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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09BEIRUT359 |
LEBANON: UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE UPBEAT ON IRAQI [...] (C) Ambassador and Emboffs met with UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative Stephane Jaquemet on March 25, who described the current condition of Iraqi refugees in Lebanon. Jaquemet reported that he hoped to work with the Government of Lebanon (GOL) to amend its immigration l [...] |
2009-03-27 17:04:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF LE SY SU IR ICJ |
| 09BEIRUT368 |
LEBANON: LOW EXPECTATIONS FOR DOHA SUMMIT [...] (C) Presidential advisor Naji Abi Assi did not expect major results from the March 30 Arab League Summit in Doha, except for a united position in favor of the Arab Peace Initiative. He predicted Arab relations with Iran would be a major, and potentially divisive, topic. He welcomed U.S. over [...] |
2009-03-30 13:45:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KPAL KPKO KWBG MOPS PGOV PHUM PREL AL SU XF |
| 09BEIRUT369 |
LEBANON: FINALLY, POLITICAL CONSENSUS ON CENTRAL BANK [...] (U) On March 26, cabinet appointed four Central Bank of Lebanon (CBL) vice governors after the positions had remained vacant for more than six months because of lack of political consensus on filling them. These positions are traditionally filled by people close to major political leaders on a [...] |
2009-03-30 14:32:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT370 |
LEBANON: FY09 PROHIBITION ON ASSISTANCE TO CENTRAL [...] (SBU) It is post's assessment that Lebanon's budget easily meets the standards of transparency set under Section 7088(c)(1) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2009. 2. (SBU) The GOL makes all its budgets available online, including both [...] |
2009-03-30 14:32:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EAID LE |
| 09BEIRUT371 |
Lebanon: Media Reaction - March 31, 2009 [...] No summary [...] |
2009-03-31 13:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PREL KMDR ORC KPAO KISL KPAL LE |
| 09BEIRUT373 |
LEBANON: WE SHOULD MAINTAIN THE U.S. SUPPORT TO [...] (C) In all but the most pessimistic post-election scenarios, a robust program of U.S. assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) will serve to further our policy goals in Lebanon and the region. Without continued support, the LAF will be unable to address the challenges of terrorism, bord [...] |
2009-03-31 15:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | MCAP PBTS PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT379 |
LEBANON: ELECTIONS SNAPSHOT: BAALBECK-HERMEL [...] (U) This is the fifteenth in a series of snapshots we will produce for key electoral districts ("qada") in the lead-up to the June 7 parliamentary elections. 2. (C) Located in northeast Lebanon, Baalbeck-Hermel is Lebanon's largest electoral district. Baalbeck is known for its agricultural [...] |
2009-04-01 13:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT383 |
LEBANON: CLOSE RACE LIKELY IN BEIRUT FIRST DISTRICT [...] (C) Beirut's first district will witness a close race between March 14 and opposition candidates in the June 7 parliamentary elections. This newly-formed district has five seats, each designated for a separate Christian sect. While March 14-aligned candidates Nayla Tueni and Michel Pharaon a [...] |
2009-04-02 12:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT385 |
LEBANON: UNRWA DIRECTOR--WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF CASH [...] (SBU) In a March 27 meeting with international donors, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Lebanon Director Salvatore Lombardo stressed the dire financial situation that UNRWA faces. Regarding Nahr al-Barid reconstruction, he said the land [...] |
2009-04-02 14:10:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PREF PREL PTER KPAL LE |
| 09BEIRUT39 |
LEBANON: PUBLIC STATEMENTS URGE RESTRAINT, 1701, [...] (SBU) Following the January 8 rocket-launching from southern Lebanon into northern Israel and subsequent Israeli response, Lebanese leaders have urged restraint by actors on both sides. In official statements and press interviews, key political figures have been moderate in tone, emphasizing t [...] |
2009-01-09 15:17:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT396 |
LEBANON: SUGGESTED USG MESSAGING IN THE RUN-UP TO [...] (C) With two months to go before the June 7 parliamentary elections, the race remains too close to call. Both the majority March 14 coalition and the Hizballah-led opposition express confidence that they will win. In the key Christian swing districts, nervous voters are looking to see who ca [...] |
2009-04-06 08:05:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT398 |
LEBANON: ARAB ECONOMIC FORUM FOCUSES ON LEBANON'S [...] (U) On April 2, the 17th annual Arab Economic Forum opened in Beirut. Speakers included PM Siniora, Future Party Leader Saad Hariri, Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, and several prominent business and financial figures. Their remarks focused on the repercussions of the global economic cris [...] |
2009-04-06 11:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT400 |
LEBANON: DEFMIN MURR MAKES A PLEA FOR MORE U.S. [...] (C) On the eve of his trip to Washington, Defense Minister Elias Murr discussed the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) many successes and credited U.S. military assistance. Deeply appreciative of U.S. support, Murr, a leader within Lebanon's Greek Orthodox community, made a plea for an additional cl [...] |
2009-04-06 14:04:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MCAP PGOV PTER PINR MARR MOPS LE |
| 09BEIRUT401 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 IS UNITED, SAYS HARIRI [...] (C) Meeting with the Ambassador April 3, the day after an off-the-record meeting of March 14 leaders, Sunni leader Saad Hariri said the March 14 coalition had agreed on candidate lists in several key districts, including Chouf, Aley, and Baabda, but work remained to be done. Hariri said Druze [...] |
2009-04-06 15:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT403 |
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 in April. Leahy Amendment vetting was conducted at post with no derogatory results. (The list of 100 proposed trainees includes [...] |
2009-04-07 07:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | APER ASEC NAS LE |
| 09BEIRUT404 |
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 April 6, 2009. Leahy Amendment vetting was conducted at post with no derogatory results. (The list of 184 proposed trainees incl [...] |
2009-04-07 07:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | APER ASEC NAS LE |
| 09BEIRUT412 |
LEBANON: CIVIL SOCIETY TELLS DAS SPIRNAK MEPI [...] No summary [...] |
2009-04-08 06:55:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID OPRC PGOV PINS SCUL SOCI KDEM KCRS KISL |
| 09BEIRUT416 |
LEBANON: HIZBALLAH'S ELECTORAL PLATFORM: "RESIST [...] (C) Under the theme of "Resist with your vote," Hizballah formally launched its electoral campaign on April 6. Hizballah MP Mohammed Raad pledged economic, judicial, and political reforms and called for fighting corruption and abolishing political sectarianism. Raad credited Hizballah's Memor [...] |
2009-04-08 16:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT417 |
LEBANON: CIVIL SOCIETY TELLS DAS SPIRNAK MEPI [...] (SBU) In several meetings on March 30-31 with visiting NEA DAS Madelyn Spirnak and the Ambassador, civil society leaders thanked the USG for its support of civil society reform initiatives, mainly through Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) funding. The groups also briefed DAS Spirnak [...] |
2009-04-08 16:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID OPRC PGOV PINS SCUL SOCI KDEM KCRS KISL |
| 09BEIRUT418 |
LEBANON: CANDIDATES REGISTERED... WHAT NEXT? [...] (SBU) Registration of candidates for the June 7 parliamentary elections officially closed at 11:59 pm April 7. The official count of registered candidates reached 702, for the 128 seats in cabinet. Only eight of these are women; Nayla Tueni in Beirut and Education Minister Bahiya Hariri in S [...] |
2009-04-08 17:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR AID LE |
| 09BEIRUT42 |
LEBANON: 2009 BUDGET DRAFT PROJECTS THREE PERCENT GROWTH [...] (U) In a press conference on January 5, Minister of Finance (MOF) Mohammad Chatah indicated that the MOF has submitted to the Cabinet a revised 2009 Budget draft based on new economic projections. The MOF lowered Lebanon's projected GDP growth for 2009 to three from five percent, in light of th [...] |
2009-01-12 11:20:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT421 |
LEBANON: FINMIN CHATAH PROMOTES 1949 ARMISTICE AS [...] (C) In an April 7 meeting with the Ambassador, Finance Minister Mohammad Chatah said the principles of March 14 are still championed by the majority of Lebanese, but the inability of the March 14 moderate coalition to create institutions that represent those principles has been a "major failur [...] |
2009-04-09 17:10:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER ECON EFIN LE IS |
| 09BEIRUT422 |
LEBANON: GOL SIGNS 45 MILLION EURO LOAN WITH [...] (U) The GOL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) March 12 with the Export Development Bank of Iran for the reactivation of a 45 million euro loan signed in 2003. The Ambassador queried Finance Minister Chatah on this development April 7. End summary. 2. (SBU) The visit of Lebanese P [...] |
2009-04-09 17:39:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN PREL PGOV PTER LE IR |
| 09BEIRUT424 |
LEBANON: ELECTORAL PLATFORMS INCLUDE ECONOMIC ISSUES FOR [...] (U) During the week of April 6, three of the major political parties launched their electoral platforms to rally voters for the June 2009 parliamentary elections. For the first time, these electoral platforms tackled economic and social issues. While Lebanese Forces (member of the March 14 co [...] |
2009-04-13 07:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT426 |
LEBANON: JUMBLATT WEARY, BUT STILL WITH MARCH 14 [...] (C) March 14 coalition leader Walid Jumblatt confirmed to the Ambassador April 9 that he was unhappy about "abandoning" two Christian candidates in Aley and Baabda districts, in favor of ones supported by fellow March 14 Christian leaders Samir Geagea and Amine Gemayel. Geagea and Gemayel wer [...] |
2009-04-13 13:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT427 |
LEBANON: TRIPOLI: HARIRI'S CANDIDATE LIST NEARLY [...] (C) March 14 coalition-allied Tripoli MPs Moustafa Allouch and Mosbah al Ahdab, in separate meetings, told the Ambassador that Saad Hariri's candidate list for the district was nearly complete. Allouch, with good grace and laughter, called himself "a victim," but said he was not upset to be d [...] |
2009-04-13 13:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT428 |
LEBANON: REMITTANCES STEADY, FEW RETURNS OF LEBANESE [...] (U) While Lebanon's economy and banking sector made it through the international financial crisis relatively unscathed in 2008, many have worried about the potential impact of Lebanese expatriates losing their jobs in the Gulf and either returning to flood the Lebanese job market, or cutting ba [...] |
2009-04-13 14:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PGOV ELAB PREL LE |
| 09BEIRUT433 |
LEBANON WILL FOLLOW ARAB LEAGUE LEAD ON KOSOVO MEMBERSHIP [...] (SBU) The Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to Finance Minister Mohammad Chatah (Lebanon's World Bank Governor) and Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh (Lebanon's IMF Governor) during separate meetings April 8. 2. (SBU) Chatah expressed enthusiasm for Kosovo's membership, but cautioned th [...] |
2009-04-15 08:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL LE KV |
| 09BEIRUT434 |
LEBANON: AMINE GEMAYEL, GHATTAS KHOURY ON MARCH 14 [...] (C) Meeting with the Ambassador on April 14, Kataeb head Amine Gemayel of the March 14 coalition opposed the formation of a national unity government with a blocking third after June 7 elections. According to Gemayel, March 14 coalition leaders had agreed upon "95 percent" of electoral lists. [...] |
2009-04-15 13:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT436 |
LEBANON WILL FOLLOW ARAB LEAGUE LEAD ON KOSOVO MEMBERSHIP [...] (SBU) The Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to Finance Minister Mohammad Chatah (Lebanon's World Bank Governor) and Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh (Lebanon's IMF Governor) during separate meetings April 8. 2. (SBU) Chatah expressed enthusiasm for Kosovo's membership, but cautioned th [...] |
2009-04-16 09:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL LE KV |
| 09BEIRUT438 |
LEBANON: PM SINIORA TELLS CODEL CARNAHAN JUNE 7 [...] (C) Prime Minister Fouad Siniora told visiting Congressional members Representatives Russ Carnahan (D-MO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Ben Chandler (D-KY), and Diane Watson (D-CA) that Lebanon was committed to hold "completely transparent" parliamentary elections on June 7. He [...] |
2009-04-16 09:46:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE IS IR |
| 09BEIRUT439 |
LEBANON: UNIFIL COMMANDER WITH CODEL CARNAHAN [...] No summary [...] |
2009-04-16 09:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE IS |
| 09BEIRUT440 |
LEBANON: SLEIMAN OPTIMISTIC ABOUT ARAB PEACE WITH [...] (C) Meeting with President Sleiman April 9, visiting Congressional Representatives Russ Carnahan (D-MO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Ben Chandler (D-KY), and Diane Watson (D-CA), accompanied by the Ambassador and Poloff, stressed U.S. support for Lebanon's independence and sover [...] |
2009-04-16 09:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT441 |
Lebanon: Media Reaction - April 16, 2009 [...] No summary [...] |
2009-04-16 10:09:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PREL KMDR OPRC KPAO KISL KPAL |
| 09BEIRUT442 |
LEBANON: POST TERRORISM FINANCE CONTACT [...] (SBU) Embassy Beirut's Terrorism Finance Coordination Officer (TFCO) is: -PolEconOff Megan McCulloch -Contact information: telephone 961 4 542 600, extension 4251; unclassified email mccullochML@state.gov; classified email mccullochML@state.sgov.gov 2. (SBU) Post looks forward to reporti [...] |
2009-04-16 14:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | KTFN EFIN ETTC PTER |
| 09BEIRUT443 |
LEBANON: MIKATI CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT [...] (C) Former Prime Minister Najib Mikati told the Ambassador April 14 that he had compromised with March 14 majority leader Saad Hariri on the candidate list in Tripoli, saying it was far better for the two to work together rather than compete at the expense of the Sunni-dominated community. Mik [...] |
2009-04-16 14:31:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR PTER LE SY EG |
| 09BEIRUT444 |
LEBANON: USAID'S OFFICE OF TRANSITION INITIATIVES [...] Post requests a one year extension to 2011 and additional funding for USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives, which is currently scheduled to conclude in August 2010 following the municipal elections of June 2010. Maintaining USAID/OTI's program for an additional year would allow the US Mis [...] |
2009-04-17 12:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID LE |
| 09BEIRUT445 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 CHRISTIANS STILL FACE INTERNAL CHALLENGES [...] (C) After several days of negotiations with fellow March 14 Christians Michel Murr and Amine Gemayel on the Metn district, candidate Nassib Lahoud pulled out of the race on April 17, telling Ambassador that his two fellow coalition leaders had not "given him what he needed" to contest the election. [...] |
2009-04-17 14:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR EG SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT451 |
LEBANON: TELECOM MINISTRY COMMITTED TO LIBERALIZATION AND [...] (U) On April 15, Minister of Telecommunications Gebran Bassil inaugurated the two-day 9th Arab Telecom & Internet Forum in Beirut with the participation of Telecom Ministers from Syria, Jordan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. Bassil said Lebanon has a clear policy for the telecom sector, consisting [...] |
2009-04-21 09:53:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN ECPS PGOV KIPR LE KCOR |
| 09BEIRUT46 |
LEBANON: NEW ADVOCATES FOR LEBANESE DETAINEES IN [...] (C) On January 5, 2009 a group of Lebanese (many of whom are former detainees in Syria) launched a new organization. "The Association of the Lebanese Political Detainees in Syria" was formed to resolve the issue of Lebanese detainees in Syrian prisons and garner support for those already rele [...] |
2009-01-12 14:16:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT463 |
LEBANON: JUSTICE MINISTER WILL TAKE STL'S CUE ON FOUR GENERALS' DETENTION [...] (C) In an April 22 meeting, Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar confirmed that the GOL had transferred all of its files related to former PM Rafiq Hariri's assassination and the ensuing political assassinations to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL). He expects to learn by April 27 whether STL [...] |
2009-04-23 13:16:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR KJUS UNSC AE SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT465 |
LEBANON: BORDER SECURITY PROGRESS REPORT [...] No summary [...] |
2009-04-23 18:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PBTS PTER UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT466 |
LEBANON: FORTY-FIVE DAYS AND COUNTING TO ELECTION [...] (C) Over the weekend of April 18-19, pro-opposition New TV aired footage of March 14 Druze leader Walid Jumblatt making comments criticizing his March 14 allies Samir Geagea and Saad Hariri, while simultaneously insulting all Maronite Christians and the Sunni fighters who battled Hizballah dur [...] |
2009-04-23 19:18:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PTER LE |
| 09BEIRUT467 |
LEBANON: BORDER SECURITY PROGRESS REPORT [...] (C) On April 22, UN Special Coordinator on Lebanon (UNSCOL) Senior Political Officer Diego Zorrilia evaluated the current state of Lebanese efforts on improving border security as purely "organizational," without significant tangible progress on the ground. Zorrilla described GOL intentions t [...] |
2009-04-23 20:24:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PBTS PTER UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT469 |
LEBANON DEMARCHE RESPONSE: LOAN AGREEMENT WITH [...] (C) On April 21, the Ambassador, accompanied by EconOff, delivered Ref A demarche to Finance Minister Mohammad Chatah. The Ambassador used demarche talking points to urge the Minister to cancel the GOL,s loan with the Export Development Bank of Iran (EDBI). 2. (C) Chatah said he would take [...] |
2009-04-24 14:11:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ETTC KNNP IR PREL PARM XF LE |
| 09BEIRUT470 |
LEBANON: HARIRI DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS "MISTER FIX [...] (C) March 14 Sunni leader Saad Hariri told the Ambassador and DCM April 23 that although relations within the March 14 leadership currently were not at their best, Hariri and his allies would find a solution. Referring to himself as "Mister Fix-it," Hariri said disgruntlement with Druze leade [...] |
2009-04-24 14:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT471 |
LEBANON: UNSCOL WILLIAMS DOWNBEAT ON GHAJAR, MARCH [...] (C) UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) Michael Williams, meeting with the Ambassador and DCM on April 23, expressed dismay at what he saw as a missed opportunity for progress on Ghajar. Williams assessed that new governments on both sides of the border would be less committed to the [...] |
2009-04-24 14:43:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER UNSC LE IS EG |
| 09BEIRUT472 |
LEBANON: FEW SHIA ALTERNATIVES TO HIZBALLAH [...] (C) The Arabic Islamic Council (AIC) emerged in 2006 as a self-declared Arab alternative to Hizballah. AIC attracted the attention of Lebanese and Arab media because of its claims of "promoting a culture of peace and Arab unity" as opposed to Hizballah's culture of "armed resistance" and ties [...] |
2009-04-24 14:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR IR LE |
| 09BEIRUT473 |
LEBANON: UNEMPLOYMENT EXCEEDED 9% IN 2007 AND MAY RISE IN [...] (U) During the week of April 20, the Central Administration of Statistics (CAS) published its latest survey on household living conditions showing that unemployment increased from 8% in 2004 to 9.2% in 2007. The increase was mostly attributed to the July 2006 war against Israel, when over 45,0 [...] |
2009-04-26 04:35:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN ECPS PGOV KIPR LE KCOR |
| 09BEIRUT478 |
Lebanon: Media Reaction - April 27, 2009 [...] No summary [...] |
2009-04-27 11:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PREL KMDR OPRC KPAO KISL KPAL LE |
| 09BEIRUT479 |
LEBANON: NO PROGRESS ON ISSUE OF LEBANESE [...] (C) In August 2008, we reported on the situation of the reported 600-plus Lebanese detainees in Syria and noted the possibility that there might be progress on this issue with the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria, among other factors (Ref B). However, eight m [...] |
2009-04-27 13:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT482 |
LEBANON: SPEAKER BERRI ON ELECTIONS, JUMBLATT, [...] (C) In an April 27 meeting with the Ambassador, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said he had come to agreement with Majority Leader Saad Hariri on a way forward in the Beirut 2 electoral district, but was still at an impasse with his opposition Christian ally Michel Aoun on candidates in Jezzine [...] |
2009-04-28 11:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON LE |
| 09BEIRUT485 |
LEBANON: PM SINIORA: MOVEMENT ON GHAJAR CAN [...] (C) PM Siniora told the Ambassador on April 27 that he believed an Israeli announcement on withdrawal from Ghajar could still have a positive impact on Lebanon's June 7 parliamentary elections. Praising the April 26 visit of Secretary Clinton to Lebanon and the clear U.S. commitment to Lebano [...] |
2009-04-28 13:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR IS LE |
| 09BEIRUT490 |
LEBANON: JUMBLATT REMAINS WITH MARCH 14 DESPITE [...] (C) Meeting with Ambassador April 29, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt gave no indication he is planning to abandon the March 14 ship, despite recent overtures to opposition Speaker Nabih Berri. March 14 had much work to do to win the June 7 parliamentary elections, he admitted, listing several pro [...] |
2009-04-29 17:56:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR IS SA LE |
| 09BEIRUT493 |
LEBANON: SIDON PARLIAMENTARY RACE SYMBOLIC FOR [...] (SBU) Pollsters expect the March 14 Sidon parliamentary slate of Minister of Education Bahia Hariri and Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to defeat opposition candidate Ossama Saad, but the race between Siniora and Saad will be close. Although only one seat is being contested in Sidon, the victor w [...] |
2009-04-30 12:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT495 |
LEBANON: UNRWA DIRECTOR SAYS NAHR AL-BARID [...] (C) In a April 29 meeting with the Ambassador, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Lebanon Director, Salvatore Lombardo, said he was worried about ongoing delays on the GOL side regarding reconstruction efforts for the destroyed Palesti [...] |
2009-04-30 15:33:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF PREL PTER KPAL LE |
| 09BEIRUT496 |
LEBANON: DDEFMIN MURR ON FOUR GENERALS, MARCH 14 [...] (C) Defense Minister Elias Murr told the Ambassador April 30 that the release of the four generals held in connection with the assination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri would provide the opposition with ammunition against March 14. Murr assessed the Christian community was especially [...] |
2009-04-30 16:57:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MCAP PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT497 |
LEBANON: GOL TO SUPPORT U.S. BID FOR UN HUMAN [...] No summary [...] |
2009-05-05 15:00:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM LE |
| 09BEIRUT498 |
LEBANON: POLITICAL ELITE ATTEND AUB PRESIDENT'S [...] (U) Leading figures from Lebanon's political and business communities turned out for the formal inauguration of the new president of the American University of Beirut (AUB), Peter F. Dorman, on May 4. Ambassador and Poloff attended, with ACS Chief in cap and gown representing Columbia Univers [...] |
2009-05-05 15:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | ASCH EAID OEXC OPRC PGOV SCUL KMPI LE |
| 09BEIRUT500 |
LEBANON: FOUR GENERALS' RELEASE: HIZBALLAH DEMANDS "JUDICIAL ACCOUNTABILITY" [...] (C) In a May 1 speech following the release of the four generals detained in connection with Rafiq Hariri's assassination, Hizballah SYG Nasrallah implied that he would now be wary of future STL decisions because he faults the international court for the generals' prolonged detention. Nasrallah als [...] |
2009-05-05 15:36:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT501 |
LEBANON: GEAGEA ON GHAJAR, GENERALS, AND [...] (C) In a May 5 meeting with the Ambassador, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Israel should stress the implementation of UNSCR 1701 as justification for a withdrawal from Ghajar village. He believed that while the Special Tribunal for Lebanon's (STL) authorization for the release of fo [...] |
2009-05-05 18:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE IS SY |
| 09BEIRUT502 |
LEBANON: GOL TAKES PRECAUTIONS AGAINST SWINE FLU (ECONOMIC [...] (U) GOL officials have quickly begun taking necessary precautions to deal with the potential swine flu pandemic. No cases of swine flu have been reported in Lebanon. The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has already banned the import of pigs and pork products (except canned and smoked products), [...] |
2009-05-06 05:36:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EAIR EIND PGOV KFLU LE |
| 09BEIRUT512 |
LEBANON: GHAJAR: UNIFIL COMMANDER GRAZIANO ON [...] (C) In a May 6 meeting at UNIFIL HQ, General Claudio Graziano, Force Commander for UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), emphasized that the current UNIFIL proposal for Israeli withdrawal from northern Ghajar is "unchangeable," in his view. He noted that the June 7 parliamentary elections wil [...] |
2009-05-08 07:07:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT515 |
LEBANON: WITH DAS HALE, SLEIMAN LOOKS AT [...] (C) In a May 8 meeting with President Michel Sleiman, visiting NEA Deputy Assistant Secretary David Hale reiterated continuing U.S. support for Lebanese sovereignty and independence and for the voices of moderation within Lebanon. Sleiman predicted that the June 7 parliamentary elections woul [...] |
2009-05-09 10:11:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT516 |
LEBANON: ELECTRICITY FROM EGYPT EXPECTED TO RELIEVE POWER [...] (U) On April 27, Lebanon started receiving 50 megawatts (MGW) electricity from Egypt as a start, following the signing of an agreement in February 2009 whereby Egypt would sell Lebanon between 150 and 450 MGW electricity through the power grid passing through Jordan and Syria. The additional e [...] |
2009-05-11 05:21:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EAIR EIND PGOV KFLU LE |
| 09BEIRUT517 |
LEBANON: WITH DAS HALE, GEAGEA FEARS HIZBALLAH [...] (C) On May 8, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea proposed to visiting NEA DAS David Hale that the U.S. lend "silent support" to March 14 in the weeks before the June 7 parliamentary elections. He specifically advised us to stop expressing support for "moderates." Admitting the March 14 coal [...] |
2009-05-11 06:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC KPAL IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT518 |
LEBANON: WITH NEA DAS HALE, FM SALLOUKH SAYS [...] (C) In a May 9 meeting, Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh and visiting NEA DAS David Hale discussed Middle East peace and the Administration's commitment to working toward comprehensive peace with a sense of urgency. Salloukh dismissed Israeli comments about the need for "economic peace" befor [...] |
2009-05-11 07:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR PREF UNSC MARR MOPS IS |
| 09BEIRUT522 |
LEBANON: ARMENIAN TASHNAQ WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT [...] (C) Armenian opposition Tashnaq MP Hagop Pakradunian expressed his party's support for President Michel Sleiman and said the party will side with Sleiman in case of a dispute between the president and Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Michel Aoun who is their political ally for the election [...] |
2009-05-11 11:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT523 |
LEBANON: SCENESETTER FOR U/S STUART LEVEY'S VISIT [...] (SBU) You arrive three weeks before Lebanon's June 7 parliamentary elections, in which the current moderate March 14 majority faces a tough battle against the Hizballah-led opposition. The race is still too close to call, but the outcome will hinge on the electoral results in a few key Christ [...] |
2009-05-11 15:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | EFIN ETTC PARM KNNP EAID PTER LE |
| 09BEIRUT525 |
FY10 IVLP CANDIDATES FOR LEBANON [...] The following is the mission's FY10 slate of 21 candidates for multi-regional (MRP) and regional projects (RP), including one nomination for the Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists. Nominees have Country Team approval and Front Office clearance. 2. Nominees by program: -Combating Tr [...] |
2009-05-12 08:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | SCUL OEXC KPAO LE |
| 09BEIRUT527 |
LEBANON: NDI DELEGATION HEADED BY MADELEINE [...] (SBU) Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visited Beirut May 5-8 as the co-chair of a high-profile team (with former Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark) to assess preparations for the June 7 parliamentary elections on behalf of the National Democratic Institute (NDI). The delegat [...] |
2009-05-12 13:15:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KDEM LE |
| 09BEIRUT53 |
LEBANON: DEFMIN MURR: WE ARE TAKING STEPS TO [...] (C ) Defense Minister Elias Murr on January 13 asked that the USG convey to Israel what the GOL is doing to prevent another rocket attack against Israel from Lebanese territory. Murr said he had directed the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to cooperate with UNIFIL to control southern Lebanon and p [...] |
2009-01-13 15:58:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR MARR MOPS SY IR IS LE |
| 09BEIRUT530 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 MP HARB FEARS IRANIAN [...] (C) In a May 11 meeting, March 14 MP Boutros Harb told Ambassador that the Iranian presence, through Hizballah, created a situation in Lebanon worse than when Syria was in control. He warned that Lebanon could not survive in this present state of affairs. Harb called Free Patriotic Movement [...] |
2009-05-12 14:32:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR SY IS IR LE |
| 09BEIRUT531 |
LEBANON: ECONOMY MINISTER WANTS SAAD HARIRI AS THE [...] (C) Economy and Trade Minister and MP Mohammed Safadi declared that current majority leader Saad Hariri should be the next PM, regardless of whether Hariri's March 14 coalition or opposition March 8 holds the majority after the June 7 parliamentary elections. Safadi, who is allied with Hariri [...] |
2009-05-12 14:54:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE |
| 09BEIRUT534 |
LEBANON: PM: GHAJAR WITHDRAWAL WOULD SHOW THAT [...] (C) In a May 9 meeting with NEA Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Hale, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora expressed the need for March 14's leaders to come together in the run-up to the June 7 parliamentary elections. Siniora added that the release of the four generals would not [...] |
2009-05-14 08:05:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL PTER PREF UNSC FR IR IS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT535 |
LEBANON: SAAD HARIRI CONFIDENT ON ELECTIONS [...] (C) In his May 8 meeting with March 14 coalition leader Saad Hariri, visiting NEA DAS David Hale assured Hariri that the U.S. has not and will not sacrifice Lebanese sovereignty as it engages Syria. Hariri expressed confidence in the March 14 coalition's election prospects. Complaining that h [...] |
2009-05-14 08:10:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT536 |
LEBANON: ELECTIONS: GEMAYEL TELLS NEA DAS HALE [...] (C) In a May 9 meeting, visiting NEA DAS David Hale discussed with former President Amine Gemayel the June 7 parliamentary elections and the possible consequences of a Hizballah-controlled government. Gemayel's son Sami assessed the election as a "tough race," and claimed Hizballah had "limit [...] |
2009-05-14 08:21:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT537 |
LEBANON: JUMBLATT SAYS HE RECEIVED "ENOUGH" FUNDS [...] (C) March 14 Druze leader Walid Jumblatt told the Ambassador that he and Sunni leader Saad Hariri had "very good" meetings with Saudi King Abdullah, Prince Mukrin, and other Saudi officials during a brief visit to the Kingdom May 9-10. Jumblatt said the Saudis had recently given cash injectio [...] |
2009-05-14 08:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE SA |
| 09BEIRUT538 |
LEBANON: ARCHBISHOP AUDI EXPRESSES FEAR OF [...] (C) Orthodox Christian Archbishop Audi, meeting with NEA Deputy Assistant Secretary Hale on May 9, at turns decried the political season in Lebanon; emphasized the need for Lebanese to be beholden to the state and its institutions; expressed his fear that the Shi'a population, with Hizballah [...] |
2009-05-14 11:17:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV UNSC IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT539 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 LEADERS AIR FRUSTRATIONS [...] (C) At a May 9 dinner hosted by March 14 MP Nayla Mouawad, visiting NEA DAS David Hale discussed June 7 parliamentary election outcomes and consequences. Minister of State Nassib Lahoud critiqued March 14 campaign failings and adamantly denied any possibility he would participate in March 14 p [...] |
2009-05-14 11:19:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT540 |
LEBANON: ZAHLE A KEY DISTRICT IN BATTLE BETWEEN [...] (C) Zahle will be a key district in the upcoming June 7 parliamentary elections; the next majority in parliament depends, in part, on who wins in Zahle. As of May 14, neither March 8 nor March 14 had officially announced their candidate lists, at a time when nearly all of the districts have d [...] |
2009-05-14 11:21:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT541 |
LEBANON: UNSCOL DOWNBEAT ON MARCH 14'S CHANCES [...] (C) UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams raised with NEA DAS Hale and Ambassador the idea of delaying any possible Israeli withdrawal from Ghajar village until after the Lebanese election on June 7, so as to avoid opponents of the Siniora government using the charge that Israel is t [...] |
2009-05-14 11:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT544 |
LEBANON: DEFMIN MURR: VOTERS DO NOT LINK AOUN WITH [...] (C) Defense Minister Elias Murr told visiting NEA DAS David Hale that Christian voters do not understand that a vote for Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun is a vote for his ally, Hizballah. He said it was imperative that March 14 leaders communicate this message before the June 7 par [...] |
2009-05-14 13:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT546 |
LEBANON: PATRIARCH'S DISPLEASURE WITH AOUN'S [...] (C) In a May 13 meeting with the Ambassador, Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir declared that Free Patriotic Party (FPM) leader Michel Aoun's ambitions were too "hard to satisfy," and complained that Aoun wanted to be Lebanon's president "at any price." Sfeir also condemned Aoun for [...] |
2009-05-14 15:53:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT547 |
LEBANON: SAAD HARIRI CONFIRMS MARCH 14 HAS WHAT IT [...] (C) March 14 majority leader Saad Hariri told the Ambassador that the members of the coalition's leadership were now all "satisfied" that they would receive adequate financing for their electoral campaigns after his May 9-10 visit to Saudi Arabia. Hariri said his March 14 colleagues would hav [...] |
2009-05-14 16:04:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE SA |
| 09BEIRUT548 |
LEBANON: PSP LEADER WALID JUMBLATT CONFIRMS HIS [...] (C) At a dinner hosted in honor of visiting NEA DAS Hale, March 14 Druze leader Walid Jumblatt said there were still some problems with March 14 candidate lists, notably in Beirut I and Keserwan Jumblatt reaffirmed his commitment to March 14 and disclosed that a meeting for the coalition would [...] |
2009-05-15 07:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT550 |
LEBANON: UNSCOL SAYS ISRAELI HANDOVER OF STRIKE [...] (C) UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams, and UNSCOL Poloff Rami Shehadeh briefed the Ambassador about the recent Israeli hand over of cluster bomb strike data to the GOL and provided a readout of Williams' May 8 - 10 trips to Israel and Turkey. Williams said issue number one f [...] |
2009-05-15 12:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IR IS LE |
| 09BEIRUT551 |
LEBANON: FREE PATRIOTIC MOVEMENT LEADER MICHEL [...] (C) In two separate May 14 meetings, Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) candidate Alain Aoun and senior advisor to Speaker Berri (Amal) Ali Hamdan confirmed that the public rift between FPM leader Michel Aoun and Speaker Berri was not resolved. Nevertheless, on May 14 FPM and Amal ministers voted [...] |
2009-05-15 15:16:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT552 |
LEBANON: 2009 SPECIAL 301 [...] (SBU) Econoff delivered reftel demarche to acting Director General of the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MOET) Fouad Fleifel on May 7. In addition, Post sent the Special 301 report and comments to senior and working level contacts at the Ministries of Culture, Health, Finance, Justice, and Adm [...] |
2009-05-18 04:36:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN ETRD KIPR PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT556 |
LEBANON: TREASURY UNDER SECRETARY EXPRESSES PRAISE FOR [...] (U) Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey visited Beirut on May 15. He met with Minister of Finance Mohammad Chatah, the four Central Bank Vice Governors, Chairman of the Banking Control Commission Walid Alameddine, and members of the banking com [...] |
2009-05-18 15:16:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EAIR EIND PGOV KFLU LE |
| 09BEIRUT558 |
LEBANON: DEFMIN MURR AND LAF KAHWAJI UNWORRIED [...] (C) In separate meetings with visiting U.S. Special Operations Commander Admiral Eric Olson and the Ambassador, Defense Minister Elias Murr and LAF Commander Jean Kahwaji expressed appreciation for U.S. military aid to Lebanon, calling it crucial to the continued improvement of Lebanon's armed [...] |
2009-05-19 13:10:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR PBTS UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT56 |
LEBANON STARTS DISBURSING ASSISTANCE TO GAZA; LAUNCHES [...] (SBU) Lebanon has begun disbursing its $1 million assistance pledge to Gaza, sending a first shipment of medical supplies and blankets via Jordan on January 3. Subsequent deliveries will depend on needs submitted by the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza. The Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue C [...] |
2009-01-14 08:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID PREL LE GZ |
| 09BEIRUT560 |
Lebanon: Media Reaction - May 19, 2009 [...] No summary [...] |
2009-05-19 14:07:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PREL KMDR OPRC KPAO KISL KPAL LE |
| 09BEIRUT562 |
LEBANON: NASRALLAH SPEECHES COULD HELP MARCH 14 [...] (C) March 14 Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, in a May 19 meeting with the Ambassador, was optimistic about March 14's chances in upcoming parliamentary elections. He noted that coalition leaders had agreed upon lists in all but one district, Beirut 1. Discussing Hizballah Secretary Gener [...] |
2009-05-19 16:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT563 |
LEBANON: NASRALLAH UPS ELECTORAL ANTE IN FIERY [...] (C) Three weeks before the June 7 parliamentary elections, Hizballah SYG Hassan Nasrallah appeared in two televised speeches on May 15 and May 18. His speeches glorified the events of May 7, 2008 and highlighted Hizballah's preparations for any future conflict with Israel. Nasrallah taunted [...] |
2009-05-19 18:00:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR IS LE |
| 09BEIRUT564 |
BEIRUT EAC MEETING OF MAY 19, 2009 [...] (U) At 1000 hours on Tuesday, May 19, 2009, DCM convened an Emergency Action Committee (EAC) meeting. Present were DCM, POL, MGMT, INL, RAO, LEGATT, MLE, PD, USAID, CONS, RSO, DAO and ODC. 2. (U) The purpose of the EAC, per reftel, was to assess the impact on security of US government faci [...] |
2009-05-20 09:08:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | ASEC CASC LE MOPS PTER SY |
| 09BEIRUT565 |
LEBANON: LEBANESE YOUTH COALITION AGAINST CORRUPTION [...] (SBU) On Saturday My 9, 2009, a new anti-corruption movement, the "ebanese Youth Coalition against Corruption" (LYCAC was launched in Beirut. This coalition was launched by the Youth Civil Society & Leadership (YCSL) program as a joint initiative between the Lebanese Transparency Association (L [...] |
2009-05-20 10:54:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID PGOV PHUM SOCI KDEM KMPI LE |
| 09BEIRUT569 |
LEBANON: MINISTER OF INTERIOR CONFIDENT ON [...] (SBU) In a May 19 meeting hosted by UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) Michael Williams, Minister of Interior Ziyad Baroud, the lead GOL official responsible for elections, provided a detailed update to the donor community on the preparations for the June 7 parliamentary elections. [...] |
2009-05-20 17:32:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KDEM PGOV PHUM PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT570 |
LEBANON: PRESIDENT SLEIMAN: ONE YEAR IN OFFICE [...] (C) During his first year in office, President Michel Sleiman has emerged as a popular leader who has sought a "middle road" to defuse Lebanon's confessional tensions. Since his May 25, 2008 swearing in, Sleiman has worked to polish Lebanon's international stature. Lebanon and Syria establish [...] |
2009-05-20 17:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT571 |
LEBANON: AOUN HAS LOST METN VOTES, MICHEL MURR [...] (C) Metn political heavyweight Michel Murr, meeting with the Ambassador on May 20, expressed confidence that March 14 would win the upcoming parliamentary elections, although he expected the result to be close. Murr disclosed that President Sleiman was feeling frustrated with Lebanon's electo [...] |
2009-05-20 19:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT577 |
LEBANON: NASRALLAH DEFENDS HIMSELF, PRAISES [...] (C) Hizballah SYG Hassan Nasrallah delivered two speeches on May 22 and May 25 to mark the ninth anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from South Lebanon. His speeches attempted to respond to critics of his recent comments praising Hizballah's actions in May 7, 2008 events and calling for the [...] |
2009-05-26 16:26:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE SA |
| 09BEIRUT578 |
LEBANON: ON ELECTION DAY, WILL MOBILE NETWORK BE [...] (SBU) Following the reduction in mobile fees and charges by Ministry of Telecommunications (MOT), Lebanese consumers have rushed to acquire new mobile lines, now more affordable to low income users. Advisor to MOT Minister Antoine Boustani told us the two private companies managing the GOL-own [...] |
2009-05-27 08:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EAIR EIND PGOV KFLU LE |
| 09BEIRUT580 |
LEBANON: RUSSIAN FM LAVROV DISCUSSES MIDDLE EAST, [...] (C) Russian FM Sergei Lavrov made a one-day visit to Lebanon May 25. Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Alexander Chvykov told the DCM on May 27 that the trip had three purposes: discuss bilateral relations, express support for Lebanon's stability ahead of the June 7 parliamentary elections and [...] |
2009-05-27 15:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | LE PGOV PINR PREL SA RU |
| 09BEIRUT584 |
LEBANON:HIZBALLAH DOES NOT WANT WAR, LAF CHIEF [...] (C) In a May 27 meeting with Codel Ackerman, Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander Jean Kahwagi stressed disarming Hizballah was not simply an internal Lebanese problem, but a regional and international problem, dealt with best through political and diplomatic efforts. Israel's continued occu [...] |
2009-05-28 12:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT585 |
LEBANON: WITH 12 DAYS TO GO, MARCH 14 PUTS ON A [...] (C) In a strong last-minute show of unity, just 12 days before the June 7 parliamentary elections, March 14 leaders met at the Bristol Hotel on May 26, presenting a joint communique outlining the coalition's positions on key issues. The communique expressed support for UNSCR 1701 and the Spec [...] |
2009-05-28 13:09:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC KPAL SY IS IR LE |
| 09BEIRUT587 |
LEBANON: ELECTION DISPUTE BODY FINALLY NAMED [...] (C) The Lebanese cabinet on May 27 appointed the final five members to the Constitutional Council, completing the formation of the body that will consider disputes over the June 7 parliamentary election results. This was a critical step to ensure the upcoming elections are seen as free and fa [...] |
2009-05-29 08:24:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT590 |
LEBANON: WITH CODEL ACKERMAN, SINIORA PUSHES FOR [...] (C) In a discussion May 27 with CODEL Ackerman, Prime Minister Siniora blamed Israel for many of the region's problems and pushed for U.S. support for an equitable solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Solving the Palestinian problem, he said, would solve other regional problems, including I [...] |
2009-05-29 11:19:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER UNSC KPAL IR LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT592 |
LEBANON: VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN MEETS MARCH 14 [...] (C) Meeting with visiting Vice President Joe Biden, senior March 14 leaders thanked the United States for its continuing strong support for Lebanese sovereignty and institutions, especially the Lebanese Armed Forces. They welcomed U.S. efforts to stem the flow of weapons to Hizballah and sai [...] |
2009-05-29 14:54:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | OVIP PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE SY IS IR |
| 09BEIRUT593 |
LEBANON: VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN ASSURE SLEIMAN: NO [...] (C) Vice President Joe Biden visited Lebanon on May 22, the first visit by a U.S vice president since 1983. Regional peace talks topped the agenda of his meeting with President Michel Sleiman, including the issue of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and the roles of both Syria and Iran. Biden [...] |
2009-05-29 15:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | SECRET | OVIP PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC KPAL SY IS IRLE |
| 09BEIRUT594 |
LEBANON: JUMBLATT TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAY [...] (C) On a popular political talk show televised live May 28, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt called on March 14 leader Saad Hariri to seek only the truth, and not justice, from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, believing that justice that incriminates Hizballah could spark "internal sedition"; i.e. [...] |
2009-05-29 15:26:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MOPS MARR LE |
| 09BEIRUT595 |
LEBANON: WITH CODEL ACKERMAN, MARCH 14 FIGURES [...] (C) March 14 figures Amine Gemayel, Samir Geagea, Mohammed Chatah, and Marwan Hamadeh stressed to Codel Ackerman on May 27 the importance of the June 7 parliamentary elections in determining Lebanon's sovereignty. Concerned about the period after the elections, the four agreed that if it reta [...] |
2009-05-29 15:29:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC IS KPAL SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT596 |
LEBANON: VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN WITH PM SINIORA [...] (C) In a May 22 meeting with Vice President Joe Biden, PM Siniora thanked the United States for its support for Lebanon's institutions, sovereignty and independence. He added that Lebanon supports Israeli-Palestinian peace, but not if the ultimate solution involves permanent resettlement of [...] |
2009-05-29 15:33:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | OVIP PGOV PREL PTER PREF KPAL UNSC IR IS LE |
| 09BEIRUT597 |
LEBANON: VICE PRESIDENT TELLS SPEAKER BERRI U.S. [...] (C) Vice President Biden told Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri that his May 22 visit to Lebanon was designed to send a strong message from the Obama administration that the U.S. supports a sovereign, independent Lebanon with strong institutions and was committed to achieving a compre [...] |
2009-05-29 15:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | OVIP PREL PGOV PINR LE SY IS IR |
| 09BEIRUT598 |
LEBANON: TREASURY U/S LEVEY DISCUSSES HIZBALLAH, [...] (C) Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey, accompanied by the Ambassador, reaffirmed to Lebanese interlocutors at the Central Bank of Lebanon, the Banking ControlCommission, Ministry of Finance, and private sectr bankers that the U.S. valued its coopera [...] |
2009-06-01 10:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ETTC PREL PGOV PTER PINR LE IR |
| 09BEIRUT599 |
LEBANON: PRESIDENT SLEIMAN'S POST-ELECTION AGENDA [...] (C) President Michel Sleiman, in an energetic May 27 speech to mark the anniversary of his first year in office, called for action on a broad domestic agenda, to be led by him if, he implied, the new government is too divided to get anything done. His words and tone previewed a potentially mo [...] |
2009-06-01 14:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT60 |
LEBANON: GOL RESPONDS CALMLY BUT FIRMLY TO SECOND [...] (C) On the morning of January 14, unknown persons in the Arqub region in south Lebanon launched rockets towards Israel, after which the there was artillery fire from Israel to the suspected launch area. This is the second rocket attack from Lebanon into Israel in one week. The second attack [...] |
2009-01-14 18:15:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT601 |
LEBANON: IMF DENIES DISCUSSIONS WITH HIZBALLAH ON NEW [...] (SBU) An IMF press statement clarified that the IMF February-March 2009 mission to Beirut met with major political parties, including Hizballah, as part of outreach activities within the scope of Article IV consultation discussions but did not make any agreement with Hizballah on a loan deal. [...] |
2009-06-01 15:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EAIR EIND PGOV KFLU LE |
| 09BEIRUT605 |
LEBANON: NEW SAUDI AMBASSADOR SAYS HIZBALLAH [...] (C) The new Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon, Ali Saeed Awadh Asseri, told the Ambassador June 1 that Hizballah Deputy Secretary General Naim Qassem was worried that if the Hizballah-led March 8 alliance won the majority in Lebanon's June 7 parliamentary elections, the March 14 coalition would not [...] |
2009-06-02 14:45:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE SA PK |
| 09BEIRUT606 |
LEBANON: OPPOSITION CANDIDATES ACCUSE SLEIMAN OF [...] (C) Not surprisingly, opposition candidates have accused President Sleiman of "interfering" in the upcoming June 7 parliamentary elections. Sleiman was accused of interfering in several Christian districts against candidates of Michel Aoun, a candidate who is aligned with Aoun complained to us [...] |
2009-06-02 15:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT617 |
LEBANON: PRAISE FOR PRESIDENT'S "HISTORIC [...] (C) Emboffs heard from a number of Lebanese contacts, including Sunni and Shia Muslims and Christians, much praise for President Obama's June 4 speech to the Muslim world. Though many Lebanese were preoccupied with the parliamentary elections three days away, those who watched the speech told [...] |
2009-06-04 16:39:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE |
| 09BEIRUT622 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14: "CHRISTIAN MOMENTUM MOVING TO [...] (C) A group of March 14 candidates gathered at lunch a few days before the June 7 vote told us securing the majority of the Christian vote -- keeping opposition Christian leader Michel Aoun from getting it -- remains the key to March 14 victory in the elections. They complained that the Super [...] |
2009-06-05 10:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PHUM PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT623 |
LEBANON: PREPARATIONS FOR ELECTIONS [...] (C) In the final UN-sponsored election forum before the June 7 election, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) Michael Williams told the donor community that the current security situation in the country appeared good, but noted it would not be a surprise to see an increase in tensions be [...] |
2009-06-05 11:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PHUM PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT624 |
LEBANON: CAMPAIGN ISSUE: THE ELECTIONS AND THE [...] (C) Both the March 14 coalition and the opposition are seeking to capitalize on the possible economic impact of the international community's reactions to the June 7 parliamentary elections to gain votes. March 14 leaders have floated the idea that an opposition-led Lebanese government would [...] |
2009-06-05 12:57:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER EFIN MARR LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT627 |
LEBANON: OPINION-MAKER REACTION: "PRESIDENT [...] (C) The Ambassador gathered a group of eight influential opinion-makers June 4 for a roundtable discussion following President Obama's speech from Cairo University. The group agreed that the speech was "culturally sensitive" and a positive first step to engagement with the Arab world. However [...] |
2009-06-05 14:39:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE IS |
| 09BEIRUT629 |
LEBANON: HEAVY TURNOUT AS POLLS OPEN COUNTRY-WIDE [...] (SBU) Lebanon's 2009 parliamentary elections began in an atmosphere of relative calm today, with heavy voter turnout and an atmosphere of anticipation and excitement. Security forces are deployed country-wide, manning checkpoints, controlling minor security incidents, and conducting thorough [...] |
2009-06-07 08:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT63 |
LEBANON: ASSESSING THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL [...] (SBU) The international financial crisis is not expected to affect the results of ongoing bilateral assistance programs in Lebanon. As highlighted in detail in Ref B, Lebanon has sofar managed to avoid most of the impact of the global financial crisis. Lebanese banks have minimal lQks to forei [...] |
2009-01-15 12:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT630 |
LEBANON: HIGH TURNOUT; POLLS CLOSE AND THE WAITING [...] (SBU) Polls for the June 7 parliamentary elections closed at 1900 and vote-counting commenced. Voter turnout was quite high. The Interior Ministry estimated that turnout reached 52 percent, 20 percent higher than the turnout in the last parliamentary elections in 2005. Voters complained of [...] |
2009-06-07 18:16:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT631 |
LEBANON: PRELIMINARY RESULTS SUGGEST MARCH 14 WINS [...] (SBU) Preliminary, unofficial results from IFES, political party representatives, and media outlets indicate that Saad Hariri's March 14 coalition and pro-March 14 independents won the majority in the June 7 parliamentary elections with as many as 71 out of 128 seats. From his Qoreitem residen [...] |
2009-06-08 08:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT632 |
LEBANON: SECRETARY LAHOOD CONGRATULATES SLEIMAN ON [...] (C) In a June 7 election day meeting with Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, President Michel Sleiman was pleased to see elections taking place peacefully in one day. He predicted the difference between majority and opposition would be only two or three seats, and said the close elections [...] |
2009-06-08 12:34:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE IS |
| 09BEIRUT633 |
LEBANON: OFFICIAL RESULTS CONFIRM MARCH 14'S [...] No summary [...] |
2009-06-08 15:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT634 |
LEBANON: OFFICIAL RESULTS CONFIRM MARCH 14'S [...] (C) By mid-day on June 8, Interior Minister Baroud completed the official announcements of the names of the 128 winning candidates in the June 7 elections. The announcements confirmed that 71 seats went to the March 14-led coaltion and 57 to the current opposition, so March 14 kept its parlia [...] |
2009-06-09 07:07:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT639 |
LEBANON: HIZBALLAH CONCILIATORY, EXCEPT TO U.S., [...] (C) Lebanese interlocutors and international observers expressed general praise for the conduct of the elections and hope for more electoral reform. Hizballah's SYG Hassan Nasrallah, in a post election speech on June 8, congratulated "the winners," but cautioned that while they hold the major [...] |
2009-06-10 06:57:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT643 |
LEBANON: PM SINIORA CALLS FOR EXTENDING HAND TO [...] (C) In a June 8 meeting with visiting Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and the Ambassador, Prime Minister and Sidon MP-elect Fouad Siniora hailed March 14's victory in the June 7 parliamentary elections (reftel) as the "end of an era" that firmly established the majority's political legi [...] |
2009-06-10 10:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | OVIP PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC KPAL SY IS IR |
| 09BEIRUT644 |
LEBANON: HARIRI SAYS HE'LL BE PRIME MINISTER, [...] (C) March 14 coalition and Future party leader Saad Hariri told visiting Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and the Ambassador on June 8 that he would be Lebanon's next Prime Minister following March 14's victory in the June 7 parliamentary elections (reftel). One of his priorities as Pri [...] |
2009-06-10 10:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | OVIP PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC KPAL SY IS IR |
| 09BEIRUT645 |
LEBANON: GEAGEA ON ELECTIONS, SECURITY, AND [...] (C) In a June 9 meeting with the Ambassador, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea hailed March 14's victory in the June 7 parliamentary elections (Ref A) as a "big manifestation of democracy in the Middle East." Satisfied with the outcome of the results, Geagea said March 14 must now move away [...] |
2009-06-10 12:34:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE IS SY |
| 09BEIRUT646 |
LEBANON: AFTER "IDEAS ELECTION", ANALYSTS URGE USG [...] (C) Discussing the June 7 election results at a June 9 dinner hosted by the DCM, political analysts reached mixed conclusions on whether Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun "won or lost" the elections. While Aoun received a majority of Christian votes, he won by slimmer margins than in [...] |
2009-06-10 14:57:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT647 |
LEBANON: SCENESETTER FOR S/E GEORGE MITCHELL'S [...] (C) Embassy Beirut welcomes your visit, which comes just five days after Lebanon's June 7 parliamentary elections in which the pro-western March 14 coalition won the majority by an unexpected margin. Lebanese officials have eagerly anticipated your trip to Beirut since your appointment was an [...] |
2009-06-10 15:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV UNSC MARR MOPS LE IS SY IR |
| 09BEIRUT653 |
LEBANON: ELECTION ANALYSIS: HOW DID THE LEBANESE [...] (C) A district-by-district analysis of the results of the June 7 parliamentary elections reveals that voters of all confessions voted mostly for full slates of candidates, rather than for individual candidates. Sunnis, Shia, and Druze voted solidly for their respective political blocs, and i [...] |
2009-06-11 14:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT654 |
LEBANON: GEMAYEL SAYS MARCH 14 MUST STAND FIRM [...] (C) In a June 10 meeting with the Ambassador, Kataeb Party leader Amine Gemayel stressed that March 14 must be strong in opposing a blocking third for the opposition in the new cabinet, even if government formation takes longer as a result. He worried that some of his March 14 allies would be [...] |
2009-06-11 14:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT655 |
LEBANON: JUMBLATT SAYS S/E MITCHELL SHOULD FOCUS [...] (C) Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, in a June 10 meeting with the Ambassador, advised that Special Envoy George Mitchell should secure a freeze on Israeli settlements in order that President Obama's peace efforts succeed. Asked about Lebanon's role in regional peace, he half-joked "We cannot aff [...] |
2009-06-11 15:05:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT656 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 SYG TO PUSH FOR STRONGER [...] (C) Following March 14's victory in the June 7 parliamentary elections (Ref B), March 14 Secretariat SYG Fares Souaid is intent on carrying on the work of the Secretariat, which held its first post-election meeting on June 10. Souaid believed the elections proved opposition Christian leader M [...] |
2009-06-11 15:17:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | OVIP PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC KPAL SY IS IR |
| 09BEIRUT658 |
LEBANON: EGYPT WILL SUPPLY LEBANON WITH NATURAL GAS [...] (U) Minister of Energy and Water Alain Tabourian announced the signing on April 30 of an agreement with Egypt, whereby Egypt will supply Lebanon with a total of 600 cubic meters of natural gas per year. This agreement is part of the regional power grid project, which includes Lebanon and Egypt [...] |
2009-06-12 13:56:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EAIR EIND PGOV KFLU LE |
| 09BEIRUT659 |
LEBANON: AOUN RE-EMERGES, DEMANDING PROPORTIONAL [...] (C) Following his Change and Reform parliamentary bloc's June 10 meeting and in his first public appearance since the June 7 parliamentary elections, MP Michel Aoun announced that if there is a national unity government, his parliamentary bloc would expect a share of seats proportional to its [...] |
2009-06-12 14:45:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE |
| 09BEIRUT66 |
LEBANON: URGING GOL ACTION TO STEM UNSCR 1701 [...] (U) Action request: see para 7 2. (C) Per instructions in reftel, Charge and other emboffs on January 15 conveyed to senior GOL and political officials points about the risks of continued rocket attacks directed at Israel from Lebanese territory. Charge spoke to senior aides to the Preside [...] |
2009-01-15 16:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL IR LE |
| 09BEIRUT662 |
Lebanon: Media Reaction - June 15, 2009 [...] No summary [...] |
2009-06-15 11:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PREL KMDR OPRC KPAO KISL KPAL LE |
| 09BEIRUT664 |
LEBANON: CABINET FINALLY APPROVES 2009 BUDGET; SENDS TO [...] (SBU) After almost six months of heated discussions, the cabinet approved the 2009 budget during its June 12 session. The budget projects a deficit of approximately 30% of spending and around 10% of GDP. The budget includes appropriations for the Council of the South of around $40 million -- [...] |
2009-06-15 13:07:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EAIR EIND PGOV KFLU LE |
| 09BEIRUT665 |
LEBANON: IRENA DEMARCHE RESPONSE [...] (SBU) Post delivered reftel demarches June 12 to Ministry of Foreign Affairs Directorate of International Organizations Walid Haidar. Haidar noted that Lebanon will attend the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) preparatory meeting June 28-30 in Egypt. Lebanese representatives have [...] |
2009-06-15 14:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG KGHG SENV |
| 09BEIRUT668 |
LEBANON: REACTION TO PM NETANYAHU'S JUNE 14 SPEECH [...] (C) Lebanese reaction to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's June 14 speech was mostly negative (Ref A). President Sleiman termed the Netanyahu speech as "hard lined" in a statement issued June 15, while PM Siniora termed it "extremely dangerous." The only positive acknowledgment note [...] |
2009-06-17 05:08:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV UNSC LE IS |
| 09BEIRUT670 |
LEBANON: TOYING WITH NABIH BERRI OVER SPEAKER [...] (C) There have been calls by some in March 14 for Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri not to be reelected to his post unless he commits to conditions, such as promising not to close the Parliament arbitrarily as he did for 18 months pre-Doha. Senior March 14 leaders like Hariri and Jumblatt app [...] |
2009-06-17 13:05:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | LE PGOV PINR PREL SY |
| 09BEIRUT671 |
LEBANON: DEMARCHE: SUPPORT U.S. CANDIDATE FOR UN [...] No summary [...] |
2009-06-17 14:01:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT672 |
LEBANON: DEMARCHE RESPONSE: HAGUE CODE OF [...] (C) PolOff delivered demarche requesting Lebanese support for nonproliferation efforts by subscribing to the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC) to Majid Ramadan, Head of the Americas Desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), on May 14. On June 17 Hazem Ab [...] |
2009-06-17 14:02:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT674 |
LEBANON: BERRI SAYS SPEAKER ELECTION AT END OF JUNE [...] (C) In a June 16 meeting with the Ambassador, a relaxed Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri expressed satisfaction regarding the recent legislative elections and predicted cabinet formation would occur smoothly and quickly. Berri has made clear publicly and privately that he supports Saad Harir [...] |
2009-06-17 15:12:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE IR |
| 09BEIRUT679 |
LEBANON: NASRALLAH CRITIQUES LEBANESE ELECTIONS, [...] (C) Hizballah SYG Hassan Nasrallah gave a lengthy speech the evening of June 17 in which he critiqued Lebanon's June 7 parliamentary elections. While Nasrallah accepted the defeat of the Hizballah-led opposition, he claimed the opposition had maintained the largest share of popular, moral and [...] |
2009-06-19 12:24:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV LE IR |
| 09BEIRUT68 |
LEBANON: LEAHY VETTING FOR PARTICIPANTS IN THE DRUG [...] (U) The following names and biographic information is provided regarding participants in the DEA Training course, scheduled to begin December 15, 2008. Also included is a participant in the March 2009 Police Visitor's Program. Leahy Amendment vetting was conducted at post with no derogatory res [...] |
2009-01-16 07:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | APER ASEC NAS LE |
| 09BEIRUT685 |
LEBANON: GOL EXPECTS 50% INCREASE IN TOURISM IN 2009 [...] (U) In an interview with French daily L'Orient le Jour on June 16, director general of the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) Nada Sardouk said she expects Lebanon to receive around two million total tourists in 2009, noting that 500,000 visited in the first four months of the year. The number of touri [...] |
2009-06-22 13:35:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EIND PGOV KIPR KFLU LE |
| 09BEIRUT687 |
LEBANON: DEFMIN MURR PREDICTS HE'LL KEEP DEFENSE [...] Lebanese Minister of Defense Elias Murr told the Ambassador and Poloff June 19 he predicted the upcoming cabinet formation process would be quick. Murr believes he will remain as Defense Minister. Looking ahead, Murr said his priority was to ensure the Lebanese Armed Forces were prepared for [...] |
2009-06-22 15:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR MARR LE |
| 09BEIRUT690 |
Lebanon: Media Reaction - June 23, 2009 [...] No summary [...] |
2009-06-23 11:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PREL KMDR OPRC KPAO KISL KPAL LE |
| 09BEIRUT691 |
DEMARCHE: ARAB LEAGUE MINISTERIAL [...] (C) Lebanon will take a moderate position at the AL ministerial and advocate for the Arab Peace Initiative, as it has in the past, the diplomatic advisor to President Michel Sleiman (Naji Abi Assi) and chief aide to Prime Minister Fouad Siniora (Rola Noureddine) told DCM in separate conversat [...] |
2009-06-23 13:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPAL EAID XF LE |
| 09BEIRUT692 |
LEBANON: HOW THE USG CAN PROMOTE ECONOMIC REFORM [...] (SBU) One of our key priorities at U.S. Embassy Beirut is to support Lebanon's state institutions and the extension of the state's authority throughout all of Lebanon's territory. The upcoming formation of a new Lebanese government offers us an opportunity to re-engage on fundamental reform iss [...] |
2009-06-23 13:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECPS ENRG PGOV KCOR LE |
| 09BEIRUT693 |
LEBANON: THE RISE OF A NEW CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT? [...] (C) In a June 22 meeting with the Ambassador, March 14 MP Michel Pharaon said Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea was pressuring March 14's independent Christians to join his voting bloc in parliament. Pharaon noted that many independent Christians opposed Geagea and were looking for an alte [...] |
2009-06-23 15:56:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT694 |
LEBANON: RESPONSE REGARDING UN EFFORTS TO COMBAT [...] (SBU) Post found no public or media reports about TIP or SEA involving UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) personnel in Lebanon. UNIFIL official on June 11 told PolOff that there were no cases or reports of TIP or SEA involving UNIFIL personnel since last semi-annual report (Ref B). UNIFIL s [...] |
2009-06-24 04:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KPKO LE |
| 09BEIRUT698 |
LEBANON: OUTGOING PM SINIORA COMMITS TO BORDER [...] (C) On the last full day of his government's mandate before it became a caretaker government, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora confirmed to international donors June 19 Lebanon's continuing and firm commitment to secure the eastern border with Syria. Urging international donor support for the ext [...] |
2009-06-24 15:28:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PBTS EAID IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT7 |
LEBANON: SINIORA URGES UNSC ACTION USING 1701 MODEL [...] (C) On January 2, PM Siniora convoked Ambassadors and Charges from UNSC members represented in Beirut and urged UNSC action to produce an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. He suggested the Council use UNSCR 1701, which marked the end of 2006 Lebanon-Israel conflict, as a model. He argued that Isr [...] |
2009-01-02 16:29:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MOPS LE IS |
| 09BEIRUT702 |
LEBANON: SCENESETTER FOR VISIT OF GENERAL DAVID [...] (C) General Petraeus, Embassy Beirut welcomes your visit which comes three weeks after Lebanon's June 7 parliamentary elections. Saad Hariri's March 14 coalition retained the parliamentary majority by an unexpected margin, and has a 71-57 edge over the opposition in the new parliament. The g [...] |
2009-06-25 12:32:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER MCAP MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT704 |
LEBANON: EMBASSY DELIVERS 2009 TIP REPORT [...] (SBU) On June 23, per reftel instructions, Poloff delivered the 2009 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report to the Surete Generale's (Immigration) Director of the Nationalities, Passports, and Foreigners Department General Siham Harake. We informed Harake that Lebanon had been downgraded to a Ti [...] |
2009-06-25 15:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB KCRM KPAO KTIP KWMN PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG |
| 09BEIRUT705 |
LEBANON: HARIRI FORMS NEW BLOC, BERRI RE-ELECTED [...] (C) On June 24, Parliamentary Majority Leader Saad Hariri announced the creation of the new "Lebanon First" parliamentary bloc, including some 34 Future Party MPs and allies plus seven prominent independents. We are seeing movement on a number of pro-March 14 MPs who were elected as independe [...] |
2009-06-25 15:43:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT713 |
LEBANON: JUMBLATT: "NASRALLAH DIVULGED NO SECRETS" [...] (C) In a wide-ranging discussion with the Ambassador on June 25, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt commented that neither Speaker Nabih Berri nor majority leader Saad Hariri were "completely happy" with the conduct of their coalition members during the vote to choose the Speaker earlier that day. [...] |
2009-06-26 15:20:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT714 |
LEBANON: MIKATI "CONCERNED" ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF [...] (C) In a June 24 meeting with the Ambassador, former Prime Minister and recently elected MP Najib Mikati worried that if parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri became Prime Minister, he would compromise on economic reform and Hizballah's arms while facing difficulties from Syria. Mikati bel [...] |
2009-06-26 15:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PREF ECON KPAL KCOR UNSC LE IR |
| 09BEIRUT715 |
LEBANON: HARIRI PREPARED TO BECOME PRIME MINISTER [...] (C) Presumptive PM-designate Saad Hariri confirmed to the Ambassador June 26 that he had met with Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah the previous day. Nasrallah did not request any "guarantees" from the new government, and Hariri did not offer any, Hariri said. Although mandatory bl [...] |
2009-06-26 15:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR PTER MARR LE IR |
| 09BEIRUT716 |
LEBANON: INDUSTRIALISTS LOBBY TO INCLUDE ALL LEBANESE [...] (SBU) As part of the USTR's evaluations of ongoing country practices for the general system of preferences (GSP), the Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALI) submitted a petition to include all Lebanese exports to the U.S. under the GSP program. In 2008, Lebanese exports to the U.S. were [...] |
2009-06-29 07:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EIND PGOV ETRD KFLU SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT723 |
LEBANON: HARIRI BECOMES PM-DESIGNATE, BUT TENSIONS [...] (C) Saad Hariri formally became Prime Minister-designate on Saturday, June 27. Opposition Christian leader Michel Aoun and Hizballah have neither endorsed Hariri nor committed to participating in the government Hariri will now try to form. However, Aoun continues to insist that a unity gover [...] |
2009-06-29 12:29:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT724 |
LEANON: GEAGEA: DON'T GIVE SYRIA A ROLE IN [...] (C) In a June 29 meeting with the Ambassador, Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea said although Majority Leader Saad Hariri's formation of the new Lebanon First parliamentary bloc was "not good," March 14 was not dead. Collaboration between Hariri and himself remains strong, Geagea averre [...] |
2009-06-29 16:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT733 |
Lebanon: Media Reaction - June 30, 2009 [...] No summary [...] |
2009-07-01 07:15:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PREL KMDR OPRC KPAO KISL KPAL LE |
| 09BEIRUT743 |
LEBANON: PM-DESIGNATE MENTIONS ECONOMIC REFORM (ECONOMIC [...] (SBU) In a June 30 meeting with CENTCOM Commander General David Petraeus, Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri said that, as head of the new government, in parallel with his efforts to build up Lebanon's security services, he plans to pursue economic reforms, streamline business procedures, and [...] |
2009-07-06 13:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EIND ETRD EAIR PGOV KFLU SENV LE |
| 09BEIRUT746 |
LEBANON: HARIRI WANTS TO MEET IN DAMASCUS ONLY [...] (C) PM-designate Saad Hariri has been under (well-intentioned) pressure from the Saudi leadership for a week to agree to participate in an as-yet unscheduled Saudi-Syria summit in Damascus. He told the Ambassador July 6 that he is willing to do so, along with President Sliman, to support Saud [...] |
2009-07-06 17:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR UNSC SA SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT758 |
LEBANON: SOVEREIGNTY, STABILITY, AND SELF-INTEREST [...] (C) Most Lebanese observers tell us they are confident Prime Minister-Designate Saad Hariri will be able to form a government, though the process may take time. As Saudi-Syrian negotiations on the formation of Lebanon's government continue, however, the question posed in Ref B has become incr [...] |
2009-07-08 16:05:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL LE SY SA |
| 09BEIRUT764 |
LEBANON: SAFADI DESCRIBES FOREIGN INTERVENTION IN [...] (C) In a June 9 meeting with the Ambassador, Tripoli Sunni leader and caretaker Minister of Economy Mohammad Safadi said the Saudis had made a serious negotiating mistake in accepting the Syrian demand for a pre-government formation meeting of Lebanese political leaders with the Saudi King and [...] |
2009-07-09 13:55:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR ECON SY SA FR QA LE |
| 09BEIRUT767 |
LEBANON: PM-DESIGNATE HARIRI TELLS INL A/S JOHNSON [...] (C) Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri told visiting International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) Assistant Secretary David Johnson and the Ambassador July 1 that the Internal Security Forces (the police) have been "very successful" in recent years, but more recruits, training, and equi [...] |
2009-07-10 10:33:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR SOCI LE |
| 09BEIRUT768 |
LEBANON: INTERIOR MINISTER BAROUD AND A/S JOHNSON [...] (C) In a July 2 meeting with International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) Assistant Secretary David Johnson, caretaker Interior Minister Ziad Baroud believed that technical preparations for securing Lebanon's border with Syria were moving forward, but that real security would require clea [...] |
2009-07-10 10:44:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PBTS PTER SNAR SMIG KCOR LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT77 |
LEBANON: SLEIMAN UNDER PRESSURE ON GAZA; [...] (C) In a January 16 meeting with Charge, Minister of Education and Sidon native Bahia Hariri described the situation in the southern Palestinian camp of Ain el-Hilweh as tense, but "contained" as the Gaza crisis continues. She said the strong stance in support of Gaza by President Michel Slei [...] |
2009-01-16 16:49:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT771 |
LEBANON: CHRISTIAN MINISTERS REJECT SAUDI [...] (C) Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar and Information Minister Tarek Mitri, in separate meetings with the Ambassador on July 9, criticized the Saudis for involving the Syrians in the Lebanese political process. Mitri said he believed the Saudis realized they made a mistake and that they would s [...] |
2009-07-10 14:24:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC SA SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT779 |
LEBANON: OPIC/CITI EXTEND ADDITIONAL LOAN FACILITY TO [...] (SBU) On July 10, Citi Country Officer for Lebanon Walter Siouffi told us that the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and Citi signed a $40 million 15-year term loan facility for Byblos Bank (one of Lebanon's top three commercial banks) this week. This amount will be used for lendi [...] |
2009-07-14 04:58:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EIND ENRG PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT78 |
LEBANON: SINIORA ASSURES GOL OPPOSED TO ROCKET [...] (C) In a January 16 meeting, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora assured Charge that the GOL was united in its condemnation of rocket attacks on Israel from Lebanon. He said he had ordered the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to coordinate with UNIFIL on patrolling the border area and preventing further [...] |
2009-01-16 17:13:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER LE |
| 09BEIRUT786 |
LEBANON: GERMAN AND FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTERS [...] (C) Lebanese reaction to German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier's July 7 visit to Beirut, followed by a July 10-11 visit by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner was muted. Lebanese contacts asserted that while the show of support was appreciated, the visits amounted to little mor [...] |
2009-07-14 14:16:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE GM FR |
| 09BEIRUT8 |
LEBANON: GOL CONSIDERING SETTING A FLOOR FOR GAS EXCISE TAX [...] (SBU) Finance Minister Mohammad Chatah told us on December 31 that he is discussing the gas excise tax with PM Siniora and Energy Minister Alain Tabourian. Chatah supports setting a fixed excise tax, regardless of the price of gas. (Note: Chatah December 24 mentioned to Embassy staff a 350 Le [...] |
2009-01-05 08:18:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT805 |
LEBANON: HARIRI TELLS PETRAEUS ASSISTANCE FOR LAF [...] (C) In a June 30 meeting with Commanding General U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) General David Petraeus, Prime Minister-Designate Saad Hariri said he had begun consultations on government formation, and though the opposition and the Syrians would make the process difficult, he was confident he [...] |
2009-07-17 06:41:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER ECON OVIP MASS MCAP LE SY SA |
| 09BEIRUT808 |
LEBANON: BUSINESS IS BOOMING, SO WHO NEEDS A [...] (SBU) With the summer tourist season in full swing, business in Lebanon is booming, despite the lack of a government and contrary to international trends. Businesspeople's attitudes toward the cabinet formation process range from mild curiosity to relative indifference to utter disdain. While [...] |
2009-07-17 14:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EIND PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT809 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 FIGURES STILL CAUTIOUSLY [...] (C) March 14 contacts this week were cautiously optimistic that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri would ultimately come to agreement with Hizballah and opposition Christian leader Michel Aoun on the formation of a government. However, they said, it was unrealistic to expect a new cabinet be [...] |
2009-07-17 16:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT813 |
LEBANON: FINANCIAL SECTOR JOINS TOGETHER TO PROMOTE [...] (SBU) The Central Bank of Lebanon (CBL) and the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL) jointly established a new committee to enhance corporate governance in the Lebanese banking sector. Amin Awad, a member of the Banking Control Commission (BCC), told us this committee was created in response [...] |
2009-07-20 06:45:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EIND KFLU PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT814 |
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 July 2009. Leahy Amendment vetting was conducted at post with no derogatory results. (The list of 200 proposed trainees includes [...] |
2009-07-20 07:56:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | APER ASEC NAS LE |
| 09BEIRUT815 |
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 July 2009. Leahy Amendment vetting was conducted at post with no derogatory results. (The list of 109 proposed trainees includes [...] |
2009-07-20 07:57:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | APER ASEC NAS LE |
| 09BEIRUT816 |
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 Training program, the fifth Instructors Course, scheduled to begin July 2009. Leahy Amendment vetting was conducted at post with no derogatory results. (The list of 25 propo [...] |
2009-07-20 08:03:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | APER ASEC NAS LE |
| 09BEIRUT818 |
LEBANON: PM SINIORA TO PETRAEUS: PUSH SYRIA TO GET [...] (C) Caretaker Prime Minister Fouad Siniora told visiting Commander General of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) General David Petraeus and the Ambassador June 30 that he was "quite satisfied" with the outcome of Lebanon's June 7 parliamentary elections. Siniora said that the Lebanese had voted fo [...] |
2009-07-20 14:55:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR PTER MASS MARR MOPPS LE SY IR |
| 09BEIRUT819 |
LEBANON: DISCOVERY OF HIZBALLAH ARMS CACHE, SOUTH [...] (C) In a July 17 meeting, Defense Minister Elias Murr provided an account of the July 14 explosion in the south, saying that a small munitions warehouse, containing material stored by Hizballah since the July 2006 war, had caught on fire due to a cooking incident. He reported that the Lebanes [...] |
2009-07-20 15:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IS LE |
| 09BEIRUT82 |
LEBANON: LEBANON BEGINS DISBURSING ASSISTANCE TO GAZA [...] (SBU) After the Lebanese Cabinet's $1 million assistance pledge to Gaza on December 30 (reftel), Lebanon sent its first shipment of in-kind assistance to Gaza by plane via Jordan on January 3. The shipment consisted of 17 tons of medical supplies and equipment and 2,060 blankets. Ambassador Kh [...] |
2009-01-20 11:55:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT820 |
LEBANON: SLEIMAN TELLS PETRAEUS CABINET WILL BE [...] (C) In a June 30 meeting with David Petraeus, Commanding General of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), President Michel Sleiman noted that he was relatively optimistic and said he expected cabinet formation to last somewhere between ten days and two weeks. Sleiman remarked that Lebanon faced a n [...] |
2009-07-20 15:50:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PINS PREL PTER MARR MASS MCAP MOPS |
| 09BEIRUT821 |
LEBANON: DEFMIN MURR TELLS GENERAL PETRAEUS NEW [...] (C) Defense Minister Elias Murr affirmed to visiting CENTCOM Commanding General David Petraeus in a June 30 meeting that the strong U.S.-Lebanese military partnership will grow stronger under the new Lebanese government. Murr said the Lebanese Armed Forces' (LAF) work on a Five Year Plan would [...] |
2009-07-20 16:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER MCAP MOPS IS SA SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT822 |
LEBANON: HIZBALLAH ON THE DEFENSE WHILE STRIVING [...] (C) In a series of public addresses over the last week, Hizballah SYG Hassan Nasrallah has raised the rhetoric of a possible war with Israel while simultaneously offering conciliatory words to PM-designate Saad Hariri as he attempts to form a government. March 14 figures welcome Nasrallah's [...] |
2009-07-21 17:06:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IS LE |
| 09BEIRUT83 |
LEBANON: NO SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE ON A.Q. KHAN [...] (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel points and text of the USG public announcement on January 12 that sanctions were imposed on thirteen people and three private companies for engaging in activities related to the global A.Q. Khan proliferation network to Oussama Khachab, Head of the Americas Desk a [...] |
2009-01-20 12:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN GM KNNP MNUC PARM PREL LE |
| 09BEIRUT833 |
LEBANON FOLLOW UP TO THE CAIRO SPEECH: CONSULTATIVE PROCESS [...] (SBU) U.S. Embassy Beirut contacted Lebanese stakeholders - including youth, civil society partners, and political interlocutors - to solicit feedback about specific recommendations and suggestions to achieve priorities outlined by President Obama during his June 4 speech in Cairo, (ref A). Co [...] |
2009-07-23 16:02:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID ECON OEXC OSCI PREL SCUL SENV SOCI TNGD TSPL |
| 09BEIRUT837 |
LEBANON: TOURISM IS BUSTLING IN BEIRUT, BUT ONLY [...] (U) Beirut's record-setting summer tourism has bolstered business and crowded the capital city, but the benefits have not extended far past the city limits. Lebanese expatriates frequent dining establishments in some peripheral cities, but the historical GOL focus on infrastructure developmen [...] |
2009-07-24 18:10:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EIND ENRG PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT838 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 LEADERS UNFAZED BY DRAWN-OUT [...] (C/NF) March 14 leaders in separate meetings grumbled about coalition dynamics but reiterated their belief that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri would ultimately come to agreement with Hizballah and its allies on the formation of a government. All admitted, however, that recent incidents in [...] |
2009-07-24 18:20:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV PINR PTER MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT84 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 OUTLINES ROAD MAP TO ELECTIONS [...] (C) With parliamentary elections a little over four months away, the March 14 Secretariat has outlined a three step "road map" focusing on increased activity by the Secretariat to coordinate the coalition's activities and messages, a second political convention to announce March 14's political [...] |
2009-01-20 14:47:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT843 |
LEBANON: JOB CREATION IS PRIORITY FOR PM-ELECT (ECONOMIC [...] (SBU) Senior economic advisor to PM-elect Saad Hariri and potential finance minister in the next cabinet, Dr. Nadim Munla, said Hariri plans to focus on job creation and to enact a program creating at least 200,000 jobs over the next five years. Munla said on July 21 that Hariri was considerin [...] |
2009-07-27 12:53:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EIND ETRD EWWT KIPR KFLU PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT850 |
COMPROMISE REACHED ON SHIA REPRESENTATION IN NEW [...] (C) Advisor to Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, Nader Hariri, confirmed that an agreement has been reached over Shia representation in the presidential bloc in the next cabinet. Hariri emphasized that the consensus candidate would not be a "king minister," but rather a member of the Pre [...] |
2009-07-28 14:56:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT851 |
HIZBALLAH PUBLICLY RECRUITING COLLEGE STUDENTS FOR [...] (C) Publicly-available brochures and radio advertisements in early July confirm Hizballah is actively recruiting college students to participate in a "summer camp." The camp's activities include cultural, educational, religious and political discussions and activities. In addition, one "boys [...] |
2009-07-28 15:04:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PTER SOCI LE |
| 09BEIRUT859 |
LEBANON: SOME GOL OFFICIALS ADMIT 1701 VIOLATION [...] (C) Several GOL officials expressed their confidence July 24-25 to visiting National Security Council Senior Director for Middle East and North Africa Dan Shapiro that the opposition would drop its demand for a blocking third and that the cabinet would be formed, though no one could commit to [...] |
2009-07-29 08:37:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS IS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT864 |
LEBANON: RESPONSE TO JORDAN REGIONAL BIOMETRIC [...] No summary [...] |
2009-07-30 12:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PINR PREL PTER JO IS LE |
| 09BEIRUT865 |
COMPROMISE REACHED ON SHIA REPRESENTATION IN NEW [...] No summary [...] |
2009-07-30 13:36:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT866 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 SECRETARIAT TO LESSEN POLITICAL [...] (C) March 14 Secretary General Fares Souaid said that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri and the Secretariat's leadership had agreed to decrease the coalition's political coordination activities to focus on grassroots mobilization. Lebanese public opinion is now more than ever with March 14, [...] |
2009-07-30 13:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR PTER MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT867 |
LEBANON: YET ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT CHRISTIAN [...] (C) March 14 (Kataeb) MP Sami Gemayel and opposition-aligned MP Suleiman Franjieh initiated yet another attempt at Christian reconciliation with a July 29 luncheon. Gemayel (Amine's son) reportedly hopes to engineer reconciliation between Franjieh and Patriarch Sfeir, who have been at odds sin [...] |
2009-07-30 13:45:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT868 |
PRESIDENT'S CABINET BLOC NEARLY SETTLED, BUT OTHER [...] (C) The President's ministerial bloc will contain five ministers and is nearly decided upon, according to presidential advisor Naji Abi Assi. Negotiation over portfolio distribution continues, but the issue of the blocking third is moot because it has been agreed that no "controversial" deci [...] |
2009-07-30 13:57:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT87 |
LEBANON: SIGNING ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL AGREEMENT [...] (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel points and text of the USG announcement of the U.S.- IAEA "Additional Protocol" ratification to Oussama Khachab, Head of the Americas Desk at the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), and Nada Akl, First Secretary in the Department of International Organiza [...] |
2009-01-21 16:21:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC ENRG IAEA KNNP KTIA MNUC NPT PARM PGOV |
| 09BEIRUT873 |
HARIRI WELCOMES E.O. 13441 RENEWAL AND CRITICIZES [...] (C) In a July 31 meeting with the Ambassador, Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri declared himself "quite happy" about renewal of the E.O. 13441 designation and did not consider it a barrier to cabinet formation. Lebanese negotiations with Israel are out of the question until "Israel solves [...] |
2009-08-03 15:07:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR UNGA LE |
| 09BEIRUT874 |
LEBANON: MARCH 14 LEADERS AGREE TO GIVE JUMBLATT [...] (C) March 14 coalition leaders in separate meetings revealed most were unsurprised by Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader and MP Walid Jumblatt's reassessment of his alliance with the majority bloc, and all stressed their decision to leave space to allow Jumblatt to rejoin the coalition s [...] |
2009-08-03 16:35:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV PINR PTER MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT876 |
64TH UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: HIGH LEVEL ATTENDANCE [...] No summary [...] |
2009-08-04 09:46:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL OTRA OVIP KSEP CVIS UNGA LE |
| 09BEIRUT878 |
PRESIDENT SLEIMAN PRAISES ARMY, CRITICIZES ISRAEL, [...] (C) In his speech commemorating the 64th Army Day, President Michel Sleiman praised the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) while criticizing the delay in forming a cabinet. He called for constitutional reform if it would close "loopholes" and facilitate better institutions. Sleiman stated early tha [...] |
2009-08-04 10:11:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR MOPS IS LE |
| 09BEIRUT88 |
LEBANON: RIVALRY WITHIN THE PLO, PM'S LIAISON SAYS [...] (C) Highlighting that the Palestinian camps in Lebanon are "calm for now," the GOL's chief liaison for Palestinian issues, President of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee (LPDC) Khalil Makkawi, stressed that PM Sinoria had done a good job communicating with Palestinians during the Isr [...] |
2009-01-21 17:32:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT886 |
LEBANON: POLITICAL CONSENSUS IS CORNERSTONE FOR REFORMS [...] (SBU) During a series of meetings with EconOff July 21-22, government officials and prominent economic consultants stressed that politics had stalled reform and privatization. They believed political leaders wanted to preserve their vested interests in any future privatization. PM-elect Saad [...] |
2009-08-06 04:36:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | BEXP ECON EFIN EIND ETRD KIPR KFLU PGOV SENV LE |
| 09BEIRUT887 |
WILL HARIRI HEAD A MAJORITY GOVERNMENT? [...] (C) Despite Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader Walid Jumblatt's August 5 comments pledging he would stand by Saad Hariri in the government formation process, Hariri will not in the end head a majority government, predicted caretaker Ministers Mohammed Chatah (Finance) and Ziad Baroud (In [...] |
2009-08-06 15:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR PTER MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT892 |
SAUDI AMBASSADOR: JUMBLATT RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY [...] (C) Saudi Information and Culture Minister Abdulaziz Khoja sent a strong message to Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader Walid Jumblatt on August 4 that his actions did not serve Lebanon's national interests, and Jumblatt responded immediately and positively to Saudi King Abdullah's entrea [...] |
2009-08-07 14:30:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE IS SA |
| 09BEIRUT894 |
LEBANON: COMMERCIAL SUCCESS STORIES, FEBRUARY-JUNE 2009 [...] Date: February 2009 Post: Beirut Country: Lebanon Company: LTM International Inc. Company Headquarters (State & zip code): FL 34202 Issue/project: Sale of $32,000 worth of apparel. Specific Actions Taken: CS Beirut, in cooperation with the New York Export Assistance Center (NYEAC), connecte [...] |
2009-08-10 07:25:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP ETRD ECON EINV LE |
| 09BEIRUT895 |
DUE DILIGENCE ON BEIRUT'S NOMINEE FOR THE [...] (SBU) The following are answers to the due diligence questions posed in reftel: A) Post sees no risk of U.S. embarrassment resulting from the selection of Cisco for the Secretary's Award for Corporate Excellence. Many of Cisco's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities in Lebanon were [...] |
2009-08-10 09:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | AMGT BEXP ECON ELAB ETRD KSEP SENV LE |
| 09BEIRUT898 |
MARADA LIEUTENANTS DEFEND MEMBERSHIP IN MARCH 8 [...] (C) The Marada Party's alliance with Hizballah in the March 8 Coalition is based on the premise that the Shia party cannot be disarmed by force and must be dealt with in the context of the root causes that feed it, asserted Marada party figures Raymond (Rony) Arayji and Richard (Richy) Haykal. [...] |
2009-08-10 14:30:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT899 |
ENCOURAGING CENTRAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET TRANSPARENCY [...] (SBU) The Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to caretaker Finance Minister Mohammad Chatah on August 7. Chatah responded that budget transparency was one of his ministry's top priorities, as evidenced by its commitment to a $4 million World Bank assistance program to improve Lebanon's budget [...] |
2009-08-10 14:31:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID ECON EFIN PREL LE |
| 09BEIRUT903 |
UNIFIL'S FC GRAZIANO CALLS FOR STRONGER GOL [...] (C) In an August 10 meeting with the Ambassador, United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) Force Commander General Claudio Graziano dismissed recent criticism of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), emphasizing that it did not have the political "umbrella" to act decisively during last mont [...] |
2009-08-12 15:57:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS MCAP PTER UNSC PINR PREL IS LE |
| 09BEIRUT904 |
JUMBLATT ASSURES HARIRI HE WILL SUPPORT THE [...] (C) Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt on August 12 confirmed that his bloc remains within the "15" (majority) in the 15-10-5 Cabinet formula, reiterating what he told Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri the night before. Both Siniora and caretaker Minister of State Nassib Lah [...] |
2009-08-12 16:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE IS SA |
| 09BEIRUT905 |
LEBANON: HEALTH MINISTRY CONSIDERS SWINE FLU ITS PRIORITY, [...] (SBU) On August 4, Director General of the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) Walid Ammar told us he does not consider IPR a major priority for the MOPH. Instead of focusing on stricter rules on IPR for WTO accession to protect the interests of multinational pharmaceutical companies, Ammar asked [...] |
2009-08-13 07:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN ELTN EINV ENRG ETRD KIPR KFLU PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT906 |
LEBANON: HEALTH MINISTRY CONSIDERS SWINE FLU ITS PRIORITY, [...] (SBU) On August 4, Director General of the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) Walid Ammar told us he does not consider IPR a major priority for the MOPH. Instead of focusing on stricter rules on IPR for WTO accession to protect the interests of multinational pharmaceutical companies, Ammar asked [...] |
2009-08-13 07:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN ELTN EINV ENRG ETRD KIPR KFLU PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT909 |
APPLICATION FOR OPIC FINANCE: AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT [...] (U) The following are Post's comments in response to reftel. 2. (SBU) The American University of Beirut (AUB), one of the most reputable universities in Lebanon and the region, is a private, independent, non-sectarian institution, with over 7,000 students currently enrolled. Many of Leban [...] |
2009-08-13 12:58:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID EFIN PGOV LE |
| 09BEIRUT91 |
LEBANON: SAAD HARIRI WORRIED HAMAS PLANS TO USE [...] (C) In a meeting with the Ambassador January 21, March 14 majority leader Saad Hariri expressed concern the past weeks' events in Gaza could lead to Hamas using Lebanon's Palestinian camps to confront Fatah and Israel. Hariri urged the new U.S. administration to "do something" about the Pales [...] |
2009-01-22 15:58:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC LE SY IS |
| 09BEIRUT910 |
MARCH 14 TAKES ON WATER AS THE CREW AWAITS THE [...] (C) Kataeb Party leader Amine Gemayel is pushing hard for two (unspecified) ministerial seats, according to the Hariri camp. His unhappiness with the cabinet formation process thus far has led to rumors that he may withdraw from March 14. Meanwhile, March 14 secretariat officials insist it i [...] |
2009-08-13 17:40:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE SA SY |
| 09BEIRUT911 |
WILL THE REAL SYRIAN AMBASSADOR PLEASE STAND UP? [...] (C) Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdel Karim has been essentially absent from the political scene since his March 2009 appointment, supplanted by various informal interlocutors, most recently Lebanese Druze opposition leader Wiam Wahhab. Damascus' use of such intermediaries increases its [...] |
2009-08-14 07:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR PTER MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT912 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: UNESCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL [...] No summary [...] |
2009-08-14 12:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV UNSC LE |
| 09BEIRUT913 |
DRUZE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK: ARSLAN ADVISOR ON [...] (C) Opposition Druze leader Talal Arslan was not surprised by majority Druze leader Walid Jumblatt's apparent move away from the majority March 14 coalition in recent days, according to Arslan advisor Saleem Hamadeh, although he added that Jumblatt was still supporting Saad Hariri. Jumblatt wa [...] |
2009-08-14 12:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT914 |
DRUZE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK: ARSLAN ADVISOR ON [...] No summary [...] |
2009-08-14 12:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT915 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: UNESCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL [...] No summary [...] |
2009-08-14 12:27:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV UNSC LE |
| 09BEIRUT917 |
LEBANON: CAN SLEIMAN MUSCLE DECENTRALIZATION? [...] (C) Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, moving forward on his August 1 Army Day calls for constitutional reforms and full implementation of Taif, convened in early August a small meeting of municipal leaders to discuss decentralization. Although the president appears serious in his efforts to pu [...] |
2009-08-14 13:38:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT918 |
LEBANON: FINANCE MINISTER SAYS BUDGET TRANSPARENCY IS A TOP [...] (SBU) The Ambassador delivered Ref B demarche encouraging central government budget transparency to caretaker Finance Minister Mohammad Chatah on August 7. Chatah declared that budget transparency was one of his ministry's top priorities, as evidenced by its commitment to a $4 million World Ba [...] |
2009-08-17 12:02:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | BEXP ECON EFIN EINV ETRD KIPR PGOV LE SOCI |
| 09BEIRUT92 |
LEBANON: JUMBLATT WITH HIZBALLAH: MAJOR [...] (C) In his January 21 meeting with Hizballah MP Mohamad Raad, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt reportedly expressed his fundamental disagreement with Hizballah over Hizballah's relationship with Syria, Hizballah's arms, and the Special Tribunal. As such, he was not interested in a political relati [...] |
2009-01-22 15:58:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR SY LE |
| 09BEIRUT920 |
CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR: DESPITE BOOMING ECONOMY, [...] (SBU) The Lebanese economy is booming, with tourists pouring in, hotel occupancy rates high, bank deposits rising, and growth set to beat all forecasts. Nonetheless, Central Bank of Lebanon (CBL) Governor Riad Salameh told the Ambassador August 14 that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri nee [...] |
2009-08-17 13:53:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EIND ECPS PGOV KCOR LE |
| 09BEIRUT921 |
AOUN REJECTS HARIRI'S INVITATION, GEMAYEL [...] (C) Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun dismissed charges that he was obstructing progress on government formation and declared he would not accept Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri's lunch invitation if the latter does not put an end to attacks by his allies on the FPM leader. Aoun [...] |
2009-08-17 13:56:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT922 |
NASRALLAH ATTEMPTS TO EASE FEAR, BUT PUBLIC [...] (C) Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah asserted Hizballah would take defensive action against Israel, if Lebanon was attacked, and called for national unity in his August 14 speech commemorating the third anniversary of the July 2006 war between Hizballah and Israel. Attendees at the [...] |
2009-08-17 14:10:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR PTER LE IS |
| 09BEIRUT933 |
LEBANON: HARIRI SEES NO END IN SIGHT TO POLITICAL [...] (C) Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri described Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Michel Aoun as a "disaster" and insisted that he had told the FPM leader several times he would not acquiesce to reappointing Aoun's son-in-law Gebran Bassil as Minister of Telecommunications. Hariri admitt [...] |
2009-08-19 16:51:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT944 |
SLEIMAN: LAF/UNIFIL COORDINATION ESSENTIAL TO [...] (C) Although the situation in south Lebanon has cooled, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) must coordinate effectively with UNIFIL to prevent Hizballah from using future disturbances as a pretext to launch a strike against Israel, President Michel Sleiman emphasized to the Ambassador and DCM. S [...] |
2009-08-21 15:48:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | LE PGOV PINR PREL SA SY |
| 09BEIRUT946 |
GOVERNMENT FORMATION DEADLOCKED OR DEAD END? [...] (C) Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea insisted that the most effective solution to the current political crisis would be for the Saudis to appeal to the Syrians to pressure Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Michel Aoun and Hizballah to break the current political deadlock. The LF le [...] |
2009-08-21 17:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE SY SA |
| 09BEIRUT95 |
Lebanon: Media Reaction - January 23, 2009 [...] No summary [...] |
2009-01-23 09:52:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PREL KMDR OPRC KPAO KISL KPAL LE |
| 09BEIRUT953 |
MOBILE TELECOM PRIVATIZATION HELD HOSTAGE TO [...] (C) Once the Lebanese cabinet is formed and the USG begins to work with the GOL to reform and build up its state institutions, we must also push the Lebanese leadership to move certain sectors out of the public realm through privatization. The most logical place for the GOL to begin would be [...] |
2009-08-25 06:23:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN EIND ECPS PGOV KCOR LE |
| 09BEIRUT957 |
LEBANON: CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR SAYS LEBANON STILL NEEDS [...] (SBU) The Lebanese economy is booming, with tourists pouring in, hotel occupancy rates high, bank deposits rising, and growth set to beat all forecasts. Nonetheless, Central Bank of Lebanon (CBL) Governor Riad Salameh told the Ambassador August 14 that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri need [...] |
2009-08-26 06:24:00 | Embassy Beirut | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EINT KFLU PGOV SOCI LE |
| 09BEIRUT959 |
ACTIVE CARETAKER GOVERNMENT POLITICALLY AND [...] (C) Although press reports have speculated that Lebanese President Michel Sleiman considered calling into session the caretaker cabinet headed by caretaker Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, constitutional experts and other Embassy contacts say public conjecture on the issue is a mere political man [...] |
2009-08-26 14:59:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT96 |
LEBANON: SINIORA URGES U.S. TO ENCOURAGE SYRIA TO [...] (C) Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora in a January 23 meeting with Ambassador urged the new U.S. administration to take a strong role in Middle East peace negotiations. Specifically, he advocated U.S. direct or indirect efforts to encourage the Syrians to "realize it was in their best interests" [...] |
2009-01-23 18:18:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR UNSC MARR MOPS LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT962 |
PHILANTHROPY AND POLITICAL GAIN MIX IN TRIPOLI [...] (C) The August 20 celebration of the opening of the municipal palace in Mina -- a small, mainly Orthodox town in Tripoli -- was an over-the-top homage to Sunni billionaire, former prime minister, and current MP Najib Mikati. While some have noted Mikati's "philanthropic intelligence" in his [...] |
2009-08-27 12:18:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON LE |
| 09BEIRUT966 |
OPPOSITION CRITICIZES HARIRI'S NEGOTIATION TACTICS [...] (C) Although many speculate that cabinet formation is being held up by external Syrian or Iranian influence, opposition figures claim that the reason for the delay is Hariri's refusal to provide a counteroffer to General Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement's original proposal on the ministri [...] |
2009-08-27 14:14:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR LE SY |
| 09BEIRUT967 |
LEGAL CHALLENGE ADDS DELAYS TO NAHR AL-BARID [...] (C) Two years after the near-complete destruction of the Nahr al-Barid Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli, reconstruction efforts by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) are being thwarted by a legal challenge from Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Michel Aoun. On August 26, a Lebanes [...] |
2009-08-27 14:22:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF PGOV KPAL UN LE |
| 09BEIRUT971 |
IRAN PUSHES INTO LEBANESE DEMINING OPERATIONS [...] (C) The demining NGO Mine Advisory Group (MAG) has confirmed the launch of a new Iranian demining NGO in south Lebanon. The Iranian NGO Peace Generation Organization for Demining (PGOD) is starting with a small presence. In addition, MAG director Christina Bennike reaffirmed that some of her [...] |
2009-08-28 14:42:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER PINR MOPS MCAP PM IS LE IR |
| 09BEIRUT972 |
JUMBLATT OBSESSED WITH AVERTING DRUZE-SHIA [...] (C) Druze leader Walid Jumblatt's close advisors, as well as his Druze competition, believe that Jumblatt is obsessed with averting a Druze-Shia conflict. Contacts suggest that one-third of the Druze "like" Jumblatt personally and will follow (some say "obey") his lead; one-third support Jumbl [...] |
2009-08-28 15:04:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR LE |
| 09BEIRUT973 |
WITH CABINET NEGOTIATIONS STALLED, HARIRI HINTS AT [...] (C) The press and nearly all Embassy contacts have declared a stalemate in the government formation process, despite a series of public statements by major political leaders that briefly indicated a move to break the deadlock. Notably, wayward Druze leader Walid Jumblatt came out strongly in s [...] |
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