ANNAPOLIS CONFERENCE: SARG SAYS YES, SENDING VICE

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 001132 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA/RA FOR MICHAEL ADLER/ELIZABETH MOORE, NEA/IPA FOR MATTHEW ROSENSTOCK, CA/VO FOR BRENNAN AND SMITH E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2012 TAGS: AMGT CVIS PGOV PREL KWBG KPAL IS SY SUBJECT: ANNAPOLIS CONFERENCE: SARG SAYS YES, SENDING VICE FOREIGN MINISTER MEKDAD REF: A. STATE 158268 ¶B. STATE 158837 ¶C. DAMASCUS 1127 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Michael Corbin, per 1.4 b,d. ¶1. (C) The Syrian MFA notified Charge at 1500 local that Vice Foreign Minister Fayssal Mekdad will be leading Syria's delegation to the Annapolis conference. Mekdad will be accompanied by his Chef du Cabinet (Office Director) Hussam Aala. Syrian Ambassador Imad Mustafa will join the Syrian delegation in Washington. ¶2. (C) Per para 7 of ref a, the delegation will consist of: -- Dr. Fayssal Mekdad, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Syrian Arab Republic -- Dr. Imad Mustafa, Ambassador to the United States, Syrian Arab Republic -- Mr. Hussam Aala, Chef du Cabinet of the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Syrian Arab Republic ¶3. (C) Vice FM Mekdad and Aala have valid G-1 visas. They have no dietary restrictions and require no need for interpreters. We will send photos and passport data via email for Mekdad and Aala. ¶4. (C) As of 1700 local, Mekdad and Aala are scheduled to depart Damascus on British Airways Flight 7574 at 0820, arriving London at 1330 (all times local). They then depart London on BA 293 at 1700, arriving Washington Dulles at 2000. We are pressing the MFA to consider an alternative itinerary that will allow them to arrive earlier and will notify NEA/RA regarding any schedule changes. CORBIN