EU ON SYRIA'S PRESIDENTIAL REFERENDUM

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001734 SIPDIS SIPDIS EUR/ERA, NEA/ELA S SITA SONTY, NEA/PI KENT PATTON, DRL/NESCA JOE BARGHOUT E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2017 TAGS: KDEM PREL PHUM SY EUN SUBJECT: EU ON SYRIA'S PRESIDENTIAL REFERENDUM REF: STATE 71071 Classified By: POLOFF Vincent P. Carver for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) In response to reftel points, Council officials emphasized that the EU shares U.S. objectives and assessments regarding the conduct of Syria's upcoming presidential referendum. There are no plans, however, to issue an EU or Presidency statement ahead of the vote. Citing constraints of time and, stressing they were speaking personally, a sense of futility in issuing a statement now, EU interlocutors did not rule out entirely the possibility of making a public statement after the referendum. Contacts agreed to revisit the issue internally. MCKINLEY .