Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DAMASCUS3123
2006-06-26 13:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:
DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON SYRIAN REFOULEMENT OF UNHCR
how-toVZCZCXRO0570 OO RUEHAG DE RUEHDM #3123 1771343 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 261343Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9979 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0106 RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0115
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 003123
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU, DUBAI FOR BURNS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL SY IR
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON SYRIAN REFOULEMENT OF UNHCR
REFUGEE
REF: A) DAMASCUS 2634 B) DAMASCUS 2391 C) SECSTATE
099464 D) E-MAIL DENNIS-SONTY
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4(b)/(d
)
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 003123
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU, DUBAI FOR BURNS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL SY IR
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON SYRIAN REFOULEMENT OF UNHCR
REFUGEE
REF: A) DAMASCUS 2634 B) DAMASCUS 2391 C) SECSTATE
099464 D) E-MAIL DENNIS-SONTY
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4(b)/(d
)
1. (U) The CDA delivered a demarche to the MFA Chief of
Protocol on June 26 per instructions in ref C & D. The CDA
expressed USG concerns about the refoulement to Iran of the
UNHCR-recognized refugee Saeed Saki, an Ahwazi Iranian
activist, in direct contravention of Syria's commitments
under Article 3 of the Convention Against Torture. The CDA
also expressed concern about the three UNHCR-recognized
refugees and the Dutch national (all of Ahwazi Iranian
origin) remaining in SARG detention, noting that releasing
them and allowing them to resettle would be an opportunity to
show the SARG's commitment to its international obligations.
2. (U) After posing a number of questions to clarify to the
USG's concern, MFA Chief of Protocol told CDA that he would
look into the matter and provide a response at a later date.
3. (C) We have heard from EU diplomats who have also
demarched the SARG on Saki's refoulement and the other four
detainees that a top visiting Iranian intelligence official
provided the SARG a list of wanted Ahwazi terrorists. The
SARG told the EU diplomats that it therefore had to
investigate the background of detainees to determine whether
they should be sent back to Iran.
SECHE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU, DUBAI FOR BURNS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL SY IR
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON SYRIAN REFOULEMENT OF UNHCR
REFUGEE
REF: A) DAMASCUS 2634 B) DAMASCUS 2391 C) SECSTATE
099464 D) E-MAIL DENNIS-SONTY
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4(b)/(d
)
1. (U) The CDA delivered a demarche to the MFA Chief of
Protocol on June 26 per instructions in ref C & D. The CDA
expressed USG concerns about the refoulement to Iran of the
UNHCR-recognized refugee Saeed Saki, an Ahwazi Iranian
activist, in direct contravention of Syria's commitments
under Article 3 of the Convention Against Torture. The CDA
also expressed concern about the three UNHCR-recognized
refugees and the Dutch national (all of Ahwazi Iranian
origin) remaining in SARG detention, noting that releasing
them and allowing them to resettle would be an opportunity to
show the SARG's commitment to its international obligations.
2. (U) After posing a number of questions to clarify to the
USG's concern, MFA Chief of Protocol told CDA that he would
look into the matter and provide a response at a later date.
3. (C) We have heard from EU diplomats who have also
demarched the SARG on Saki's refoulement and the other four
detainees that a top visiting Iranian intelligence official
provided the SARG a list of wanted Ahwazi terrorists. The
SARG told the EU diplomats that it therefore had to
investigate the background of detainees to determine whether
they should be sent back to Iran.
SECHE