VZCZCXRO6270
PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHLB #0027/01 0071719
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 071719Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0664
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2094
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000027 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER, STATE FOR NEA/ELA, 
NEA/FO:KHARRINGTON, MPOPAL, 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2018 
TAGS: ENIV PGOV PREL PTER LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON:  SINIORA PLEASED WITH ARAB LEAGUE; WON'T 
ACCEPT 10-10-10 
 
REF: STATE 01197 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Meeting with the Ambassador on Monday 1/7, 
Prime Minister Siniora appeared pleased with the Arab 
League's weekend effort to find a solution to the 
presidential impasse, and promised to "extend a hand" to the 
Hizballah-led opposition, although not agreeing to a 
"10-10-10" cabinet split.  He called Arab League SYG Moussa 
and confirmed that Moussa, in interpreting the Arab League 
communique, is not talking about a "10-10-10" cabinet, 
either.  Siniora plans to stress support for the Arab League 
and a constitutional solution to the current crisis.  He will 
reach out to Arab states beginning with a trip to the 
Emirates tonight (1/7).  He will also reach out to EU 
countries, and feels very positive towards Spanish PM 
Zapatero, who visited Lebanon during the 1/5-6 weekend. 
Saying that the recently stepped up attacks against him are a 
result of his "respectful but harsh" response to Nasrallah's 
speech last week, he reported that eminent Shia Sheikh 
Fadlallah has requested a "media truce."  Ambassador raised 
with Siniora request from reftel that Lebanon solicit 
increased Tribunal contributions; Siniora agreed and said he 
would ask UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. End summary. 
 
INSISTING ARAB LEAGUE 
DID NOT MEAN 10-10-10 CABINET 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) In a meeting with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora on 
January 7, the Ambassador, accompanied by Poloff, raised his 
concerns about the apparent willful misinterpretation by the 
opposition in Lebanon of the communique issued after the 
weekend meeting in Cairo of Arab foreign ministers.  After a 
dinner meeting on 1/5, chaired by Arab League Secretary 
General Amr Moussa, the group produced a document calling for 
electing a Lebanese president through constitutional means, 
and a national unity government with a cabinet of thirty 
ministers, where the majority cannot force through a decision 
nor could the minority block one.  Although, Siniora 
reported, by all reports the discussion in Cairo revolved 
around either a 14-10-6 cabinet, or a 15-10-5 one, the 
opposition in Lebanon immediately challenged this thinking by 
claiming that the only equable solution would be a 10-10-10 
split. 
 
¶3. (C) Siniora said with great firmness that the decision of 
the cabinet makeup is strictly in the hands of the Lebanese, 
and it will not be a 10-10-10 cabinet.  He admitted that he 
favors the 15-10-5 split, but he believes that it is 
important for the Arab League to re-take the initiative in 
attempting to resolve the Lebanese impasse, and they alone 
can identify what they meant by an impartial cabinet split. 
Saying that it was "out of the question" that Moussa was 
thinking of a 10-10-10 split, he added that Moussa had made 
the point that he did not want to talk "numbers."   Siniora 
immediately asked for a call to be put through to Moussa, 
which took place at the end of the meeting. 
 
ACKNOWLEDGING BERRI'S OBSESSION 
AGAINST HIM 
-------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Siniora stressed the importance for March 14 of taking 
a polite but firm stand with the opposition, and not be 
dragged off into side issues.  The theme would be, "We are 
for the Arab League, and everything has to be done within the 
constitution."  He would like, without embarrassing anyone, 
to facilitate March 8,s exit from the corner where it finds 
itself.  March 14 will have the army, the church, and the 
Arab League on its side, and will be dealing from a position 
of strength.  Siniora said he called Speaker Nabih Berri, who 
is, as Siniora said, "getting crazy about me," but did not 
receive a return call.  "I am extending a hand.  Let him stay 
stupid." 
 
¶5. (C) Moussa is due in Beirut in two days, but tonight 
Siniora leaves for a trip to the Emirates to raise several 
issues, among them continued support for the Arab League 
initiative.  He plans to make it clear that Egypt and Saudi 
Arabia are behind it, and will make it work. 
 
BEIRUT 00000027  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
PUSHING GOL TO TAKE THE LEAD 
ON FUNDING FOR SPECIAL TRIBUNAL 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) The Ambassador also raised request from reftel that 
Lebanon take the lead in soliciting Special Tribunal 
donations.  The Ambassador reviewed how shortfalls in funding 
contributions can slow the tribunal's formation, and he asked 
Siniora to do the equivalent of a worldwide demarche asking 
for financial support.  Siniora agreed to raise this issue on 
his current trip.  Saying that Qatar "won't help," he said 
that he has sent letters to many Arab countries requesting 
financial support, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the 
UAE.  He plans to contact the SYG of the UN and ask to join 
forces in seeking contributions. 
 
LOOKING TO EUROPE FOR SUPPORT FOR ARAB LEAGUE; 
FINDING SPANISH PM ZAPATERO BETTER THAN MORATINOS 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) Saying that French Charge Andre Parent has promised to 
contact Paris and ask for support for the Arab League 
initiative, Siniora also said that he would be contacting a 
number of European countries to raise the issue.  He felt 
that Spain would be supportive and was very enthusiastic 
about his meeting with Spanish prime minister Jose Luis 
Zapatero during the weekend 1/5-6.  Siniora went out to the 
airport to meet with Zapatero, who, along with Minister of 
Defense Jose Antonio Alonso, came to Beirut  after reviewing 
the Spanish contingent of UNIFIL in southern Lebanon.  Saying 
that Zapatero was "easier" than Spanish Foreign Minister 
Moratinos, Siniora spoke with pleasure of the "positive body 
language" on the part of the two Spaniards, and felt that it 
was an excellent half-hour discussion.  He said that the 
Spanish had taken very seriously the threat against their 
troops conveyed to them by the GOL, but preferred not to 
acknowledge it openly at this time. 
 
ASKING SHIA LEADERS TO LOWER RHETORIC 
--------------------------- 
 
¶8. (C) Asked about the virulent attacks against him appearing 
recently in the press and on the part of opposition leaders, 
Siniora said that after Nasrallah's speech last week, and 
Siniora's "respectful but harsh" response, Nasrallah "went 
crazy."  Hizballah actually went to the extreme of asking two 
Sunni clerics to say that Siniora was an Israeli, and "if he 
dies, no one will pray for him."  Siniora said that he called 
prominent Shia leader Sheikh Fadlallah and told him that he 
was responsible, and added, "You don't have the only crazy 
people," implying that there are Sunni extremists, too. 
Fadlallah said that he was trying to impose restraint, and 
asked for a media truce. 
 
CALLING MOUSSA TO SPIN COMMUNIQUE 
------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (C) Siniora ended the meeting saying that, after his 
arrival in the Emirates tonight, he would like to call 
Secretary Rice to update her on the situation with the Arab 
 
SIPDIS 
League communique.  He then took his call to Amr Moussa. 
During a fanciful monologue, ranging from the difficulties 
determining the truth of the Prophet's words after his death, 
through parables from Jesus Christ, and ending with a 
reference to a local popular singer, Siniora charmed Moussa, 
who reportedly agreed that he had no interest in discussing 
particular numbers for a cabinet split, and had not advocated 
a 10-10-10 solution. 
FELTMAN