VZCZCXRO6557
PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHLB #1166/01 2211528
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 081528Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2690
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0081
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2709
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2965
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEPGAB/MNF-I C2X BAGHDAD IZ

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIRUT 001166 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA, PM/FO 
ALSO FOR IO ACTING A/S HOOK AND PDAS WARLICK 
USUN FOR KHALILZAD/WOLFF/SCHEDLBAUER 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER/MCDERMOTT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR OVIP PETRAEUS DAVID MARR
UNSC, MOPS, IZ, IR, SY, LE 
SUBJECT: LEBANON:  SINIORA TELLS GENERAL PETRAEUS HE WILL 
VISIT IRAQ 
 
REF: A. BEIRUT 1112 
     ¶B. BAGHDAD 2298 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. William Grant for reasons 1.4 (b) 
 and (d). 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) Prime Minister Fouad Siniora announced to General 
David Petraeus, during the latter's August 6 visit to 
Lebanon, his plans to go to Iraq once parliament has passed 
the vote of confidence, expected to occur o/a August 12. 
Siniora said he intended to demonstrate to the Arab world his 
support for Iraq, and agreed with Petraeus on the need to 
bring Iraq back into the Arab fold.  In the two and a half 
hour meeting, most of which was on Iraq, Siniora demonstrated 
an avid interest in the situation on the ground and 
Petraeus, prepared briefing materials, asking many 
questions. 
 
¶2. (C) Siniora raised his usual concerns -- a resolution of 
the Palestinian-Israeli issue, liberation of Sheba'a Farms, 
and implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 -- 
and expressed his hopes for mutually beneficial relations 
with Syria.  He concluded that Iranian influence has gained 
in strength in Syria, to which Petraeus responded that Syria 
also needed to reunite with the Arab world.  End summary. 
 
¶3. (C) In an August 6 visit to Beirut, General David 
Petraeus, Commanding General of the Multi-National Forces in 
Iraq, met for over two hours with Prime Minister Fouad 
Siniora and his advisors Major General Eid and Rola 
Nourredine at the Grand Serail.  Colonel Mike Bell, 
Director-Commander's Initiatives Group, Lieutenant Colonel 
Everett Spain, Aide-de-Camp, Sadi Othman, Cultural Advisor 
and Translator, and Major Joel Rayburn, Commander's Staff, 
accompanied by CDA, A/DCM, Defense Attache, Office of Defense 
Cooperation Chief, and PolOff also attended the meeting. 
 
WILL GO TO IRAQ AFTER 
PARLIAMENTARY VOTE 
--------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Prime Minister Siniora announced his plans to go to 
Iraq and Egypt following parliament's vote of confidence on 
the cabinet statement, expected o/a August 12.   Noting that 
he had been planning to go to Iraq for some time, Siniora 
stressed the important regional role Iraq historically has 
played in the Arab world and highlighted its potential as a 
trading partner for Lebanon. 
 
¶5. (C) Petraeus voiced his support for such a visit, saying 
that while the situation has improved vastly, Iraq needed the 
Arab world to welcome it.  He noted that Iraq faced problems 
similar to Lebanon, explaining that having a parliamentary 
majority is not enough, but that the Iraqi government needed 
the support of major political elements to govern 
effectively. 
 
¶6. (C) Affirming that he understood the situation has 
improved through his conversations with Prime Minister 
Maliki, Siniora said he intended to visit Iraq in order to 
make a show of embracing its regional neighbor.  He lamented 
how the Iranians have "hijacked" Arab causes and touted them 
as pan-regional problems as a way of legitimizing Iran's 
influence in the region.  Iran has a strong foothold in Iraq, 
Siniora continued, and to break this connection, the Arab 
world must unite behind Iraq.  "Arab states made a big 
mistake in forsaking Iraq," he declared. 
 
¶7. (C) Agreeing, Petraeus said this is why majority leader 
Saad Hariri's July 17 trip (Refs A, B) to Iraq was very 
important.  Iraq needs to be reminded of its Arab identity, 
Petraeus added, relaying that he has been meeting with Arab 
leaders to garner their support for Iraq.  He noted that some 
 
BEIRUT 00001166  002 OF 003 
 
 
of these leaders held a negative impression of Iraq's 
progress because they received faulty information from 
extremists or members of the opposition who do not want to 
give credit to Maliki.  Petraeus provided Siniora with an 
extensive briefing on the progress to date in Iraq, to which 
Siniora demonstrated an avid interest, asking many questions. 
 
¶8. (C) Petraeus suggested Siniora could help the Arab 
countries "rediscover and embrace Iraq."  Noting that the UAE 
has started this process, Petraeus said Siniora's planned 
visit would encourage other Arab states.  Increasingly 
enthused, Siniora said this was precisely his goal, and he 
would "preach" about the visit afterwards.  He further 
proposed cooperative initiatives between the Lebanese and 
Iraqi finance and education ministries. 
 
¶9. (C) Inquiring whether Iran will cooperate with the P5 1 on 
its nuclear program, Siniora said that while the region 
cannot afford nuclear proliferation, he does not oppose a 
state's right to a peaceful nuclear power program.  Petraus 
congratulated Siniora on the completion of the ministerial 
statement.  Siniora explained how he fought for a nuanced 
ministerial statement implying that Hizballah's right as a 
resistance movement falls under the state's authority. 
 
PALESTINIAN PROBLEM 
REMAINS AT THE CENTER 
--------------------- 
 
¶10. (C) Describing how the Palestinian problem "runs deep in 
the consciousness of all Arabs," Siniora said that as long as 
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is unresolved, extremism 
will continue to flourish.  He added that Israeli occupation 
of Sheba'a Farms provides Hizballah with a raison d'etre, and 
perpetuates radicalism elsewhere in Lebanon.  He called for 
full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, 
noting that Israel continues to conduct overflights of 
Lebanese territory.  Petraeus reminded Siniora of Secretary 
Rice's remarks on resolving Sheba'a, adding that he hoped 
President Sleiman's impending trip to Damascus would be a 
positive step. 
 
RELATIONS WITH SYRIA AND IRANIAN INFLUENCE 
-------------------- 
 
¶11. (C) Commenting on how much the two states have in common 
and how they would benefit greatly from economic cooperation, 
Siniora stressed that Lebanon wants the "best of relations" 
with Syria and will never be "against" its neighbor, but at 
the same time, he continued, "Lebanon is wholeheartedly an 
Arab country, and an independent country."  Siniora 
complained about Syrian influence in the Palestinian camps in 
Lebanon and the issue of Lebanese detainees in Syria, both of 
which will be addressed during Sleiman's visit to Damascus. 
Siniora added that there are plenty of ways Lebanon and Syria 
can act for their mutual benefit. 
 
¶12. (C) Remarking that he opposes the use of fleets 
(referring to the presence of U.S. ships off the coast of 
Lebanon in February), he said the U.S. can help with 
"understanding and support that restrain Syrian aggressions 
and stop Israeli invasions."  Siniora, however, also noted 
that although the Israelis had been planning to invade 
Lebanon, Iran, in one way or another, had created the 2006 
war in Lebanon.  After commenting on Imad Mugniyeh's and 
Mohammed Suleiman's mysterious assassinations in Syria this 
year, Siniora indicated that it was being said that Iranian 
influence in Syria has increased.  Petraeus responded that 
Syrian President Bashar Asad, like Iraq, needs to rediscover 
his Arab roots, and Lebanon can play a pivotal role in 
opening its arms to replace what Iran has been doing in 
Syria. 
 
¶13. (C) General Petraeus has cleared this message. 
 
 
 
BEIRUT 00001166  003 OF 003 
 
 
GRANT