Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DAMASCUS717
2006-02-23 13:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:
EGYPTIAN DIPLOMAT SIGNALS MUBARAK VISIT TO DAMASCUS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHDM #0717 0541331 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 231331Z FEB 06 FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7260 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0661 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 000717
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL EG SY LB
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN DIPLOMAT SIGNALS MUBARAK VISIT TO DAMASCUS
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 000717
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL EG SY LB
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN DIPLOMAT SIGNALS MUBARAK VISIT TO DAMASCUS
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Stephen A. Seche for reasons
1.4 b/d
1. (C) An Egyptian diplomat cited two recent phone calls
between Syrian President Bashar al-Asad and Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak, as well as a Kuwaiti news report, as
indicators of a possible upcoming Mubarak visit. The Kuwaiti
article reported that Mubarak would visit Damascus on
February 26, said the diplomat who noted that, in the past,
Egyptian Embassy officials have received one-day notification
of Mubarak-Asad meetings. Topics of conversation would
likely include regional developments, the UNIIIC
investigation, and efforts by the Egyptians, the Saudis and
the Arab League to help mend Syrian-Lebanese relations, the
diplomat said. (Note: Qatar's FM, who met with Asad during
his February 21-22 visit to Damascus, also likely discussed
ways to improve Syria-Lebanon ties, the diplomat said.)
2. (C) On Hamas, the Egyptian diplomat said that Russian
officials in Damascus had been seeking information about
possible ties between the rejectionist group and Chechen
groups. Hamas' Damascus-based Political Bureau leader Khalid
Mish'al had no plans to leave Syria definitively in the near
future and would continue in exile to play a lead role in
Hamas decision-making, the diplomat said. Hamas leaders were
still devising their political priorities for the Hamas-led
government, the Egyptian said.
3. (C) The diplomat had no information about meetings
between the new UNIIIC investigator Serge Brammertz who
arrived in Damascus the morning of February 23 (reportedly
traveling by road from Beirut) and departed several hours
later. Egypt continued to push the SARG to cooperate fully
with UNIIIC investigators but believed that a mechanism
should be found to allow a meeting between Brammertz and Asad
while preserving the dignity of the Syrian President's
office, the diplomat said.
SECHE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL EG SY LB
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN DIPLOMAT SIGNALS MUBARAK VISIT TO DAMASCUS
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Stephen A. Seche for reasons
1.4 b/d
1. (C) An Egyptian diplomat cited two recent phone calls
between Syrian President Bashar al-Asad and Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak, as well as a Kuwaiti news report, as
indicators of a possible upcoming Mubarak visit. The Kuwaiti
article reported that Mubarak would visit Damascus on
February 26, said the diplomat who noted that, in the past,
Egyptian Embassy officials have received one-day notification
of Mubarak-Asad meetings. Topics of conversation would
likely include regional developments, the UNIIIC
investigation, and efforts by the Egyptians, the Saudis and
the Arab League to help mend Syrian-Lebanese relations, the
diplomat said. (Note: Qatar's FM, who met with Asad during
his February 21-22 visit to Damascus, also likely discussed
ways to improve Syria-Lebanon ties, the diplomat said.)
2. (C) On Hamas, the Egyptian diplomat said that Russian
officials in Damascus had been seeking information about
possible ties between the rejectionist group and Chechen
groups. Hamas' Damascus-based Political Bureau leader Khalid
Mish'al had no plans to leave Syria definitively in the near
future and would continue in exile to play a lead role in
Hamas decision-making, the diplomat said. Hamas leaders were
still devising their political priorities for the Hamas-led
government, the Egyptian said.
3. (C) The diplomat had no information about meetings
between the new UNIIIC investigator Serge Brammertz who
arrived in Damascus the morning of February 23 (reportedly
traveling by road from Beirut) and departed several hours
later. Egypt continued to push the SARG to cooperate fully
with UNIIIC investigators but believed that a mechanism
should be found to allow a meeting between Brammertz and Asad
while preserving the dignity of the Syrian President's
office, the diplomat said.
SECHE