US embassy cable - 05BEIRUT2425

S E C R E T  BEIRUT 002425 
 
 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN/POUNDS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2015 
TAGS: LE, PGOV, PREL, PTER, SY 
SUBJECT: MGLE01--AMBASSADOR'S FIRST MEETING WITH FOREIGN 
MINISTER-DESIGNATE FAWZI SALLOUKH 
 
Classified By: Jeffrey Feltman, Ambassador.  Reason:  Sections 1.4 (b) 
and (d) 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  In his first meeting with the Ambassador, 
Fawzi Salloukh on 7/25 highlighted his long friendship with 
the United States, promised an open dialogue between the two 
countries, and tried to put a good face on future 
Lebanon-Syrian relations.  Salloukh, a Shia from southern 
Lebanon, described foreign fighters in Iraq as "terrorists" 
who had to be stopped.  But he dodged taking a government 
position on UNSCR 1559 before the ministerial declaration of 
policy is published as early as July 26.  He accepted, in 
principle, the Secretary's recent invitation (offered in the 
course of the Secretary's press conference in Beirut on 7/22) 
to visit the United States.  End summary. 
 
2.  (C)  Fawzi Salloukh, the newly designated Minster for 
Foreign Affairs, received the Ambassador and Pol Chief 
cordially on 7/25 on their first official call.  The 
Secretary's visit to Beirut dominated the first part of the 
conversation with the Ambassador.  While hinting that such 
visits should properly be coordinated through the MFA, 
Salloukh noted that he was pleased with the Secretary's trip 
and flattered by her invitation to visit the United States. 
Although the Minister-designate was unsure when he might 
travel to the U.S., he said that the UNGA might be a good 
opportunity to take up the invitation of the Secretary.  He 
said that the Secretary's messages to Lebanon were clear and 
well understood, including on the need for Lebanon to accept 
its international obligations (e.g., UNSCR 1559).  He looked 
forward to close cooperation with the USG and with the 
Embassy.  Describing himself as "a conservative diplomat," 
Salloukh acknowledged that secrecy, and departures from 
traditional procedures, were necessary at times.  The 
Secretary's visit to Lebanon was such an occasion.  He 
reassured the Ambassador, however, that he was discreet and 
that matters discussed with the Ministry would not find their 
way into the press. 
 
3.  (C)   Turning to the present border troubles with Syria, 
the Foreign Minister-designate tried to sound hopeful.  "We 
will attack our Syrian neighbors with love," he said.  Prime 
Minister-designate Fouad Siniora had already agreed to take 
up the border closings with the Syrian government as soon as 
the government received its vote of confidence this week. 
Salloukh added that, as a farmer from the south of Lebanon, 
he was suffering from the loss of trade that has hit many 
Lebanese business people.  He has a personal interest in 
solving the crisis with Syria.  But Salloukh stopped short of 
requesting international assistance in the border issue.  He 
said Lebanon would be grateful if its friends allowed the 
Lebanese to define their relations with Syria.  He said he 
would work with love and respect to win over the Syrians. 
When the Ambassador pointed out that Syria had never 
reciprocated Lebanon's kindly affections, the 
Minister-designate asked that the new government be given a 
chance to redefine its relationship with Syria before the 
international community passes judgment. 
 
4.  (C)  Salloukh said he thought the recently-named 
government would receive a vote of confidence from the 
Parliament in the coming week.  In the meantime, the 
designated ministers had been meeting over the weekend to 
come up with a policy statement and a list of priorities for 
the new government.  Salloukh was adamant that he could not 
discuss the statement in detail, but he said the government 
would seek a program of social, political, and administrative 
reforms to address Lebanon's pressing needs.  Salloukh said 
the document should be ready after a final ministerial 
meeting on the evening of July 25.  Addressing UNSCR 1559, 
the Foreign Minister-designate said the most important 
portions of the resolution were fulfilled.  What remained was 
an internal issue to be solved by the Lebanese in a Lebanese 
fashion.  At the same time, Lebanon was mindful of its 
international obligations. 
 
5. (C)  The Ambassador outlined the activities of the 6/13 
core group meeting in Paris and potential follow-on support. 
Explaining that the Paris meeting would be followed up by a 
Beirut meeting of the core group, the Ambassador stressed 
that the core group would only proceed with assistance plans 
for Lebanon in partnership with the GOL and in accordance 
with GOL priorities.  The Minister-designate said that his 
government was grateful for the work done in Paris and looked 
forward to participating in a Beirut meeting in the future. 
Lebanon, Salloukh said, has many needs.  The debt burden 
which weighs on the Lebanese economy precludes the GOL taking 
action on many of these needs.  He said Lebanon would not be 
confronting donors with a "shopping list" of development 
needs, but is willing to participate in a real dialogue with 
partners for the good of the Lebanese people. 
 
6.  (S)  The Ambassador used the occasion to present to the 
Minister-designate reftel (b) demarche concerning UNSCR 1546 
and the infiltration of foreign fighters into Iraq.  The 
Minister-designate became solemn and noted sadly the innocent 
lives lost in Iraq as a result of these "terrorists."  He 
acknowledged that Lebanese are among the foreign fighters. 
He said that his government believes that this infiltration 
must be stopped.  Salloukh accepted the demarche and promised 
to study it carefully.  He added that he hoped that the 
multi-national force in Iraq would soon be able to finish its 
work and leave the country.  The Minister-designate said he 
knew that the USG was paying a high price for its involvement 
in Iraq and did not relish the thought of staying any longer 
than necessary. 
 
7.  (C)  Comment:  Foreign Minister-designate Salloukh's use 
of the word "terrorist" to describe foreign fighters in Iraq 
is a welcome first among Lebanese officials.  As a Shia 
intellectual, he might feel more sharply than other Lebanese 
about the suffering of Shia civilians at the hands of 
terrorists in Iraq.  Salloukh was one of the Shia Ministers 
selected by the Amal/Hizballah political alliance in 
assembling the new Cabinet.  In his first meeting with the 
Ambassador, the Minister-designate showed off a picture of 
himself with retired Ambassador Thomas Pickering, and 
repeatedly recalled his friendly relations with American 
diplomats over his years of diplomatic service that stretched 
from his first posting in Liberia in the erly 1960's to his 
Ambassadorship in Brussels in the mid-1990s.  The meeting was 
pleasant enough, with Salloukh careful not to contradict 
Lebanon's obligations under UNSCR 1559.  The meeting was also 
largely rhetoric-free, with Salloukh not bothering with his 
predecessor's frequent references to the suffering of the 
Palestinians.  Yet Salloukh did not show any sparks of 
creativity, initiative, or charisma.  What the MFA really 
needs is an engaging character who can break its "branch 
office" relationship with the Syrian MFA.  We should not 
expect much from a Salloukh-led MFA.  End comment. 
 
 
FELTMAN