SYRIAN LEGAL EXPERTS, BUSINESSMEN TO LAUNCH

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 001296

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2016
TAGS: PHUM PGOV
SUBJECT: SYRIAN LEGAL EXPERTS, BUSINESSMEN TO LAUNCH
TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL BRANCH

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4(b)/(d
)


1. (C) A group of businessmen, lawyers, judges, and
researchers are in the final planning stages of launching a
Syrian chapter of Transparency International, the
Germany-based anti-corruption NGO. According to activist and
researcher Radwan Zyadeh, the organization has been in the
works for the last six months and will include twelve
founding members. Independent economist and business
consultant Nabil Sukkar, whom Zyadeh identified as the future
vice-president of the new TI chapter, told EconChief in a
separate conversation that after three months of debate on
structure and bylaws of the organization, the group was ready
to submit its license request to the Ministry of Social
Affairs and Labor. Sukkar commented that the founding
members were divided on what the SARG reaction would be but
had made the decision to begin operations within two weeks of
their filing-- as allowed under Syrian law. Sukkar shared
that much time had been spent debating whether to research
specific cases of alleged corruption by government officials,
or to concentrate on raising Syrian awareness about the
importance of transparency. In the end, awareness raising
won out as a less controversial option, less likely to draw
SARG ire.


2. (C) Zyadeh added that the organization has already been
in contact with Transparency International chapters in
Morocco, Jordan, Palestine, and Lebanon. Sukkar mentioned
that the organization will not initially seek an official
partnership with TI for fear of SARG retribution, but has
chosen a name that will reflect a clear connection.


3. (C) According to Zyadeh, membership will, for now, not
include opposition organizations, as the chapter's members
want to guarantee the group's "professionalism" and reduce
its exposure to politicization. Sukkar mentioned that a
"leftist" organization had also been attempting to launch a
similar organization, but that they have been unable to
create the infrastructure to do it.


4. (C) COMMENT: The Transparency International chapter is a
further indicator of the rise of corruption as an appealing
reform issue among the broader Syrian civil society, echoing
sentiments made earlier in the year by opposition politicians
Riad Seif and Samir Nashar. At the same time, the commitment
to limiting membership underlines the divide between
reform-minded businessmen and the full-time opposition, as
the businessmen remain skeptical of the latter's ability to
implement plans and avoid political bickering.

SECHE