VZCZCXRO3170
RR RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHLB #1633/01 2911452
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 181452Z OCT 07 ZFF5
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHXQ/ALL EUROPEAN UNION POST
RUEHXP/ALL NATO POST COLLECTIVE
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMFISS/USCENTCOM SPECIAL HANDLING MACDILL AFB FL
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1597
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1732
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9768

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 001633 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/GAVITO/YERGER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2017 
TAGS: ECON PG PGOV PREL SY
SUBJECT: LEBANON: ON BORDER PROJECT, GERMANS LOOKING AHEAD 
AND NOT AT SHORT TERM PROBLEMS 
 
REF: BEIRUT 1565 
 
Classified By: DCM William Grant for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) A businessman whose firm is the logistical consultant 
for the German Northern Border Pilot Project (NBPP) told 
Poloff in an October 17 meeting that the NBPP continued to 
face serious delays and would not be fully operational by 
mid-February, rather than the target December 1 final 
deadline.  He also noted that the incoming head of the NBPP, 
General Carl-Ulrich Stoltz, was not well liked by his German 
team members which may lead to further conflicts.  He 
believes that the Germans are rushing to complete the NBPP 
even if they do not meet standards, in order to start on a 
larger, more prestigious eastern border project.  End Summary. 
 
DECEMBER 1 START DATE FOR NBPP IN DOUBT 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Sabeh Labaki, a Lebanese businessman whose firm is the 
logistical consultant for the NBPP (and also provides 
services to the U.S. Embassy), said in an October 17 meeting 
with PolOff, that the NBPP has had numerous procurement and 
managerial problems since the project began.  Labaki noted 
that the primary problem has been with the NBPP,s 
procurement office.  Labaki (please protect) said that his 
company was originally responsible for procurement matters 
for the NBPP, however, once the project got off its feet, his 
role was reduced to that of a consultant.  After this change, 
Labaki said that the project,s procurement problems 
increased and the NBPP as a whole began to face serious 
logistical problems. 
 
¶3. (C) Labaki added that he believed that the project would 
be fully operational by mid-February.  When PolOff mentioned 
that operations are set to begin by a final deadline of 
December 1, Labaki laughed, saying that it could begin on 
December 1, but that it would not be fully operational. 
Labaki said that the project would lack many necessities on 
December 1, such as cameras and lights for the border 
crossing points, and uniforms for border agents.  He added 
that the training being provided by Danish would not begin 
until well into January (Note: After attending several NBPP 
meetings, our view is that training is the least of the 
problems plaguing this project, and appears to be the only 
aspect of the NBPP running smoothly. End Note). 
 
NEW GERMAN LEAD NOT WELL LIKED BY STAFF 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Labaki also noted that the incoming head of the NBPP, 
General Carl-Ulrich Stoltz, was not well liked by his German 
subordinates.  Labaki added that outgoing head, Detlef 
Karioth, was more liked by the NBPP staff and was held in 
higher regard by the German Ambassador and DCM in Lebanon. 
Labaki gossiped that someone back in Germany (identity 
unknown to Labaki) wanted Detlef recalled from the NBPP. 
Labaki added that when the German Ambassador tried to step in 
on Detlef,s behalf, higher authorities in Germany rebuffed 
the request, wondering why the Ambassador would want Detlef 
to stay given his poor performance on the project. 
 
GERMAN DESIGNS ON THE EASTERN BORDER 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶5. (C) During the discussion, Labaki gave his opinion that 
the Germans were too busy worrying about being designated 
with the lead role for the bigger border control effort on 
Lebanon's eastern border with Syria (reftel).  Labaki said 
that the Germans mentioned to him that they might need his 
services in June 2008 if the eastern border project gets the 
green light.  Labaki added that Germany, after the leading 
the NBPP, would be well placed to offer such services to the 
Lebanese and Syrians.  He feared that the Germans were 
willing to rush through the NBPP, in order to begin the new 
project on the eastern border. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
BEIRUT 00001633  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6. (C) Labaki is clearly plugged in to the NBPP and knows the 
technical details well. His analysis of the proposed larger 
eastern border project seemed to be speculation, however.  As 
discussions of the NBPP continue, we will watch for problems 
in the areas he cited: completing work at less than necessary 
standards and strains between the incoming head and other 
German staff.  End Comment. 
FELTMAN