Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DAMASCUS4025
2006-08-16 13:57:00
SECRET
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:
SYRIA REJECTS MEETINGS WITH ICRC PRESIDENT, ICRC
how-toVZCZCXRO1924 OO RUEHAG DE RUEHDM #4025 2281357 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 161357Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0999 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0180 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
S E C R E T DAMASCUS 004025
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR WALLER, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV KPAL SY IR IZ
SUBJECT: SYRIA REJECTS MEETINGS WITH ICRC PRESIDENT, ICRC
REP MEETS MISH'AL
REF: DAMASCUS 2684
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Michael H. Corbin for reasons 1.4 b/d
S E C R E T DAMASCUS 004025
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR WALLER, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV KPAL SY IR IZ
SUBJECT: SYRIA REJECTS MEETINGS WITH ICRC PRESIDENT, ICRC
REP MEETS MISH'AL
REF: DAMASCUS 2684
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Michael H. Corbin for reasons 1.4 b/d
1. (C) Summary: ICRC President Jakob Kellenberg cancelled a
planned August trip to Syria after the SARG refused to offer
him any high-level meetings, according to Damascus-based ICRC
representative Jean-Jacques Fresard. Fresard described noted
that in during a recent encounter with Hamas leader Khalid
Mish'al, he had insisted with no success that the ICRC had
the right to see kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit,
being held by Hamas in Gaza. End Summary.
2. (C) SARG REJECTS HIGH-LEVEL ICRC MEETINGS:
Damascus-based ICRC representative Jean-Jacques Fresard told
Poloff on August 16 that ICRC President Jakob Kellenberg did
not come to Syria on August 12 as expected because the SARG
denied ICRC's meeting requests, including with Syrian
President Bashar al-Asad and VP Farouk al-Shara'a, consenting
only to a meeting with the State Minister for Red Crescent
Affairs. This rendered a Kellenberg stop in Damascus
pointless, said Fresard, interpreting the SARG's response as
a sign of anger over the ICRC,s successful efforts to get
Israel's Magen David Adom into the International Red Cross
and Red Crescent Movement in June. Fresard noted he had
originally proposed that Kellenberg tack on Syria to the end
of a visit to Lebanon and Israel, as a way to follow up on
issues including ICRC's long-standing request to visit
political prisoners in Syrian jails and the ICRC's work in
facilitating passage of Syrian nationals -- primarily
university students and pilgrims -- who need to cross into
Syria from the occupied Golan Heights.
3. (S) ICRC REP MEETS EXTERNAL HAMAS LEADER: Fresard shook
his head at the SARG,s attitude, noting, for instance, that
external Hamas leader Khalid Mish,al had agreed to a meeting
with Fresard a week ago in Syria to discuss issues that
included Gaza, Hamas' military actions against Israel, as
well as the status of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Fresard said that he had explained to Mish'al that, under
international conventions, the ICRC should be allowed to see
Shalit and pass him letters from his mother. Mish'al did not
take the letters but listened carefully, according to
Fresard. Mishal told Fresard that Hamas would stop firing
rockets at Israel if Israel stopped killing Palestinian
civilians.
4. (C) ICRC SEEKING HELP MOVING AID TO WESTERN IRAQ:
Fresard raised with Emboffs again the issue of a proposed
humanitarian relief convoy via the Syrian Al-Bukamal border
crossing to the predominately Sunni area of Al-Qa'im in
western Iraq, which the ICRC has been trying to reach for
months (reftel). The obstacle to the idea remains unclear,
Fresard said.
CORBIN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR WALLER, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV KPAL SY IR IZ
SUBJECT: SYRIA REJECTS MEETINGS WITH ICRC PRESIDENT, ICRC
REP MEETS MISH'AL
REF: DAMASCUS 2684
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Michael H. Corbin for reasons 1.4 b/d
1. (C) Summary: ICRC President Jakob Kellenberg cancelled a
planned August trip to Syria after the SARG refused to offer
him any high-level meetings, according to Damascus-based ICRC
representative Jean-Jacques Fresard. Fresard described noted
that in during a recent encounter with Hamas leader Khalid
Mish'al, he had insisted with no success that the ICRC had
the right to see kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit,
being held by Hamas in Gaza. End Summary.
2. (C) SARG REJECTS HIGH-LEVEL ICRC MEETINGS:
Damascus-based ICRC representative Jean-Jacques Fresard told
Poloff on August 16 that ICRC President Jakob Kellenberg did
not come to Syria on August 12 as expected because the SARG
denied ICRC's meeting requests, including with Syrian
President Bashar al-Asad and VP Farouk al-Shara'a, consenting
only to a meeting with the State Minister for Red Crescent
Affairs. This rendered a Kellenberg stop in Damascus
pointless, said Fresard, interpreting the SARG's response as
a sign of anger over the ICRC,s successful efforts to get
Israel's Magen David Adom into the International Red Cross
and Red Crescent Movement in June. Fresard noted he had
originally proposed that Kellenberg tack on Syria to the end
of a visit to Lebanon and Israel, as a way to follow up on
issues including ICRC's long-standing request to visit
political prisoners in Syrian jails and the ICRC's work in
facilitating passage of Syrian nationals -- primarily
university students and pilgrims -- who need to cross into
Syria from the occupied Golan Heights.
3. (S) ICRC REP MEETS EXTERNAL HAMAS LEADER: Fresard shook
his head at the SARG,s attitude, noting, for instance, that
external Hamas leader Khalid Mish,al had agreed to a meeting
with Fresard a week ago in Syria to discuss issues that
included Gaza, Hamas' military actions against Israel, as
well as the status of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Fresard said that he had explained to Mish'al that, under
international conventions, the ICRC should be allowed to see
Shalit and pass him letters from his mother. Mish'al did not
take the letters but listened carefully, according to
Fresard. Mishal told Fresard that Hamas would stop firing
rockets at Israel if Israel stopped killing Palestinian
civilians.
4. (C) ICRC SEEKING HELP MOVING AID TO WESTERN IRAQ:
Fresard raised with Emboffs again the issue of a proposed
humanitarian relief convoy via the Syrian Al-Bukamal border
crossing to the predominately Sunni area of Al-Qa'im in
western Iraq, which the ICRC has been trying to reach for
months (reftel). The obstacle to the idea remains unclear,
Fresard said.
CORBIN