SYRIAN PRESIDENT ASAD'S SEPTEMBER 26 VISIT TO EGYPT

S E C R E T CAIRO 007510

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KPAL EG SY IS IZ MEPN
SUBJECT: SYRIAN PRESIDENT ASAD'S SEPTEMBER 26 VISIT TO EGYPT


Classified by Charge d'Affaires, Stuart Jones, for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).

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Summary
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1. (S) Senior Egyptian contacts have shared read-outs with
Post on the September 26 visit to Cairo by Syrian President
Asad. President Mubarak reportedly pressed Asad hard to
cooperate with the UN investigation into the killing of
Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri and to stop interfering
negatively in Lebanon. The subject of ending support for the
insurgency in Iraq appears to have factored less prominently
in their discussions (at least according to GOE readouts),
apart from Mubarak's call for Bashar to respond favorably to
U.S. concerns. Asad was reportedly uninformed on events and
out of touch on the level of his country's international
isolation, including by traditional allies Egypt and Saudi
Arabia. End summary.

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Presidential Spokesman on Asad Visit
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2. (S) Presidency Spokesman and Advidor to the President
Soliman Awad conveyed to the Charge September 27 that
President Mubarak delivered a tough message to Bashar Asad
during the latter's September 26 visit to Cairo. Summing up
the outcome of the meeting which included Egyptian
Intelligence Chief Soliman and Foreign Ministers, Awad said
that the Syrian President "went in cheerful, and came out
pale." According to Awad, the Syrian President was unaware
of many details on current events that President Mubarak
described to him. People around Asad, Awad said, were
clearly keeping information from Asad. Mubarak described the
gravity of the current political situation to Asad, as the
Syrian President clearly did not fully comprehend the full
implications of recent events. Citing an example, Awad said
that Asad was unaware of a letter that had been written and
addressed to Syrian Military Intellience Chief Asif Shawkat
by UN-appointed investigation head Detlev Mehlis.


3. (S) Describing further what he characterized as a blunt
and tough GOE message, Awad said Mubarak warned that Syria
was isolated on the international stage. Furthermore,
Mubarak cautioned Asad from the latter's reported threat made
during the meeting to use Palestinian factions in Lebanon and
Syria to relieve pressure on Syria. Mubarak chastised Asad
for "not listening" to GOE advice before passage of UNSCR
1559 - "I warned you. Your father used to listen, but you
don't listen" - Mubarak told Asad. Mubarak further counseled
Asad to cooperate with the UN/Mehlis investigation both now
and following the expected October 25 publication of the
investigation report.


4. (S) Turning to Lebanon, Awad said Mubarak insisted that
the situation in Lebanon must "remain calm." Any further
disruptions, Mubarak cautioned, would be blamed on Syria.
(Note: A bomb attack in Beirut on Lebanese Broadcasting
Channel journalist May Chidiac took place one day prior to
the Mubarak-Asad meeting. End note.) According to Awad,
Mubarak shared that the GOE had reports of arms shipments
from Syria to Lebanon which were "very upsetting."
Responding to Mubarak's counsel, Asad indicated that he would
"do his best" to comply with the UN/Mehlis investigation
requests. Asked if the Syrian President had made any
commitments on issues related to Iraq, Awad said he "did not
know."

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Comment
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5. (C) This readout corroborates other reports and suggests
Egypt decided to deliver a tougher-than-usual message to
Bashar, probably based on their assessment that he is unaware
of the depth of his isolation and the effect his lack of
action on issues of concern to the U.S. is having. End
comment.


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