Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BRUSSELS2776
2007-09-05 14:38:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:
BELGIANS AGREE WITH DISCREET EU APPROACH ON SYRIAN
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHBS #2776 2481438 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 051438Z SEP 07 FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6294 INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 0085 RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 0294 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0096 RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 0254 RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 0502 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 4160 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0812
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 002776
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DRL/NESCSA - BARGHOUT; NEA/ELA - RANA; EUR/ERA - GIAUQUE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2017
TAGS: EUN KDEM PHUM PREL SY BE
SUBJECT: BELGIANS AGREE WITH DISCREET EU APPROACH ON SYRIAN
MP RIYAD SEIF
REF: A. DAMASCUS 846
B. STATE 119436
C. BRUSSELS 2753
Classified By: Political Counselor Theodore H. Andrews, reasons 4. b/d.
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 002776
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DRL/NESCSA - BARGHOUT; NEA/ELA - RANA; EUR/ERA - GIAUQUE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2017
TAGS: EUN KDEM PHUM PREL SY BE
SUBJECT: BELGIANS AGREE WITH DISCREET EU APPROACH ON SYRIAN
MP RIYAD SEIF
REF: A. DAMASCUS 846
B. STATE 119436
C. BRUSSELS 2753
Classified By: Political Counselor Theodore H. Andrews, reasons 4. b/d.
1. (C) In response to Ref B. demarche and in line with
his initial, Aug. 29 response to demarche Ref B, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs Syria desk officer Hendrik Van der Velde
gave us a readout on Sept. 5 of the EU-coordinated demarche
to Syria concerning the case of Syrian MP Riyad Seif. Van
der Velde said that Belgium agreed that the EU had more
influence in a joint confidential approach rather than
public statements.
2. (C) On behalf of the Portuguese presidency, Van der
Velde reported, the French Embassy in Damascus demarched
Faycas Meqdad, Syrian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs on
August 29, 2007. (NB: Portugal has no embassy in Syria.)
Meqdad replied that he was unaware of Mr. Seif's health
situation, that Syria respects humanitarian law and wanted
to avoid politization of individual cases. He undertook to
inform higher authorities of the EU's concerns and
expressed confidence that they would make the "right
decision." Meqdad also undertook to keep the EU presidency
informed on Seif's case.
BUSH
.
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DRL/NESCSA - BARGHOUT; NEA/ELA - RANA; EUR/ERA - GIAUQUE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2017
TAGS: EUN KDEM PHUM PREL SY BE
SUBJECT: BELGIANS AGREE WITH DISCREET EU APPROACH ON SYRIAN
MP RIYAD SEIF
REF: A. DAMASCUS 846
B. STATE 119436
C. BRUSSELS 2753
Classified By: Political Counselor Theodore H. Andrews, reasons 4. b/d.
1. (C) In response to Ref B. demarche and in line with
his initial, Aug. 29 response to demarche Ref B, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs Syria desk officer Hendrik Van der Velde
gave us a readout on Sept. 5 of the EU-coordinated demarche
to Syria concerning the case of Syrian MP Riyad Seif. Van
der Velde said that Belgium agreed that the EU had more
influence in a joint confidential approach rather than
public statements.
2. (C) On behalf of the Portuguese presidency, Van der
Velde reported, the French Embassy in Damascus demarched
Faycas Meqdad, Syrian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs on
August 29, 2007. (NB: Portugal has no embassy in Syria.)
Meqdad replied that he was unaware of Mr. Seif's health
situation, that Syria respects humanitarian law and wanted
to avoid politization of individual cases. He undertook to
inform higher authorities of the EU's concerns and
expressed confidence that they would make the "right
decision." Meqdad also undertook to keep the EU presidency
informed on Seif's case.
BUSH
.