DEMARCHE: URGING ISOLATION OF SARG IN WAKE OF

S E C R E T ABU DHABI 004629 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV SY TC SUBJECT: DEMARCHE: URGING ISOLATION OF SARG IN WAKE OF UNSCR 1636 REF: A. SECSTATE 205436 ¶B. ABUDHABI 4548 Classified By: AMBASSADOR MICHELE J. SISON, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (S) Summary: On November 15, Ambassador discussed isolation of Syria with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed(AbZ), Minister of Information and ruling family point-man on UAE-Syria relations. On November 9 Ambassador also delivered reftel demarche(ref A) to MFA U/S Abdullah Rashid al Noaimi. Ambassador urged the UAEG to send a clear message to Bashar Al-Asad that the regime's behavior is unacceptable. End Summary. ¶2. (S) As he had told Ambassador and A/S Welch earlier this month, AbZ agreed November 15 that the U.S was right in continuing to apply pressure to Syria. AbZ noted again that he had turned down Deputy FM Moallem's invitation to visit President Bashar in Damascus(ref B). ¶3. (S) Ambassador stressed to U/S Al Naoimi on November 9 that isolation, not engagement, was the only way to send a clear message to SARG that the regime's behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by the international community. Ambassador pointed out that engaging SARG in high-level meetings either in Damascus or Abu Dhabi would send a mixed message about the situation that Syria has created, and about the total isolation from the international community that has resulted from their interference in Lebanese internal affairs. Al Naoimi acknowledged USG concerns, noting that AbZ was becoming increasingly frustrated with Bashar, but added that the isolation of Syria remained the UAEG's last option. ¶3. (S) In a follow-up meeting on November 14 Al Naoimi stated "We don't understand Bashar anymore; we thought that there was hope to engage the new, progressive Syria of the future, but we have only met the Syria of the past. This last speech of Bashar felt like it was given in the 60's or 70's". When pressed that engagement isn't working, Abdullah Rashid admitted, "No, it isn't working; they are pushing themselves to isolation." SISON