PALESTINIAN FM VISITS DAMASCUS

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 001853 SIPDIS SIPDIS PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2016 TAGS: KPAL PREL SY SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN FM VISITS DAMASCUS Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4 b/d ¶1. (C) Summary: Visiting Palestinian FM Zahar met with Syrian President Asad and, separately, with Syrian FM Mu'allim April 20 in Damascus, according to media contacts. The foreign ministers announced further discussions to upgrade diplomatic relations between the two governments and other SARG support to the new Palestinian government, including organizing a public fund-raising campaign, according to a regional news correspondent. On April 22, Zahar met for five hours with Damascus-based rejectionist group officials, discussing tensions between Hamas and Fatah, ways to strengthen Palestinian unity, and the need for more assistance to the some 430,000 Palestinian refugees registered in Syria, according to the correspondent. Zahar also attended a rally at the Palestinian Yarmouk refugee camp, alongside Hamas leader Khalid Mish'al, and representatives of rejectionist groups and Lebanese Hizballah. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Visiting Palestinian Authority FM Mahmoud Zahar met with Syrian President Bashar al-Asad and separately with Syrian FM Walid Mu'allim April 20 in Damascus, according to contacts and local media reports. Following their meeting, the foreign ministers announced that Syrian and Palestinian officials would discuss an upgrade in diplomatic relations between the SARG and the PA during the upcoming visit of Palestinian Interior Minister Said Siyam, according to Damascus-based Al-Hayat correspondent Ibrahim Hamidi, who speculated that the SARG would seek a PA representative to Damascus rather than an Ambassador and would not act as rapidly as its language seemed to indicate. The FMs also announced at the press conference that the SARG would now accept Palestinian Authority passports as the rule rather than the exception, attempt to resolve technical issues related to establishing telephone communications with the Palestinian Territories, and launch on April 30 a public fund-raising campaign on behalf of the Palestinian government, Hamidi said. The Syrian Popular Committee for Supporting the Palestinian People subsequently announced the opening of a special account at the Real Estate Bank and branches of the Commercial Bank of Syria in support of the Palestinian people, according to a local press report. ¶3. (U) Additionally, Zahar announced at the press conference that the SARG had agreed to "ease the suffering of the Palestinians who, as a result of the pressure they came under in Iraq, moved to the Jordanian border and are living in difficult conditions," according to the Syrian Arab News Agency. No public mention was made during Zahar's visit about a financial contribution from the SARG to the new Palestinian government, despite an April 20 Al-Arabiyeh satellite television report suggesting that Damascus would announce a USD two million contribution. ¶4. (C) During his visit, Zahar also held a five-hour session April 22 with the 10 Damascus-based rejectionist groups, discussing tensions between Hamas and Fatah and the need to strengthen Palestinian unity, possibly through a conference in Damascus like that held recently in Tehran, Hamidi said. Also raised during the meeting was the need for more outreach to the some 430,000 Palestinian refugees registered in Syria, Hamidi said. When asked about the status of a previous "gentlemen's agreement" between the SARG and Hamas limiting the group's outreach in Syria, Hamidi said that the deal had changed slightly and that Hamas leader Khalid Mish'al was speaking more regularly in mosques and refugee camps in Syria. (Comment: We have been told by contacts that the widow of slain Hamas leader Abdul Aziz al-Rantissi has been in Syria for several weeks, speaking at various venues in and around Damascus.) ¶5. (U) Zahar also attended a rally at the Palestinian Yarmouk refugee camp, alongside Mish'al, Assistant Secretary General of the Ba'ath Arab Socialist Party Abdullah al-Ahmar, and representatives of the rejectionist groups and Lebanese Hizballah, according to the official Syria Times newspaper. SECHE