Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05MADRID2746
2005-07-22 14:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Madrid
Cable title:
SPAIN ON SYRIAN-LEBANESE BORDER BLOCKAGE
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. 221421Z Jul 05
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 002746
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON ETRD SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN ON SYRIAN-LEBANESE BORDER BLOCKAGE
REF: STATE 135904
Classified By: Poloff Ricardo Zuniga; reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
(C) Poloff conveyed reftel points on July 22 to MFA Office
Director for the Middle East Alberto Moreno. Moreno said
that Syrian officials had recently briefed EU diplomats in
Damascus regarding the disposition of Syrian forces on the
border with Iraq, during which meeting they also discussed
the issue of the blockage of the Lebanese border. Moreno
said that Syrian officials had indicated that the blockage of
the border would not be a long-lasting measure. He ventured
that the Syrian government had not yet reconciled itself with
the new state of affairs in Lebanon and said it was likely
that well-placed Syrian businessmen or officials were also
smarting from their loss of control over cross-border trade
with Lebanon. Moreno suggested that the border blockage
could be one symptom of Syrian pique. We will follow up and
report any feedback gathered by the GOS regarding this issue.
AGUIRRE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON ETRD SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN ON SYRIAN-LEBANESE BORDER BLOCKAGE
REF: STATE 135904
Classified By: Poloff Ricardo Zuniga; reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
(C) Poloff conveyed reftel points on July 22 to MFA Office
Director for the Middle East Alberto Moreno. Moreno said
that Syrian officials had recently briefed EU diplomats in
Damascus regarding the disposition of Syrian forces on the
border with Iraq, during which meeting they also discussed
the issue of the blockage of the Lebanese border. Moreno
said that Syrian officials had indicated that the blockage of
the border would not be a long-lasting measure. He ventured
that the Syrian government had not yet reconciled itself with
the new state of affairs in Lebanon and said it was likely
that well-placed Syrian businessmen or officials were also
smarting from their loss of control over cross-border trade
with Lebanon. Moreno suggested that the border blockage
could be one symptom of Syrian pique. We will follow up and
report any feedback gathered by the GOS regarding this issue.
AGUIRRE