TFLE01: SYRIA DAILY SITREP 16 FOR THURSDAY,

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 003835 SIPDIS SIPDIS PARIS FOR WALLER, LONDON FOR TSOU, AMMAN FOR KANESHIRO, ALGIERS FOR CHEYNE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PREF PHUM LE SY SUBJECT: TFLE01: SYRIA DAILY SITREP 16 FOR THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2006 ¶1. (U) Summary: Visiting Spanish FM Moratinos was scheduled to meet Syrian President Asad and VP Shara'a on August 3 in Damascus. Moratinos arrived in Damascus August 2 and met with Syrian FM Mu'allim, discussing the need for an immediate cease-fire, according to the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). The German FM telephoned his Syrian counterpart August 2 to discuss the previous day's meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels and the need for an immediate cease-fire, SANA reported. There were 90 walk-in requests for American Citizen Services (ACS) on August 2, up from 85 inquiries the previous day. End Summary. POLITICAL ¶2. (U) The following are political updates: -- Spanish FM Miguel Angel Moratinos met August 2 in Damascus with Syrian FM Walid Mu'allim, with talks focusing on the Israel-Hizballah conflict and international efforts for long-term regional stability, according to the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). Moratinos was quoted as saying that his talks with Mu'allim focused on the need for an immediate cease-fire. Moratinos was set to meet August 3 with Syrian President Bashar al-Asad and Syrian VP Farouk al-Shara'a. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana announced earlier this week that Moratinos would travel to Damascus to hold talks on behalf of the 25-nation EU bloc. -- German FM Frank-Walter Steinmeier telephoned Syrian FM Mu'allim August 2 to discuss the outcome of the EU foreign ministers August 1 meeting in Brussels and the need for an immediate cease-fire, according to SANA. -- Syria's Deputy FM Faisal Mikdad met with Malaysia's FM, the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) SYG, and Lebanon's FM on August 2 in Malaysia, prior to an OIC executive committee meeting August 3, according to SANA. Talks dealt with the Israel-Hizballah conflict, the conference's agenda, and the proposed political declaration. CONSULAR ¶3. (U) There were 90 walk-in ACS requests on August 2, up from 85 inquiries the previous day. ECONOMIC ¶4. (U) A UN aid convoy set to depart Syria for Lebanon on August 2 was delayed for "logistical problems," according to an Agence France Presse (AFP) report. Three convoys of 20 trucks have already crossed from Syria into Lebanon, presumably at Syria's Al-Arida border crossing, carrying 135 tons of aid, including tents, mattresses, blankets, cooking materials, medicines and sanitary products, AFP reported. As far as Post knows, the Masna-Jdeideh crossing on the main Damascus-Beirut highway remains closed. CORBIN