SYRIAN LEADER OFFERS TROOPS TO OUST AOUN FROM STRONGHOLD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90M01243R001000310012-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 27, 2013
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: December 9, 1989
• Content Type: MISC

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/09/27: CIA-RDP90M01243R001000310012-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/09/27: CIA-RDP90M01243R001000310012-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/09/27: CIA-RDP90M01243R001000310012-4
T28033
Sat Dec 09 04:27:49 1989 Page 1
DJYQA
0081
SYRIAN LEADER OFFERS TROOPS- TO OUST AOUN FROM STRONGHOLD---,
- ?f
Sat Dec 09 04:24:43 1989
KUWAIT -(DJ)--SYRIAN PRESIDENT HAFEZ ASSAD, IN AN
INTERVIEW PUBLISHED SATURDAY, SAID HE WAS WILLING TO
PROVIDE LEBANESE PRESIDENT ELIAS HRAWI WITH SYRIAN TROOPS
TO OUST GEN. MICHEL AOUN FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE.
IF THE LEBANESE PRESIDENT WANTS TO USE LEBANESE
REGULAR ARMY UNITS IT WILL BE HIS DECISION WHICH WE WILL
SUPPORT. IF HE WANTS SYRIAN FORCES WE ARE READY,' ASSAD
TOLD THE DAILY AL-QABAS.
HE SAID THE PREDOMINATELY MOSLEM UNITS OF THE LEBANESE
ARMY WERE PROBABLY STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE ON THE OTHER HALF
OF THE LEBANESE ARMY, THE 20,000 MOSTLY CHRISTIAN TROOPS
SERVING AOUN.
ASSAD SAID THE USE OF FORCE WAS THE MOST LIKELY CHOICE
FOR ENDING WHAT HE CALLED 'AOUN'S ADAMANT ADHERANCE TO
REBELLION AND HIS CHALLENGE OF THE LEGITIMATE AUTHORITY.'
AOUN, WHO HAS REJECTED THE ARAB-MEDIATED
RECONCILIATION PROCESS THAT BROUGHT HRAWI TO POWER, REMAINS
ENTRENCHED AT THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE AT BAABDA IN THE
CHRISTIAN-CONTROLLED ENCLAVE. LITTLE REMAINS OF THE
BUILDING ITSELF DUE TO ALMOST CONSTANT SHELLING IN FIGHTING
FROM MARCH TO SEPTEMBER, BUT THE COMPOUND HAS BECOME A
SYMBOL OF LEGITIMATE AUTHORITY.
ASSAD'S INTERVIEW COINCIDED WITH A CAMPAIGN BY THE
FOREIGN MINISTERS OF SAUDI ARABIA, ALGERIA AND MOROCCO-THE
ARAB LEAGUE COMMITTEE WORKING ON THE PEACE PLAN-FOR ARAB
AND INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE ON AOUN TO BACK DOWN PEACEFULLY.
THE FOREIGN MINISTERS WERE SCHEDULED TO HOLD TALKS IN
DAMASCUS SATURDAY BEFORE CONTINUING TO IRAQ, FRANCE AND THE
VATICAN.
-0-
-(0J-12-09-89 0924GMT)
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128030
Sat Dec 09 04:18:42 1989
RYRLCP
677
-LEBANON 1STLD (SCHEDULED)
Sat Dec 09 04:16:56 1989
Page 1
6HRISTIAN MILITIA RALLY IN BEIRUT CANCELLED AT LAST MINUTE:
By Peter Smerdon
BEIRUT, Dec 9, Reuter - Lebanon's largest Christian militia
abruptly called off a rally on Saturday that had threatened a
confrontation with supporters of army General Michel Aoun in
east Beirut.
The Lebanese Forces (LF) militia and rightwing Falange Party
cited bad weather for postponing the "resistance day" rally
although heavy overnight rain had ended by morning.
Some Christian political sources said the LF cancelled the
demonstration to avoid tension with mainly-Christian troops
backing Aoun, who is clinging to power within Lebanon's
Christian enclave in defiance of demands for his surrender by
the country's new President Elias Hrawi.
"The bad weather was a way out," a Christian security source
said.
In a new bid to end Lebanon's 14-year civil war, mediators
From the Arab League, Saudi Arabia and Algeria flew to Damascus
from Riyadh on Saturday for talks with Syrian leaders.
Syria's President Hafez al-Assad who quoted on Saturday
however as being gloomy about peace hopes.
The League, which set up a peace committee during a
in Morocco early this year, succeeded in bringing about
tenuous ceasefire in Lebanon in September.
The thud of artillery added to tension in Beirut on
Saturday, but residents who had scurried for shelter were calmed
by an army statement broadcast by radio stations saying the
firing was an exercise and apologising for the confusion.
The rally by the Lebanese Forces was originally timed to
coincide with with a nearly two-week vigil by thousands of
Aoun's supporters at the presidential palace in the Baabda
suburb of east Beirut.
LF workers had replaced posters of Aoun with
Front leader Samir Geagea on Friday, fuelling fe
political rivalry could lead to violent confront
Aoun's supporters have camped around the pal
attack ordered by Lebanon's Syrian-backed Christ
oust the defiant general from the enclave he sha
10.000 strong Lebanese Forces.
Geagea has said his militia would support Ao
troops against an attack but he has failed to an
position on Aoun's campaign against Hrawi. The p
an Arab League peace plan to give Moslems a grea
political power in Lebanon at the expense of the
Syria's President Assad was quoted by Kuwait
newspaper as saying Damascus would back Hrawi in
remove Aoun, who has rejected the Lebanese presi
by members of parliament last month.
"I do not rule out either a political or a military
settlement. The political action has a role and may achieve what
is required, but I do not put the highest hopes on political
meeting
a
pictures of
ars that renewed
at ion.
ace to deter any
ian president to
res with the
un's 15,000
nounce his
resident backs
ter share of
Christians.
'S al-Qabas
any bid to
dent's election
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RTTUZYUW RUQMQFA0467 3430818 MTMS-UUUU--RUEBHAA RUEBHAA.
ZNR UUUUU ZYN
R 090812Z DEC 89
FM FBIS NICOSIA CY
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RUCQAAA/USCINCCENT INTELLIGENCE CENTER MACDILL AFB FL
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RUFRMDA/CTF SIX ZERO
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RUQMIF/AMEMBASSY AMMAN
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ACCT FBNC-EWDK
BT
CONTROLS
UNCLAS 5N/PMU
WARNING: ATTN JORDAN AAMM
SERIAL: NC0912081289
BODY
PASS: ATTN BBC RIU
COPY TO LIBRARY
COUNTRY: LEBANON _
SUBJ: CABINET TERMINATES SERVICES OF AMBASSADOR TO U.S.
REF:t NC0712162289 BEIRUT DOMESTIC ARABIC 071500--CABINET MEETING
ENDS, RESOLUTIONS PASSED
SOURCE: BEIRUT DOMESTIC SERVICE IN ARABIC 0530 GMT 9 DEC 89
TEXT:
((TEXT)) THE FOREIGN MINISTRY YESTERDAY SENT A CABLE TO
'ABDALLAH ABU-HABIB, HITHERTO LEBANESE AMBASSADOR IN WASHINGTON,
INFORMING HIM OF THE CABINET'S DECISION TO TERMINATE HIS SERVICES
AND REQUESTING HIM TO LEAVE HIS POST.
ADMIN
(ENDALL) 090530 MK/GERMANOS/CP 09/0819Z DEC
BT
UNCLASSIFIED
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T23130
RYRSAF
743
-LEBANON-FADLALLAH
Sat Dec 09 07:53:45 1989 Page 1
Sat Dec 09 07:44:32 1989
f-CAR BOMBERS TRY TO KILL HIZBOLLAH LEADER
BEIRUT, Dec 9, Reuter - Assassins tried to ambush the
spiritual leader of Lebanon's Shi'ite fundamentalists with a big
car bomb on Saturday, his group said.
A car packed with 80 kg (175 pounds) of mines and explosives
was discovered before Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah went
past on his way to Bi'ir al-Abed mosque in Beirut's southern
suburbs.
"The car bomb was aimed at the life of Sheikh Fadlallah,"
said a spokesman for the pro-Iranian Hizbollah (Party of God).
"It was parked on the road he takes every day at a specific hour
to go and pray at the mosque."
Roadside bombs have been used for poitical assassinations
throughout Lebanon's 14 years of civil war, including last
month's murder of president Rene Muawad just 17 days after his
eI ection.
Fadlallah has been the target of several reported
assassination attempts. A car bomb killed 92 people near his
home in 1985 in what The Washington Post said was a rogue
operation funded by the United States.
Fadlallah wields strong influence on Hizbollah, which
Western governments believe has close links with underground
groups holding most of the 19 Westerners kidnapped in Lebanon.
Hizbollah, which has vowed to purge Lebanon of Western
presence, denies any connection with the hostage-takers.
Western governments also blamed Hizbollah for bomb attacks
in 1983 which killed 241 U.S. Marines and 58 French
paratroopers.
The Hizbollah spokesman said the group's own security units
Found and dismantled Saturday's car bomb. They arrested a number
of people for interrogation, he added.
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