Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05VIENNA572
2005-03-01 08:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:  

SYRIAN PRESIDENT ASSAD TO VISIT VIENNA MARCH 15

Tags:  PREL PTER PGOV SY LE IS AU EUN 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000572 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/IPA, EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV SY LE IS AU EUN
SUBJECT: SYRIAN PRESIDENT ASSAD TO VISIT VIENNA MARCH 15

REF: STATE 27178

Classified By: Ambassador W.L. Lyons Brown. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000572

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/IPA, EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV SY LE IS AU EUN
SUBJECT: SYRIAN PRESIDENT ASSAD TO VISIT VIENNA MARCH 15

REF: STATE 27178

Classified By: Ambassador W.L. Lyons Brown. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) EconPol Counselor and Pol Unit Chief met Austrian MFA
A/S-equivalent for the Middle East and Africa Ralph Scheide
on February 28. In the course of a general discussion on
Middle East issues, we made reftel points and raised concerns
about President Bashir al-Assad's planned visit to Austria.
Scheide confirmed that the GoA is expecting Assad on March

15. He conceded that the timing of the visit -- which was on
the agenda for several years -- was turning out not to be the
best.


2. (C) Based on reftel, we urged Austria to use the Assad
visit as an opportunity to reinforce the international
community's message to Syria. It was important that the
U.S., the EU and other like-minded countries speak with one
voice. Assad's visit should not come off as "business as
usual," but must make clear to Assad that we all expect Syria
to comply -- immediately -- with UNSCR 1559 and to cease its
interference in Lebanon.


3. (C) Scheide confided that the new Israeli Ambassador,
Danean Ashbel, had also spoken to him to express concern
about Assad's visit. Scheide said he would convey our
concerns to the Foreign Minister.


4. (C) At the same time as the meeting, Ambassador Brown
received a telephone call from new French Ambassador Pierre
Viaux asking whether the U.S. was planning to protest the
Assad visit to the Austrian government. Viaux said he had no
instructions to engage with the Austrians on Assad, but he
had concerns about the visit. Ambassador Brown said we would
raise the visit, but said our points focussed on Syrain
compliance with UNSCR 1559 and Syrian interference in
Lebanon. Viaux said Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel
will visit Paris the day after Assad's visit to Vienna (i.e,
March 16).


5. (C) The Assad visit has been on the agenda for years,
Scheide told us. It has been postponed twice -- the last
time at Syrian request at the time of Operation Iraqi
Freedom. The Austrians have what is for them a significant
military presence in Syria, with some 300 troops
participating in the peacekeeping mission in the Golan
Heights.


6. (C) ACTION REQUEST: We would appreciate any additional
points to convey to the Austrians regarding the March 15
visit.
Brown