MCAP SY IS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1280 |
LEBANON: FRENCH, EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS HAVE [...] (C) The purpose of French FM Kouchner's August 25-6 visit to Beirut seems to have been to reassure the Lebanese, just prior to Sarkozy's September 3rd visit to Damascus, that France's ongoing rapprochement with Syria will not harm Lebanon. Kouchner told the Lebanese that France will move care [...] |
2008-09-02 13:21:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EG FR LE MARR MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SY |
| 08BEIRUT1281 |
LEBANON: PARLIAMENT OPEN; NOT CLEAR WHEN IT WILL TAKE UP [...] (SBU) A senior legal trade specialist at the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MOET) told us on August 27 that, although parliament has reopened, it is not known yet if there will be progress on IPR-related draft laws and amendments that were sent to parliament in 2007. These include an amendment [...] |
2008-09-02 13:33:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1283 |
LEBANON: JUMBLATT DESCRIBES TO DAS HALE MARCH 14'S [...] (C) Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and his advisors told NEA DAS David Hale that March 14 was united, before giving multiple examples of disagreements among the bloc's party leaders. He had little confidence that the National Dialogue would begin until after Ramadan and perhaps even Ashura. He [...] |
2008-09-03 07:32:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE |
| 08BEIRUT1284 |
LEBANON: HARIRI TO DAS HALE: ISRAEL HURTING US BY [...] (C) Majority leader Saad Hariri told visiting NEA DAS David Hale that Israel is hurting the forces of moderation in Lebanon through actions such as agreeing to a prisoner swap with Hizballah, "opening doors" for Syrians as it negotiates with them and making threatening statements regarding Leb [...] |
2008-09-03 07:36:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY IS FR |
| 08BEIRUT1285 |
LEBANON: WITH DAS HALE, AOUN ALLY ELIE SKAFF [...] (C) Minister of Agriculture Elie Skaff defended both his and Michel Aoun's alliance with Hizballah in an August 30 meeting with visiting NEA DAS Hale. Skaff argued that the West had abandoned the weak and divided Christians of Lebanon, forcing them to make internal alliances. Skaff strongly q [...] |
2008-09-03 07:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR IS LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1286 |
LEBANON: NEA DAS HALE URGES THAT PRESIDENT SLEIMAN [...] (C) NEA DAS David Hale, accompanied by DCM and Poloffs, stressed to two of President Michel Sleiman's senior staff and an unofficial advisor the importance of Sleiman visiting Washington before or after his address to the UNGA in September. For their part, the advisors expressed concerns abou [...] |
2008-09-03 08:34:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE MARR MOPS SY |
| 08BEIRUT1287 |
LEBANON: A PRAGMATIC CHATAH CONCERNED ABOUT MARCH [...] (C) Minister of Finance Mohamad Chatah expressed concern to visiting NEA DAS David Hale that there were only eight months until the 2009 parliamentary elections and March 14 was still having trouble developing its message. He suggested March 14's message needed to include a broad, comprehensi [...] |
2008-09-03 08:34:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC ECON LE MARR MOPS SY |
| 08BEIRUT1288 |
LEBANON: WITH DAS HALE, VETERAN SUNNI FIGURE [...] (C) In his August 30 meeting with visiting NEA DAS David Hale, Minister of Culture and respected leader of the Sunni community Tammam Salaam stressed the need for progress in the Israeli/Palestinian peace process to defuse extremism in the region. Praising Hizballah's quick admission of culpa [...] |
2008-09-03 08:35:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR EAID UNSC MARR IR SY IS |
| 08BEIRUT1289 |
LEBANON: WITH DAS HALE, UNSCOL SHARES CONCERNS [...] (C) In an August 31 meeting with visiting NEA DAS David Hale,officials of the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) discussed the 2009 parliamentary elections, the National Dialogue, LIBAT II, Sheba'a Farms, UNMACC's funding crisis, and the August 28 downing by Hizballah of a Lebanese Ar [...] |
2008-09-03 08:35:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1292 |
LEBANON: PRESIDENT SLEIMAN MEETS ASD LONG, ASD [...] (C) In an August 27 meeting, President Sleiman said that he was looking forward to his upcoming trip to the White House. Sleiman intends to address the complicated issues facing Lebanon with the President, as well as his concern over recent Israeli comments. Sleiman thanked the USG for conti [...] |
2008-09-03 14:07:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR MCAP MARR KPAL IR LE |
| 08BEIRUT1296 |
LEBANON: LAF HELICOPTER ATTACK A HIZBALLAH ERROR? [...] (C) On August 28, a Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) helicopter operating in Hizballah-controlled territory was shot down, resulting in the death of an LAF officer. Details surrounding the incident remain unclear, although the LAF has begun a full investigation. Hizballah did not deny responsibil [...] |
2008-09-04 11:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY IS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1299 |
LEBANON: MAKKAWI SAYS GULF STATES NEED TO HELP [...] (C) In a September 3 meeting with the Ambassador, Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee President Ambassador Khalil Makkawi said Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar had yet to make any pledges for the reconstruction appeal for the destroyed Palestinian Refugee camp Nah [...] |
2008-09-04 14:13:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID PREF PREL PTER KPAL LE AE KU QA SA |
| 08BEIRUT1300 |
LEBANON: MFA PROVIDES LITLE COMMENT TO UNGA, ARAB [...] C) Poloff delivered points on Kosovo, the Arab League Ministerial, and the UN Third Committee on Human Rights to Oussama Khachab, Head of the Americas Desk at the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 4. Khachab said he would relay the points to other offices within the Foreign Mi [...] |
2008-09-04 15:11:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR PHUM UNGA UN LE SY IS IZ KV |
| 08BEIRUT1301 |
LEBANON: ACTING ARMY COMMANDER MASRI PUTS ATTACK [...] (C) In an August 29 meeting with a visiting DOD delegation, a confident and open Acting Lebanese Armed Forces Commander Masri explained the Army's most pressing needs, chief among them attack helicopters. Masri explained that the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) would remain in support of the Inte [...] |
2008-09-04 15:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PGOV PINR MCAP MARR IR LE |
| 08BEIRUT1302 |
LEBANON: DEFENSE MINISTER MURR DISCUSSES URGENCY [...] (C) In an August 27 meeting, Defense Minister Elias Murr said the outcome of elections in 2009 will depend on the Christian vote. It is critical that the current majority be able to show results to Christian voters. Specifically, the people must perceive that Murr's relationship with the Unit [...] |
2008-09-04 15:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR MCAP MARR IR LE |
| 08BEIRUT1304 |
FACING MASSIVE POWER SHORTAGE, LEBANON AGREES TO [...] (C) Facing massive electricity shortages that have left residents of some regions without power twelve hours per day, Lebanon signed an agreement for the purchase of surplus electricity from Egypt, implementing one of the measures pledged in the new Lebanese cabinet's ministerial policy statem [...] |
2008-09-05 10:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ENRG EFIN PREL PGOV EG JO LE |
| 08BEIRUT1308 |
LEBANON: BERRI CALLS OUT ISRAEL AND QADHAFI ON [...] (C) Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri blamed Israel and the forces of terrorism for trying to destabilize Lebanon. Berri made his remarks at a rally on August 31 marking the 30th anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Musa Sadr. In the same speech, Berri said he holds Libyan leader Qadhafi [...] |
2008-09-05 14:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE IS LY |
| 08BEIRUT1309 |
LEBANON: INDEPENDENT SHIA MINISTER OF [...] (C) Independent Shia and March 14-appointed Minister of Administrative Reform Ibrahim Shamseddine, showing a remarkable mastery of the inner workings of his ministry, the Lebanese government, and various development projects taking place in Lebanon, explained to the Ambassador and Acting USAID [...] |
2008-09-05 14:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID PGOV SENV PINR LE |
| 08BEIRUT1310 |
LEBANON: AMBASSADOR PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO [...] (C) Ambassador presented her credentials to President Michel Sleiman in a ceremony at Baabda Palace on September 4 that also included Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh and MFA Chief of Protocol George Siam. A/DCM, DATT, Pol/Econ Chief, Consul, and ARSO Officer also attended the half-hour event, [...] |
2008-09-05 14:39:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1311 |
LEBANON: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH UNHCR [...] (SBU) Ambassador, PolOff, ConChief, ConOff, and the Department of Homeland Security circuit-ride team leader met with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative Stphane Jaquemet and UNHCR Senior Protection Officers, Ayaki Ito and Anna Leer on September 4. The UNHCR represen [...] |
2008-09-05 15:04:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREF PTER UNSC IQ LE |
| 08BEIRUT1312 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 LEADERS AGREE TO RUN UNIFIED [...] (C) March 14 leaders, meeting as a group for the first time since August 3, agreed to run unified lists in the spring 2009 elections, a major step forward for a coalition whose leaders have found it difficult to look above partisan interests to the greater goal of maintaining the parliamentary [...] |
2008-09-05 15:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1316 |
LEBANON: PRESIDENT ASKS UNDP TO HELP WITH NATIONAL [...] (C) In a September 2 meeting with the Ambassador, UN Development Program Resident Representative Marta Ruedas reported that President Sleiman had recently approached the UN for technical assistance in setting up President Sleiman's Baabda Palace office and the National Dialogue. Ruedas said c [...] |
2008-09-08 12:13:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EAID PREL PTER PHUM KDEM LE |
| 08BEIRUT1319 |
LEBANON: AMBASSADOR MEETS NEW LEBANESE ARMY [...] (C) In a September 8 meeting, a confident new Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander Kahwagi told us about himself and his positive past experiences with the U.S. Military. He also told us that he looks forward to future bilateral cooperation, to include the Joint Military Commission in Octobe [...] |
2008-09-08 15:05:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PGOV PINR MCAP MARR IR LE |
| 08BEIRUT1320 |
LEBANON: HARIRI'S VISIT TO TRIPOLI- THE BEGINNING [...] (C) In a surprise three-day visit to the northern city of Tripoli, Sunni majority leader Saad Hariri encouraged rival factions in Tripoli to reconcile and overcome their differences. In an effort to lead by example, Hariri held talks with Alawite leader and former MP Ali Eid and former Prime [...] |
2008-09-08 15:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1321 |
LEBANON: MINIMUM WAGE CONTROVERSY AMONG ISSUES FORCING [...] (SBU) The cabinet cancelled is September 4 session due to lack of consensus on minimum wage increases. The next cabinet session is scheduled for September 9, and though the minimum wage is not on the formal agenda, contacts tell us it may still be discussed. So far, disagreement among cabinet [...] |
2008-09-08 16:00:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1326 |
LEBANON: INDEPENDENT SHIA GEARING UP FOR 2009 [...] (C) Lokman Slim, an independent Shia organizer and Director of NGO Hayya Bina, told the Ambassador on September 5 that the March 14 coalition needs to take the independent Shia portfolio more seriously. Slim surmised that Shia independents could have a real possibility of winning parliamentar [...] |
2008-09-09 16:39:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR PHUM EAID LE IZ SY |
| 08BEIRUT1327 |
LEBANON: ISF HEAD: ONE DAY ELECTION IMPOSSIBLE [...] (C) Summary. The Director General of the Internal Security Forces (ISF), Major General Achraf Rifi, has reported to the Lebanese Minister of Interior (MOI) that the ISF would be unable to provide full security throughout all polling places in Lebanon if Spring parliamentary elections were to be [...] |
2008-09-10 10:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR NAS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1329 |
LEBANON: PRESIDENT SLEIMAN ANNOUNCES SEPTEMBER 16 [...] (U) At a September 9 iftar he hosted at Baabda Palace, President Michel Sleiman announced that the National Dialogue would begin on September 16. Both the majority and opposition reacted positively in public to the announcement and confirmed their readiness to participate in the dialogue. H [...] |
2008-09-10 17:18:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1330 |
LEBANON: MARONITE PATRIARCH PRAISES SLEIMAN, [...] (C) Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Sfeir praised President Sleiman and said President Bush should show him strong support during Sleiman's visit to Washington at the end of the month. He commented briefly on the new LAF leadership appointments. He was impressed with majority leader Saad Hariri' [...] |
2008-09-11 07:20:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR PTER LE |
| 08BEIRUT1332 |
LEBANON: GEMAYEL URGES WASHINGTON SHOCK TREATMENT [...] (C) While at the Embassy to renew his visa, former President Amine Gemayel stopped by for a meeting with Ambassador and ConOff on September 10. Gemayel discussed his upcoming trip to the United States, the National Dialogue, the 2009 parliamentary elections, Syria, Israel, and possible talkin [...] |
2008-09-11 15:42:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC SY IS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1337 |
LEBANON: FINANCE MINISTER FOCUSED ON BUDGET [...] (C) Finance Minister Mohamad Chatah told USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator James Bever and the Ambassador that budget support is his number one priority. He discussed the pros and cons of the cabinet's recent approval of a higher minimum wage, and said he planned to ask the IMF for a new [...] |
2008-09-12 07:18:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ELAB EFIN ENRG PGOV PREL SA EG LE |
| 08BEIRUT1339 |
LEBANON: INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS LACK OF TIME [...] (C) Implementation of proposed election administration reforms will be difficult prior to the spring 2009 Parliamentary elections, according to Minister of Interior Ziyad Baroud, who is responsible for organizing the elections. Recognizing the value of the Boutros draft election reform propos [...] |
2008-09-12 12:17:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR NAS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1343 |
LEBANON: MINISTER BAHIYA HARIRI FOCUSED ON "BACK [...] (C) Minister of Education Bahiya Hariri told the Ambassador on September 11 that if the Ministry of Education could make significant progress during the next school year, which coincides with the same ten-month period of the current national unity government, then she believed Lebanon would be [...] |
2008-09-15 06:13:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR EAID UNSC SCUL SOCI LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1345 |
LEBANON: MINISTRY OF ECONOMY AND TRADE DISCUSSES [...] (C) In a meeting with the Ambassador, Ministry of Economy and Trade Mohammad Safadi praised majority leader Saad Hariri's role in the reconciliation among opposing groups in Tripoli, but said their weapons will remain. He worried that the Beddawi Palestinian refugee camp outside Tripoli is b [...] |
2008-09-15 10:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON EFIN ETRD KPAL QA LE |
| 08BEIRUT1346 |
LEBANON: CABINET APPROVES FIRST WAGE INCREASES SINCE 1996 [...] (U) During its September 9 session, the cabinet decided to raise the minimum wage for the private and public sectors from 200 to 333 dollars per month (the first minimum wage increase since 1996) and the transportation allowance from 4 dollars to 5.30 dollars per day. In addition, it mandated a [...] |
2008-09-15 11:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV |
| 08BEIRUT1347 |
LEBANON: ARMY COMMANDERS LAMENT DEMINING PROBLEMS [...] (C) In a September 10 meeting, Brigadier General (BG) Mohammed Fehmi, Commander of the Lebanese Mine Action Center (LMAC), stated that lack of further funding for demining activities in southern Lebanon was a grave concern and expressed sincere hope that the U.S. would "push LMAC's needs" fo [...] |
2008-09-15 13:15:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1348 |
LEBANON: BELLEMARE ANXIOUS FOR MORE USG ASSISTANCE [...] (S/NF) In a September 12 meeting with the Ambassador, Daniel Bellemare, Commissioner of the UN Independent International Investigative Commission (UNIIIC) made three specific requests for USG assistance and additional requests for USG action. First, he asked that the USG provide intelligence [...] |
2008-09-15 14:18:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PTER PGOV PINR UNSC LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1349 |
LEBANON: SAAD HARIRI GRATEFUL FOR U.S. SUPPORT, [...] (C) In a September 13 meeting with the Ambassador, Majority leader Saad Hariri reported on his successful effort to broker a reconciliation between opposing groups in Tripoli and his trip to the Bekaa Valley, noting that his efforts would continue in other areas of Lebanon. He warned that in [...] |
2008-09-15 14:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PGOV PREL PTER UNSC IS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1351 |
LEBANON: BERRI SAYS EXPECT MORE RECONCILIATION [...] (C) In a September 15 meeting with the Ambassador, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said he does not oppose increasing the list of agenda items for the upcoming National Dialogue, as long as they are pertinent and are related to the national defense strategy. Berri added that he expects more r [...] |
2008-09-15 15:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR IS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1352 |
LEBANON: ASSASSINATION OF OPPOSITION MEMBER [...] (C) The September 10 assassination of Saleh Aridi, a Druze opposition figure, is seen by many as an attempt to derail reconciliation efforts among Lebanon's political leaders. The immediate impact, however, appears to have been to solidify Druze solidarity, with rival party leaders standing si [...] |
2008-09-15 16:02:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1358 |
LEBANON: SLEIMAN LAUNCHES NATIONAL DIALOGUE [...] (C) President Michel Sleiman launched the National Dialogue on September 16. As expected, this first session produced no significant results. The next session is scheduled for November 5. In his opening remarks, Sleiman stressed the need for dialogue and reconciliation, cited Israel as Leba [...] |
2008-09-16 15:39:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1359 |
LEBANON: TELECOM MINISTER GUNG HO ON [...] (C) In a September 15 meeting with the Ambassador, Minister of Telecommunications Gebran Bassil, an ally of Michel Aoun in the March 8/Aoun opposition, said it would be wrong to discuss only the national defense strategy and the future of Hizballah's weapons at the National Dialogue without a [...] |
2008-09-16 15:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON EFIN ECPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1360 |
LEBANON: HIZBALLAH AND JUMBLATT'S PSP [...] (C) Druze opposition leader and Minister of Youth and Sports Talal Arslan sponsored a September 15 "reconciliation" meeting at his home for representatives from rival Druze leader Walid Jumblatt's bloc and Hizballah aimed at easing tension prior to the re-launching of the National Dialogue. Ju [...] |
2008-09-16 16:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PGOV PTER PINR LE |
| 08BEIRUT1363 |
LEBANON: USG ANNOUNCES CONTRIBUTION TO SUPPORT [...] (SBU) At a September 11 donors conference, the USG announced a $17.81 million pledge to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to provide relief and reconstruction assistance to displaced Nahr al-Barid camp refugees. The U.S. was the only donor to ma [...] |
2008-09-17 11:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID PREF PREL PTER KPAL LE AE KU QA SA |
| 08BEIRUT1366 |
LEBANON: JUMBLATT FORESEES PARALLEL TRACKS OF [...] (C) March 14 Druze leader Walid Jumblatt stressed that recent talks with Hizballah and rival Druze leader Talal Arslan were limited exclusively to security matters to defuse Shia/Druze tensions. Should majority leader Saad Hariri decide to meet with Hizballah SYG Hassan Nasrallah, however, Ju [...] |
2008-09-17 15:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1368 |
LEBANON: FIRST NATIONAL DIALOGUE SESSION MEETS LOW [...] (C) Most participants characterized the first session of the re-launched National Dialogue as calm and positive; one contact said it was "more than a photo op, but less than a dialogue." Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah welcomed the dialogue, but insisted on expanded participation [...] |
2008-09-17 17:02:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1371 |
LEBANON: MINISTER LAHOUD: WINNING ELECTIONS IS [...] (C) March 14 Minister of State Nassib Lahoud assured the Ambassador in a September 17 meeting that the March 14 alliance is aware that it must win the spring 2009 parliamentary elections "to preserve status quo," noting that a loss would worsen the situation in Lebanon. He spoke of potential [...] |
2008-09-18 09:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR EINV ZP LE |
| 08BEIRUT1374 |
LEBANON: INFORMATION MINISTER SAYS "MUTUAL SUSPICION AND MISTRUST" COULD DELAY ELECTIONS [...] (C) Minister of Information Tareq Mitri told the Ambassador on September 16 that there is a possibility that the 2009 elections could be delayed because mutual suspicion and mistrust continue to plague the national unity government. Mitri cautioned that recent events touted as "reconciliation" (i.e [...] |
2008-09-18 14:17:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR ECPS UNSC SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1375 |
LEBANON: HARIRI TO MEET NASRALLAH SOON? [...] (C) Rumors are growing of an imminent meeting between majority leader Saad Hariri and Hizballah SYG Hassan Nasrallah, especially after Druze leader Walid Jumblatt's representatives met with Hizballah officials earlier in the week to discuss security issues. However, Hariri's advisor Ghattas K [...] |
2008-09-18 14:42:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | PREL PGOV PTER PINR SA SY IR LE |
| 08BEIRUT1376 |
LEBANON: LEAHY VETTING FOR PARTICIPANTS IN INL'S LEBANON [...] (U) The following names and biographic information is provided regarding participants in the INL funded Lebanon Police Basic Cadet Training course, scheduled to begin September 22, 2008. Leahy Amendment vetting was conducted at post with no derogatory results. (The list of 200 proposed traine [...] |
2008-09-19 06:16:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | APER ASEC NAS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1378 |
LEBANON: HIZBALLAH'S ARMS WEIGH ON SLEIMAN AS HE [...] (C) Advisor and confidant to President Sleiman BG (retired) Fares Soufia said Sleiman was looking forward to his upcoming visit to the United States and appreciated continuing U.S. support and assistance. Sleiman was working hard to promote reconciliation within Lebanon and therefore was meet [...] |
2008-09-19 07:32:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1379 |
LEBANON: UN DIRECTOR BUTTENHEIM SHARES CONCERNS [...] (C) In a September 17 Embassy meeting, visiting UN DPA Director of Asia and Pacific Affairs Lisa Buttenheim discussed the National Dialogue, 2009 parliamentary elections, border security, Sheba'a Farms and the UN International Independent Investigative Council (UNIIIC). She noted that PM Sinio [...] |
2008-09-19 14:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1381 |
LEBANON: SINIORA: WHAT I ADVISED SLEIMAN TO RAISE [...] (C) PM Siniora told the Ambassador that President Michel Sleiman, in his upcoming visit to Washington, would raise UNSCR 1701; Sheba'a; protecting Lebanon against regional shocks, the need for continued U.S. political, economic and military assistance to Lebanon; and assurances that Lebanon w [...] |
2008-09-22 11:13:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1383 |
LEBANON: U.S. FINANCIAL CRISIS HAS NO IMPACT ON BANKING [...] (SBU) Central Bank of Lebanon (CBL) Governor Riad Salameh reportedly said that the banking and financial crisis in the U.S. will not have an impact on Lebanon's banking sector. A survey by the Banking Control Commission (BCC) showed that banks in Lebanon were not involved directly or indirectl [...] |
2008-09-22 13:11:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1386 |
LEBANON: DEFENSE MINISTER MURR ON SLEIMAN TRIP, [...] (C) Minister of Defense Elias Murr told us he had been briefing President Sleiman regularly to prepare Sleiman for his upcoming meetings in Washington. He complained September 20 about Saad Hariri's demand that Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander Kahwagi place Sunni officers in key LAF Inte [...] |
2008-09-22 13:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1387 |
LEBANON: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON U.S. PRIORITIES FOR [...] (SBU) PolOff delivered reftel demarche to Oussama Khachab, Head of the Americas Desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Khachab had no substantive response, but said that he would pass the message along to Foreign Affairs Minister Fawzi Salloukh and the GOL,s UN PermRep. In addition, Khach [...] |
2008-09-22 14:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL UNGA |
| 08BEIRUT1389 |
LEBANON: CHALLENGE HIZBALLAH BY FIXING THE DRUG [...] (C) Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) Vice President Duraid Yaghi said September 19 one-third of the population of his hometown of Baalbek does not support Hizballah, although it is in an area of strong Hizballah influence. However, according to Yaghi, continued unemployment and increased cul [...] |
2008-09-22 15:04:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL SNAR PTER PINR EAID SOCI UNSC NAS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1390 |
LEBANON: SCENESETTER FOR OCTOBER 5-6 JOINT [...] (C) The expansion of the U.S.-Lebanese military partnership represents a historic opportunity to bolster the cause of democracy, peace and stability in Lebanon and the Middle East. The Government of Lebanon (GOL) has demonstrated a commitment to strengthening our military-to-military ties. T [...] |
2008-09-22 15:33:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS PGOV PINR PREL PTER UNSC IS LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1391 |
LEBANON: MP MICHAEL MURR REVEALS HIS INDEPENDENT [...] (C) Crafty, lifelong politician MP Michel Murr unveiled his still-secret strategy to defeat former ally and opposition-aligned Michel Aoun in the spring 2009 parliamentary elections. Murr confided to the Ambassador on September 22 that, with the green light from majority leader Saad Hariri an [...] |
2008-09-22 15:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR LE |
| 08BEIRUT1393 |
LEBANON: GOL, GERMANY PLAN TO EXPAND BORDER [...] (C) On September 18, a UK Embassy contact briefed PolOff on a recent meeting between the UK DCM and PM Siniora, in which Siniora said that the GOL was ready to extend the German led Northern Border Pilot Project (NBPP) to the east, but that Syria would use its contacts within GOL's security a [...] |
2008-09-23 08:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID MARR MCAP PBTS PGOV PINR PREL EC LE SY |
| 08BEIRUT1394 |
LEBANON: LEAHY VETTING FOR PARTICIPANTS IN INL'S LEBANON [...] (U) The following names and biographic information is provided regarding participants in the INL funded Lebanon Police 3d and 4th Instructor's course, scheduled to begin October 7, 2008. Leahy Amendment vetting was conducted at post with no derogatory results. (The list of 50 proposed train [...] |
2008-09-23 08:32:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | APER ASEC NAS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1395 |
LEBANON: TASTE THE RECONCILIATION: BUSINESSES [...] (SBU) It has been an outstanding summer for Lebanon's tourism industry and service sector generally. Hotels have been full, restaurants packed, and it is impossible to find a rental car on short notice. Businesspeople are saying that political reconciliation initiatives among Lebanon's feud [...] |
2008-09-23 08:33:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON EIND LE |
| 08BEIRUT1402 |
LEBANON: LEAHY VETTING FOR PARTICIPANTS IN INL'S LEBANON [...] (U) The following names and biographic information is provided regarding participants in the INL funded Lebanon Police Sergeants and Corporals Training course, scheduled to begin October 6, 2008. Leahy Amendment vetting was conducted at post with no derogatory results. (The list of 120 propo [...] |
2008-09-25 07:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | APER ASEC NAS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1406 |
LEBANON: CHRISTIAN RECONCILIATION UNLIKELY, [...] (SBU) Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea apologized for mistakes made by the Lebanese Forces during the 1975-90 civil war and called for unity and reconciliation during his September 21 speech before tens of thousands of supporters at a ceremony honoring Lebanese Forces members killed during t [...] |
2008-09-25 14:20:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE MARR MOPS SY |
| 08BEIRUT1407 |
LEBANON: HARIRI MEETS HIZBALLAH'S REPS; WILL SEE [...] (C) Ghattas Khoury, advisor to majority leader Saad Hariri, provided a readout to Charge on September 25 of the previous day's meeting when Hizballah MP Mohammed Raad led a delegation to invite Hariri to meet Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah. Raad urged Hariri to meet with Nasrall [...] |
2008-09-25 15:05:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1413 |
LEBANON: ELECTION LAW DRAFT GOES TO PARLIAMENT [...] (SBU) IFES officials briefed PolOff on last minute changes to the draft electoral law submitted by the Parliament's Administration and Justice Committee to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on September 24. The draft law states that elections should take place in one day but notes that election [...] |
2008-09-26 14:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL KDEM PINS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1414 |
BEIRUT CORE EAC MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 29, 2008 [...] (S) At 0900 hours of September 29, 2008, CDA William Grant convened a meeting of the Core Emergency Action Committee (EAC) to discuss the embassy's security posture/move policy in light of the bombing earlier in the day in the northern city of Tripoli. The following Core EAC members were prese [...] |
2008-09-29 11:44:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | ASEC CASC LE MOPS PTER SY |
| 08BEIRUT1415 |
LEBANON: ENERGY MINISTER NOT EAGER FOR PRIVATIZATION, [...] (U) At a two-day workshop on electricity in parliament on September 15-16, Minister of Energy and Water Tabourian said that the best option to solve electricity problems would be continuing state ownership of the power sector, which is of "strategic importance," and corporatization of national [...] |
2008-09-29 13:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1417 |
LEBANON: PRESIDENT SLEIMAN PLEASED WITH U.S. VISIT [...] (C) Two of President Michel Sleiman's Senior Advisors who accompanied him on his first official trip to the United States reported that the President was pleased with his visit, and with the clear message he received of continuing U.S. political and military support for Lebanon. The advisors [...] |
2008-09-29 14:28:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1423 |
LEBANON: DRUG ERADICATION HALTED IN 2006 HAS NOT [...] (C) The Internal Security Forces' (ISF) Counternarcotics Chief said the ISF had to halt its drug eradication efforts in the Bekaa valley agricultural region in 2006 because of the war with Israel and the program has not resumed because police and military personnel were needed to deal with vi [...] |
2008-10-01 14:46:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL SNAR PTER PINR EAID SOCI UNSC NAS SY LE |
| 08BEIRUT1427 |
LEBANON: RESPONSE TO DESIGNATION OF NINE NAMES APPROVED [...] (SBU) Head of the Americas Desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Oussama Khachab orally informed us September 18 that Lebanon undertook the necessary measures regarding the nine names approved by 1267 Sanctions Committee (List 103). He indicated that "the Special Investigation Commissi [...] |
2008-10-02 12:17:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KFTN EFIN PTER PREL PGOV LE |
| 08BEIRUT1428 |
LEBANON: POLITICAL WILL MEANS USG'S CASH TRANSFER [...] (C) There are clear signs that the political will exists in Lebanon, perhaps for the first time in years, to carry out needed structural reforms in the telecommunications and electricity sectors. The relevant ministries are working hard to make the privatization of mobile telecom networks and [...] |
2008-10-02 13:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON EFIN ENRG ECPS LE |
| 08BEIRUT1430 |
LEBANON: DEMARCHE DELIVERED, NO SUBSTANTIVE [...] No summary [...] |
2008-10-02 13:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL |