Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07DAMASCUS107
2007-02-01 14:38:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Damascus
how-toVZCZCXRO5123 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHDM #0107 0321438 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 011438Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2900 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000107
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR S/WE SASHA MEHRA AND GERDA LANE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KWMN PHUM PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: SYRIA: INFLUENTIAL WOMEN
REF: A. SECSTATE 00202341
B. DAMASCUS 02066
UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000107
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR S/WE SASHA MEHRA AND GERDA LANE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KWMN PHUM PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: SYRIA: INFLUENTIAL WOMEN
REF: A. SECSTATE 00202341
B. DAMASCUS 02066
1. (SBU) In response to reftel A requesting the names of the
five most influential women in government and civil society,
Post notes the difficult bilateral relations with the SARG
and the regime's deep suspicion about USG intentions to use
Syrian civil society for U.S. political purposes.
Additionally, because the regime employs police-state tactics
to control the Syrian population, most civil society groups
operating here are linked in some way to the government.
With that aside, we offer the requested mix of women in the
event that they are useful for current or future contacts:
-- First Lady Asma Al-Akras Al-Asad, who has taken an active
role on promoting women's empowerment and development of
rural areas through the establishment of the local NGO,
FIRDOS;
-- Buthayna Sha'aban, Minister of Expatriates, former SARG
spokeswoman, and participant in past Syrian-Israeli peace
negotiations;
-- Sheikha Munira Qubasi, Syrian founder of a growing
Sufi-influenced religious women's movement (reftel B);
-- Popular Syrian actress Muna Wasif (also mother of exiled
Syrian intellectual Ammar Abdulhamid);
-- Hind Kabawat, who is a Syrian/Canadian civil society
activist who focuses primarily on interfaith dialogue and
people-to-people diplomacy.
2. (SBU) None of our contacts were able to come up with
Syrian candidates who could be considered Oprah Winfrey-type
media icons.
CORBIN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR S/WE SASHA MEHRA AND GERDA LANE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KWMN PHUM PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: SYRIA: INFLUENTIAL WOMEN
REF: A. SECSTATE 00202341
B. DAMASCUS 02066
1. (SBU) In response to reftel A requesting the names of the
five most influential women in government and civil society,
Post notes the difficult bilateral relations with the SARG
and the regime's deep suspicion about USG intentions to use
Syrian civil society for U.S. political purposes.
Additionally, because the regime employs police-state tactics
to control the Syrian population, most civil society groups
operating here are linked in some way to the government.
With that aside, we offer the requested mix of women in the
event that they are useful for current or future contacts:
-- First Lady Asma Al-Akras Al-Asad, who has taken an active
role on promoting women's empowerment and development of
rural areas through the establishment of the local NGO,
FIRDOS;
-- Buthayna Sha'aban, Minister of Expatriates, former SARG
spokeswoman, and participant in past Syrian-Israeli peace
negotiations;
-- Sheikha Munira Qubasi, Syrian founder of a growing
Sufi-influenced religious women's movement (reftel B);
-- Popular Syrian actress Muna Wasif (also mother of exiled
Syrian intellectual Ammar Abdulhamid);
-- Hind Kabawat, who is a Syrian/Canadian civil society
activist who focuses primarily on interfaith dialogue and
people-to-people diplomacy.
2. (SBU) None of our contacts were able to come up with
Syrian candidates who could be considered Oprah Winfrey-type
media icons.
CORBIN