HABIB MISSION(Sanitized)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84B00049R000701850018-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 2, 2006
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: August 19, 1982
• Content Type: CABLE

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TOP: 192344ZAUG 82
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DE RUQMAE #5534 2312215
ZNYSSSSS ZZH ZZK
0 192210ZAUG 82 ZFF4
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE 8147
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV NIACT IMMEDIATE 6R2
INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN IMMEDIATE 479
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE 477
RUEHJM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS IMMEDIATE 553
RRUEHJI/AMEMBASSY JIDDA IMMEDIATE 476
0
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL
RUFHFR/AMEMBASSY
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY
JERUSALEM IMMEDIATE 618
PARIS IMMEDIATE 56
ROME IMMEDIATE 57
RUEADWW/WHITEHOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
BT
S E C R E T BEIRUT 5534
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E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PINT, PEPR, MILI, MOPS, LE, IS, SY, XF, PLO
SUBJECT: HABIB MISSION: BASHIR GEMAYEL'S THREAT
1, SECRET - ENTIRE TEXT.
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2, ONLY HOURS AFTER THE ISRAELI CABINET MADE ITS
POSITIVE DECISION, AND EVEN WHILE THE IDF AND LAF
HAD COME TO A GOOD UNDERSTANDING REGARDING THE LAF
State Dept. review completed
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82 9281704 SSO PAGE 002
TORS 192344ZAUG 82
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TAKEOVER OF THE PORT OF BEIRUT TOMORROW NIGHT, A MAJOR
NEW COMPLICATION AROSE WHICH THREATENS TO JEOPARDIZE
EVERYTHING WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER, BASHIR GEMAYEL IS
THINKING OF TAKING STEPS TO PREVENT THE LAF DEPLOYMENT
IN THE PORT TOMORROW NIGHT AND, FOR THAT MATTER, THE
DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRENCH MNF UNIT ON SATURDAY
MORNING, AUGUST 21,
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3, BASHIR'S REASONING IS AS FOLLOWS:
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?? MANY SUNNI MUSLIM FIGURES, IN PARTICULAR SA'B SALAM, INTEND
TO BOYCOTT ANY MEETING OF PARLIAMENT SO AS TO FORESTALL
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A QUORUM; IN THIS WAY, THEY INTEND TO FRUSTRATE THE
POSSIBILITY THAT BASHIR WOULD BE FLFCTED PRESIDENT,
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?? IF THIS WERE NOT ENOUGH, THE SYRIANS, PALESTINIANS,
AND LEFTISTS ARE APPLYING HEAVY PRESSURE AND
INTIMIDATION TO PREVENT ANY CONVENING OF PARLIAMENT
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OR, IF IT CONVENES, THE ACHIEVEMENT OF A QUORUM,
THE FIRING AND OTHER INCIDENTS NEAR PARLIAMENT
YESTERDAY STOPPED A MEETING TODAY; HOWEVER, EXTREMELY
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HEAVY PRESSURE, THREATS AND INTIMIDATION ARE ALSO
BEING PRACTICED BY THE SYRIANS ELSEWHERE TN THE COUNTRY
TO PREVENT DEPUTIES FROM ATTENDING.
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?- AT THE SAME TIME, HOWEVER, THE LEADING SUNNI MUSLIM
FIGURES IN WEST BEIRUT ARE DESPERATELYANXIOUS THAT
THE WITHDRAWAL PLAN TO THROUGH AND THAT AN MNF CnME
IN AS PART OF THE PROCESS,
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?? SA'B SALAM AND HIS COLLEAGUES DESPERATELY WANT
TO SAVE WEST BEIRUT; BUT HE, HASHIR, WANTS TO BE ELECTED
PRESIDENT AND PURSUE HIS VISION OF FORMING A STRONG GOVERNMENT,
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?? THEREFORE, BASHIR'S STRATEGY IS TO POSTPONE
THE ENTRY OF THE MNF AND THE PLO WITHDRAWAL UNTIL
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THE SUNNI OPPOSITION HAS AGREED TO ALLOWING PARLIAMENT
TO MEET WITH A QUOV M SO THAT THE ELECTION CAN RE HELD.
THE PARLIAMENT IS TO CONVENE AT A NEW LOCATION ON
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MONDAY, AUGUST 23, AND BASHIR IS WORKING TO FORESTALL
THE BEGINNING OF A PALESTINIAN WITHDRAWAL OPERATION
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TOR: I92344ZAUG 82
UNTIL AT LEAST TUESDAY.
4. BASHIR SENT TANKS AND MEN TO THE PORT, APPARENTLY
IN THE EARLY EVENING, AND CONFRONTED GENERAL ETTAN.
HARSH WORDS WERE REPORTEDLYEXCHANGED, WITH ETTAN
TELLING BASHIR HE WAS UPSETTING THE ENTIRE APPLE CART.
5, I WILL NOT RECOUNT HERE THE ARGUMENT I
MARSHALLED AGAINST THIS DISASTROUS, COUNTERPRODUCTIVE
STRATEGY ON WHICH BASHIR HAS BEEN EMBARKED. SARKIS
FIRST INFORMED ME OF THIS DEVELOPMENT IN THE
EARLY EVENING, AND I URGED UPON HIM, SUTRUS, AND ABDU
THAT THIS NOT BE ALLOWED TO TAKE PLACE. LATER IN THE
EVENING, I SPENT AN HOURHRDD 45 MINUTES WITH BASHIR
AND ABDU TOGETHER. I BELIEVE I SHOOK BASHIR UP A BIT.
WHEN HE LEFT, HE PROMISED TO THINK OVER WHAT I SAID
CAREFULLY. HOWEVER, HE 18 A DETERMINED MAN WHO
SEES HIS CHANCE FOR THE PRESIDENCY SLIPPING AWAY. HE
MAY SHIFT HIS TACTICS AND TRY TO GET SARKIS TO ALTER
THE REQUEST FOR THE MNF UNTIL AT LEAST AFTER THE MONDAY
SESSION OF THE PARLIAMENT. THIS FORM OF PRESSURE WILL
NOT BE SO EASYTO APPLYOVER EXPECTED CABINET OPPOSITION.
6. TEL AVIV FOR AMBASSADOR LEWIS: I SUGGEST YOU
GET IN TOUCH WITH DAVID KIMCHE AS EARLY IN THE MORNING
AS POSSIBLE TO REVIEW THESE DEVELOPMENTS. IT IS
CERTAIN THAT KIMCHE WILL HAVE BEEN INFORMED ABOUT
THEM BY THEN, AND HE MAY HAVE ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE TO
OFFER. KIMCHE IS ONE OF THE RELATIVELY FEW ISRAELIS
WHO WILL UNDERSTAND FULLY THE INTRICACIES AND COMPLICATIONS
IN THIS EXTRAORDINARY LEBANESE POLITICAL SCENE. I
WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD SEIZE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE THE ISRAELIS THROUGH KIMCHE ?w
TO PERSUADE BASHIR AWAY FROM THIS COURSE OF ACTION.
WHATEVER YOU CAN REPORT TO ME, I WILL USE IN MY FURTHER
EFFORTS DURING THE DAY,
DILLON
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