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P 010601Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8944
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1402
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 001156 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARCHESE/HARDING 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: BERRI SAYS MARCH 14 SCUTTLED FRENCH 
EFFORTS, ARGUES ONLY UNITED STATES CAN IMPOSE A SOLUTION 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey D. Feltman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d 
). 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) French efforts produced nothing, Speaker Berri told 
the Ambassador, thanks to March 14's refusal to discuss 
Berri's latest initiative.  To avoid a divided Lebanon the 
country needs a consensus president, Berri argued, and the 
opposition won't agree on a compromise candidate until it is 
part of a national unity government.  Finally, Berri argued 
that only the United States can impose a solution in Lebanon 
and demand stability.  End summary. 
 
MARCH 14 SCUTTLED 
FRENCH EFFORTS 
----------------- 
 
¶2. (C) French efforts produced nothing, a notably relaxed and 
cheerful Speaker Nabih Berri told Ambassador Feltman and 
Econoff in a July 30 meeting with Berri advisors Ali Hamdan 
and MP Ali Bazzi.  March 14, not Hizballah or Aoun, scuttled 
Berri's latest initiative, Berri argued.  On July 28 Berri 
gave French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner a written 
proposal. Berri said he would only attend Kouchner's July 29 
luncheon for National Dialogue leaders if there was a new 
basis for discussion.  He verbally pledged that the 
opposition would allow Siniora to remain Prime Minister. In 
addition, he promised a new cabinet statement to include 
Paris III reforms, UNSCR 1701 commitments, the National 
Dialogue resolutions, unspecified economic and social 
guarantees, and a promise that the blocking minority would 
not resign.  Berri produced a faxed exchange with Kouchner to 
show the Ambassador his pledges: 
--Respect for constitutional deadlines 
--Formation of a national unity cabinet with a blocking 
minority and a commitment not to resign 
--Agreement on a president with two-thirds of the actual 
deputies 
--Formation of committee of four to six people to immediately 
implement a national unity cabinet 
 
¶3. (C) Late on July 28, after consultations with Hariri, 
Jumblatt, and Siniora, Kouchner told Berri his proposal was 
well received, and promised to raise it on July 29 at lunch. 
Berri faxed the proposal to General Aoun and Hizballah to 
ensure their agreement and that their representatives would 
cooperate at lunch. 
 
¶4. (SBU) After the July 29 lunch, however, Kouchner told 
Berri that the broader March 14 group had rejected his 
proposal and made several of its own demands, including: 
--No opposition blocking minority 
--A simple majority election of the president 
--No national unity government until the president is elected 
 
 
BERRI INSISTS ON A 
CONSENSUS PRESIDENT 
------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Berri argued that he will not accept a divided or 
disturbed Lebanon, and thus insists on a consensus president. 
 Without a national unity government, he argued, the 
opposition will not agree on a consensus president.  (Note: 
Berri seems to believe that March 14 could still rally a 
simple majority to elect a candidate, despite the statements 
of several key figures in March 14 demanding a two-thirds 
quorum. End note.) 
 
¶6. (C) Berri told us that he can wait another 20 days for 
progress in selecting a consensus candidate, but then will 
have to take action.  Though the electoral session of 
parliament is scheduled for September 25, Berri noted that 
Lebanon will need at least a month of discussions before 
convening an election, and Berri is considering delaying the 
session until October 10. 
 
ONLY US CAN RESOLVE 
LEBANON'S PROBLEMS 
------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) Berri and his team said only the United States can 
impose a solution in Lebanon, and demand stability.  Berri 
noted, "I tried to do something, and (since that failed) I am 
 
BEIRUT 00001156  002 OF 002 
 
 
more sure than ever that the United States doesn't want 
movement" beyond the impasse.  After Berri and the Ambassador 
moved to a private side conversation to discuss potential 
presidential candidates, MP Ali Bazzi confided to Econoff 
that Berri believes only the US can impose a solution in 
Lebanon, by pressuring various political figures and by 
making it clear that violence is not acceptable. 
 
¶8. (C) At the beginning of the meeting Berri noted that after 
his efforts failed he is more convinced than ever that the 
United States doesn't want to end the impasse.  The next 
president of Lebanon will be decided by outsiders as well as 
Lebanese, Berri stated.  It doesn't matter which political 
group the candidate is from, as long as he is elected by 
consensus.  If March 14 pursues an election with a simple 
majority, Berri said, it means the United States wants to 
destroy Lebanon, because the United States controls March 14. 
 
FELTMAN