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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 151231 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2017 
TAGS: LE PGOV PREL PTER SY EUN
SUBJECT: USG POSITION ON LEBANESE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS 
 
REF: A. BEIRUT 1652 
 
     ¶B. BEIRUT 1650 
 
Classified By: NEA Acting A/S David M. Satterfield 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) This is an action request. 
 
¶2. (C) The Department requests posts' and other agencies' 
assistance to bolster international support for Lebanon's 
pro-sovereignty March 14 majority in its ongoing negotiations 
with the pro-Syrian opposition over a successor to current 
President Emile Lahoud.   Lebanon's Cedar Revolution and 
UNSCRs 1559 and 1701 hang in the balance. 
 
Objectives 
---------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Department requests posts and other USG agencies 
deploy the following points on an as-needed basis: 
 
- Successful Lebanese presidential elections are a key 
priority of the United States. 
 
- The Lebanese must select their next president.  The United 
States will not endorse candidates, but we expect that 
Lebanon will elect a new president who is not be beholden to 
outside powers or terrorist groups and who will uphold 
relevant international resolutions. 
 
- The international community must be united in support of 
free and fair Lebanese presidential elections held according 
to Lebanon's constitution and without interference or 
intimidation. 
 
- President Lahoud and the pro-Syrian opposition are trying 
to block democratic elections.  We are concerned that 
opposition MPs might boycott the elections, that President 
Lahoud might refuse to step down when his term ends at 
midnight on November 23, or that a second, illegitimate 
government might emerge in Beirut. 
 
- Noting that the Maronite Patriarch has described a boycott 
of Parliament's electoral session as a boycott of the nation, 
we ask you to join us in emphasizing the civic responsibility 
of all MPs to attend electoral sessions.  No one should use 
the threat of boycott to deprive Lebanon of a new president 
or to deprive Lebanon's Christians of their highest political 
office. 
 
- The United States agrees that Lebanon deserves a strong, 
credible president who has the broadest possible support.  At 
the same time, we recognize that democracies, including 
Lebanon's, have often elected presidents with less than 
two-thirds of votes.  To name only two, President Sarkis and 
President Franjieh won Lebanon's elections with the barest 
minimum absolute majority vote. 
 
- We must not pressure the March 14 coalition to give up its 
constitutional right to elect a president by absolute 
majority if necessary.  This would weaken March 14's 
bargaining position and reward intimidation tactics like the 
September 19 assassination of Lebanese MP Antoine Ghanem, the 
eighth assassination of a pro-sovereignty Lebanese leader 
since 2005. 
 
- The United States recently announced travel and financial 
sanctions against those who undermine Lebanon's sovereignty 
and democratic processes; we urge you to consider similar 
sanctions and strong messages to the Syrian regime that the 
world is watching them and that their interference in the 
Lebanese elections will have negative consequences. 
 
- After elections, we urge you to immediately support a 
 
STATE 00151231  002 OF 002 
 
 
president who is elected according to the Lebanese 
constitution. 
 
- We also urge you to provide assistance to Lebanese 
institutions such as the security services and central bank 
to support a legitimately elected president and his new 
government. 
 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶4. (C) Lebanese MPs must elect a new president before the end 
of Emile Lahoud's term at midnight, November 23.  The 
pro-sovereignty March 14 majority and pro-Syrian March 8 
opposition have yet to agere on a successor to Lahoud or on 
the correct procedure for choosing one.  Embassy Beirut has 
outlined several possible  scenarios for the election (Ref 
B), none of which is ideal for USG interests.  We are 
concerned that opposition MPs might boycott a parliamentary 
voting session, that President Lahoud might refuse to step 
down, or that a second, illegitimate government might emerge 
in Beirut.   Fearing these outcomes, various European and 
Arab states have urged March 14 to "compromise" with the 
pro-Syrian opposition on a presidential candidate.  Speaker 
of Parliament Nabih Berri has postponed a parliamentary 
voting session until November 12, allegedly to allow more 
time for the two sides to reach a consensus. 
 
Point of contact 
---------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Please contact NEA/ELA Matthew Irwin (202-647-1058) or 
Ann Somerset (202-647-1030) with questions or for additional 
background information. 
RICE