Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DAMASCUS2136
2006-05-08 14:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:
SARG DIVIDED ON REACTION TO BRAMMERTZ; TILT
how-toVZCZCXRO7137 OO RUEHAG DE RUEHDM #2136/01 1281401 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 081401Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8837 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0040 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0100 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DAMASCUS 002136
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR SY
SUBJECT: SARG DIVIDED ON REACTION TO BRAMMERTZ; TILT
TOWARDS IRAN SEEN AS HARDENING INTERNAL POLICIES
DAMASCUS 00002136 001.2 OF 002
-------------- ZFR WILL BE RETRANSMITTED UNDER NEW MRN/MCNS ZFR --------------
DAMASCUS 00002136 002 OF 002
his operating environment as Syria has tilted towards Iran.
That shift has "hardened everything."
7. (C) Two political players who have profited from that
shift are senior security officer Mohammed Nassif Khairbek
and VP Farouk al-Shara'a, noted al-Taki. (Comment: We have
received contradictory reports about how strongly Khairbek
tried -- and apparently failed -- to undo Asad's appointiment
of him as an advisor to Shara'a in his new capacity as Vice
President.) Khairbek has benefited, said al-Taki, largely
because two issues he has traditionally handled, Iran and
Hizballah, are being given heightened prominence as a result
of Syria's more confrontational posture. Khairbek has also
buttressed Shara'a's influence. While initially the former
FM was not viewed as someone who could maintain his influence
as a vice president, Khairbek's security service "apparatus"
and "his issues" are seen as enhancing Shara'a's influence,
assessed al-Taki. He noted that Asad had recently asked
current FM Mu'allim to "consult" with Shara'a on foreign
policy issues. Mu'allim had replied that he "could not take
orders from Shara'a" but did not explicitly refuse to
consult, al-Taki intimated.
SECHE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR SY
SUBJECT: SARG DIVIDED ON REACTION TO BRAMMERTZ; TILT
TOWARDS IRAN SEEN AS HARDENING INTERNAL POLICIES
DAMASCUS 00002136 001.2 OF 002
-------------- ZFR WILL BE RETRANSMITTED UNDER NEW MRN/MCNS ZFR --------------
DAMASCUS 00002136 002 OF 002
his operating environment as Syria has tilted towards Iran.
That shift has "hardened everything."
7. (C) Two political players who have profited from that
shift are senior security officer Mohammed Nassif Khairbek
and VP Farouk al-Shara'a, noted al-Taki. (Comment: We have
received contradictory reports about how strongly Khairbek
tried -- and apparently failed -- to undo Asad's appointiment
of him as an advisor to Shara'a in his new capacity as Vice
President.) Khairbek has benefited, said al-Taki, largely
because two issues he has traditionally handled, Iran and
Hizballah, are being given heightened prominence as a result
of Syria's more confrontational posture. Khairbek has also
buttressed Shara'a's influence. While initially the former
FM was not viewed as someone who could maintain his influence
as a vice president, Khairbek's security service "apparatus"
and "his issues" are seen as enhancing Shara'a's influence,
assessed al-Taki. He noted that Asad had recently asked
current FM Mu'allim to "consult" with Shara'a on foreign
policy issues. Mu'allim had replied that he "could not take
orders from Shara'a" but did not explicitly refuse to
consult, al-Taki intimated.
SECHE