WikiLeaks: Geagea Says Hariri and Jumblat Might Make Deals at March 14 Expense
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea expressed fear over carrying out deals under the table to form the new government and said that caretaker PM Saad Hariri might drop the agenda of the March 14 forces, a WikiLeaks cable published in al-Akhbar newspaper on Friday said.
The cable dated May 15, 2008 said that the LF leader described the caretaker PM’s words as “nonsense” and said that Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat is “scared” so they’re seeking a way out.
“Jumblat shouldn’t attend” the Doha meeting, Geagea told then U.S. Charge d'Affaires Michele Sison because he was certain that the PSP leader “will carry out deals behind everyone’s back.”
Geagea said that Hariri wanted to make deals to ensure his nomination for the premiership. The cable quoted him as saying that “the LF will withdraw from the camp (March 14) if any deal was held under the tables.”
He said that the March 14 forces will not agree on a 10-10-10 equation to form the cabinet or any agreement that might give Hizbullah the right to veto the government’s decisions.
“Hizbullah had lost more than it had won because of what it did,” Geagea stressed.
The LF leader recommended that the army seizes any ammunition or weapons stored in Hizbullah-controlled areas, warning the U.S. from providing Army Intelligence chief George Khoury with surveillance equipment “he might use against the Lebanese Forces.”
Geagea told Sison that military officers are cooperating with “extremists” to develop and monitor the organizations that have arms.
“The weakest link is Syria, which should be targeted with new international resolutions,” he said, urging the U.N. Security Council to threaten to interfere indirectly if Hizbullah used its arms.
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