Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DAMASCUS4419
2006-09-10 13:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:  

RUSSIAN FM MEETS SYRIAN PRESIDENT; SARG SAYS NO TO

Tags:  PREL PGOV SY LE 
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VZCZCXRO6103
OO RUEHAG
DE RUEHDM #4419 2531346
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 101346Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1469
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0199
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 004419 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PARIS FOR WALLER, LONDON FOR TSOU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV SY LE
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN FM MEETS SYRIAN PRESIDENT; SARG SAYS NO TO
EUROPEAN BORDER GUARDS


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Michael H. Corbin for reasons 1.4 b/d

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 004419

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PARIS FOR WALLER, LONDON FOR TSOU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV SY LE
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN FM MEETS SYRIAN PRESIDENT; SARG SAYS NO TO
EUROPEAN BORDER GUARDS


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Michael H. Corbin for reasons 1.4 b/d


1. (C) Visiting Russian FM Sergei Lavrov met for an hour
September 7 in Damascus with Syrian President Bashar al-Asad
followed by separate hour-long meetings with Syrian VP Farouk
al-Shara'a, and FM Walid Mu'allim, according to a senior
Russian diplomat here. The conversations focused on
implementation of UNSC Resolution 1701 and ways to revive the
stalled Middle East peace process, the diplomat said.


2. (C) In comments to the press, Shar'a stated that regional
stability would only come with Israel's compliance with UN
resolutions, adding that "latest developments have
highlighted the need for a wide-scale international
cooperation, far from the one-polar hegemony and Israeli
arrogance," according to the official Syrian Arab News Agency
(SANA). Lavrov, who earlier in the day visited Beirut, left
Damascus for Israel, according to regional media. The
Russian Ambassador to Damascus has been urging Moscow to push
Syria to enter bilateral negotiations with Israel over the
Golan Heights, the diplomat said. Such an initiative would
depend on how the Israelis viewed such a proposal, the
diplomat said.


3. (U) Contradicting Italian reports of progress in
Italy-SARG discussions on implementing 1701, SANA described
as "unfounded" discussions of a SARG agreement to permit
European guards to supervise the Syria-Lebanon borders.
Separately, on September 9, Asad spoke by phone with Italian
PM Romano Prodi about technical training for Syrian guards,
who would be deployed on the Syria side of its border with
Lebanon, according to SANA.
CORBIN