GOF DECLINES TO MAKE PUBLIC APPEAL OR PRESSURE

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 007922 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2015 TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV SY LE FR SUBJECT: GOF DECLINES TO MAKE PUBLIC APPEAL OR PRESSURE SARG ON KAMAL LABOWANI CASE REF: A. STATE 210390 (NOTAL) ¶B. EMAILS ZEYA-SONTY 11/16/2005 AND 11/18/2005 Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: MFA contacts report the GoF is disinclined to make a public appeal or demarche the SARG on the arrest of Syrian democracy activist Kamal Labowani, citing questions about Labowani's character and describing the Mehlis investigation as a more pressing priority. Elysee contacts were similarly discouraging, suggesting the GoF would comment on Labowani's case only if asked by the press. End summary. ¶2. (C) Late November 18, Poloff discussed reftel talking points on the arrest of Syrian democracy activist Kamal Labowani with MFA DAS-equivalent for Egypt/Levant Herve Besancenot, who described the GoF as unlikely to raise the case publicly or approach the SARG. Besancenot said the MFA had been prepared to comment on Labowani's arrest, but "unfortunately" no journalists had brought it up at the daily MFA press briefing, so the time to comment on it had passed. More negatively, he said the MFA would like to know more about Labowani, as his quality as an individual was unclear; for the GoF to make a public appeal, it would have to make sure that the individual was "incontestable" and a "person of quality" -- which Besancenot was not totally convinced of, in Labowani's case. Besancenot recalled the arrest earlier this year of Egyptian oppositionist Ayman Nour, noting that the GoF had declined to call publicly for Nour's release, based on serious questions about Nour's character. Poloff suggested that Besancenot should focus on the actions of the Syrian government and the need for the Syrian people to enjoy the full range of fundamental freedoms of expression and association, without fear of arrest or imprisonment. Poloff also stressed the need to appeal for release of all political prisoners held by the SARG, including those jailed after the "Damascus Spring." ¶3. (C) Besancenot summed up that although the human rights situation in Syria remained problematic, the GoF did not see the need to make an issue out of Labowani's arrest, particularly in the current, tense political environment. There were other, more immediate priorities for the GoF, such as the Mehlis investigation. That said, Besancenot conceded it was understandable why the U.S. had made this a priority issue, since Labowani was arrested immediately after seeing U.S. officials in Washington. Besancenot suggested that perhaps our embassy in Damascus should discuss the issue further with French counterparts in Damascus. He opined that the GoF would reassess its approach on Labowani only if urged to do so by its embassy in Damascus, which had not recommended a public appeal or demarche to the SARG. In an earlier, separate conversation with poloff, Elysee Middle East advisor Dominique Boche suggested the GoF would comment on Labowani's case only if asked by the press. ¶4. (C) Comment: The GoF approach on Labowani is consistent with general GoF reluctance to press human rights cases publicly, even in the case of a near-pariah government like Damascus, and reaffirms that the GoF's overriding priority with respect to Syria is Lebanon, first and last. End comment. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm Stapleton