EU RESPONSE ON ASSASSINATION OF FORMER LEBANESE PM

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000691 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2010 TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV SY LE EUN USEU BRUSSELS SUBJECT: EU RESPONSE ON ASSASSINATION OF FORMER LEBANESE PM HARIRI REF: SECSTATE 27178 Classified By: POL MC KYLE SCOTT. REASON: 1.4(B)(D) (C) Mission relayed reftel points to Pascal Charlat, Head of the Council Task Force on the Middle East. We referred to press reports of Solana's weak reaction when asked if the Hariri assassination would have an impact on EU relations with Syria (Solana reportedly stated "At the moment we have not any reason why it should"). Mission stressed the importance of EU engagement to press for full Syrian compliance with UNSC 1599. Charlat contacted mission later to say that the Council Secretariat was trying to press for a declaration "in that direction," and that something could be issued by the end of the day. He also said that the GAERC conclusions being prepared for EU Foreign Ministers for next Monday's meeting were likely to highlight the importance of full compliance with 1599. Finally, Charlat advised us to review Solana's official declaration on the Hariri assassination, in which Solana said that "the trials that Lebanon and the Lebanese people are undergoing today must be surmounted ... with respect to the two principles to which Rafik Hariri dedicated his life: the independence and the sovereignty of Lebanon." SCHNABEL .