Wikileaks: Michel Sison: "Privately, Geagea is working with Ashraf Rifi on buying ammunition for his LF fighters, at list price from other countries"

C O N F I D E N T I A L  02 BEIRUT 000669

SUBJECT: LEBANON: GEAGEA DROPS BY AGAIN 

... ... ... 3. (C) Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea and Minister of Tourism and loyal LF member Joseph Sarkis stopped by the Embassy at 1800 on May 12 to report to the Charge, A/DCM, Defense Attache, and PolOff on his day of meetings with key political figures. Geagea declared at the outset that he had visited Prime Minister Fouad Siniora earlier in the day at 1500, and "Siniora is doing excellently," which we note is an improvement from the previous day (Ref A). Geagea explained that the PM is isolated from the outside world since he is holed up for security reasons at the Grand Serail. 4. (C) Geagea reported that he visited the PM to convince him to convene the Cabinet in order to discuss withdrawing its May 5 decisions to transfer the head of airport security and declare Hizballah's fiber optics network illegal (Ref B). Siniora rejected his appeal, Geagea relayed, and told him that the Cabinet cannot withdraw its decisions without a serious guarantee that the opposition will withdraw from the streets ... ... 5. (C) Concluding that Siniora would not budge, Geagea told us that we should urge March 14 leaders Saad Hariri and Walid Jumblatt to stop pushing Siniora. "The PM will not give anything for free," Geagea stated, himself agreeing with the PM. (Note: Jumblatt listed for us immediately before we saw Geagea the March 14 leaders who were now advocating the Cabinet withdraw its decisions, septel. End note.) ... ... ... ...  

 “Thus we say: No for weapons outside the state authority!" 

Samir Geagea'

10. (C) Geagea noted that the current situation is not terrible, but that March 14 needed something significant to "hold Hizballah back." He offered, "We could turn a defeat into a victory." He told the Charge that the focus needs to shift to a more long-term look at how to defeat Hizballah. 11. (C) Privately, Geagea followed up on his previous requests for ammunition for his LF fighters (Ref D), and informed the Charge that he had seen Internal Security Forces (ISF) Director General Ashraf Rifi earlier in the day. Geagea reported that he is working with Rifi on buying ammunition at list price from other countries for himself and Walid Jumblatt. (Comment: We visited Rifi at 1300 today, May 12, and then saw him later in the afternoon at his close friend Saad's residence, septel. It looks like Geagea is moving along with his preparations to arm his fighters. End comment.)