Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DAMASCUS5189
2006-11-02 13:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:
SARG COMPLAINTS ABOUT SYRIAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON
how-toVZCZCXYZ0018 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHDM #5189 3061359 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 021359Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2318 INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0183 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 005189
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR WALLER; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL SY
SUBJECT: SARG COMPLAINTS ABOUT SYRIAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON
PHONE/FAX PROBLEMS
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Michael Corbin, per 1.4 b,d.
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 005189
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR WALLER; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL SY
SUBJECT: SARG COMPLAINTS ABOUT SYRIAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON
PHONE/FAX PROBLEMS
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Michael Corbin, per 1.4 b,d.
1. (C) FM Mu'allim's chef de cabinet Bassam Sabbagh met
Charge October 31 to complain that Syrian Ambassador to the
U.S. Imad Mustafa has problems sending faxes and making phone
calls to the MFA here from both the Syrian chancery and his
residence. Sabbagh said Mustafa had called the Minister to
reiterate his previous complaints on telephone and fax
problems. Mustafa claimed he was now forced to send faxes
"from the local Kinko's branch." Sabbagh said that unnamed
U.S. commercial telephone operators had categorically stated
that "there were no problems with the lines" and that the
phones and faxes should function normally. Sabbagh said the
MFA viewed this as very unfortunate and underlined that he
did not believe the U.S. Embassy in Damascus had problems
with its phones. Charge responded that the Embassy often had
problems with its phone connections and that we believed that
previous complaints about phones and fax lines at the Syrian
Embassy had been resolved in Washington.
2. (C) Comment: This is not the first time the SARG has
raised this issue. The MFA raised it with the previous
Charge about four months ago. We understand the issue has
also been raised in Washington. Given our string of demands
to the MFA on Embassy security here since the September 12
attack, the Sabbagh approach may simply be the MFA seeking to
balance the flow of requests. However, while the image of
Syrian diplomats scurrying to Kinko's to send sensitive faxes
to Damascus is amusing, we do have enormous phone problems
here and are currently going through the break-in period of
an updated system which holds the promise of resolving some
of our issues. This system relies on cable connections to
the local PTT and computer settings in the local switch that
we have obtained through painstaking personal contact work.
We are very vulnerable to any SARG decision to take action
against our phones on some claimed "reciprocal" basis. End
comment.
CORBIN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR WALLER; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL SY
SUBJECT: SARG COMPLAINTS ABOUT SYRIAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON
PHONE/FAX PROBLEMS
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Michael Corbin, per 1.4 b,d.
1. (C) FM Mu'allim's chef de cabinet Bassam Sabbagh met
Charge October 31 to complain that Syrian Ambassador to the
U.S. Imad Mustafa has problems sending faxes and making phone
calls to the MFA here from both the Syrian chancery and his
residence. Sabbagh said Mustafa had called the Minister to
reiterate his previous complaints on telephone and fax
problems. Mustafa claimed he was now forced to send faxes
"from the local Kinko's branch." Sabbagh said that unnamed
U.S. commercial telephone operators had categorically stated
that "there were no problems with the lines" and that the
phones and faxes should function normally. Sabbagh said the
MFA viewed this as very unfortunate and underlined that he
did not believe the U.S. Embassy in Damascus had problems
with its phones. Charge responded that the Embassy often had
problems with its phone connections and that we believed that
previous complaints about phones and fax lines at the Syrian
Embassy had been resolved in Washington.
2. (C) Comment: This is not the first time the SARG has
raised this issue. The MFA raised it with the previous
Charge about four months ago. We understand the issue has
also been raised in Washington. Given our string of demands
to the MFA on Embassy security here since the September 12
attack, the Sabbagh approach may simply be the MFA seeking to
balance the flow of requests. However, while the image of
Syrian diplomats scurrying to Kinko's to send sensitive faxes
to Damascus is amusing, we do have enormous phone problems
here and are currently going through the break-in period of
an updated system which holds the promise of resolving some
of our issues. This system relies on cable connections to
the local PTT and computer settings in the local switch that
we have obtained through painstaking personal contact work.
We are very vulnerable to any SARG decision to take action
against our phones on some claimed "reciprocal" basis. End
comment.
CORBIN