MFA AGREES TO NEXT CIRCUIT RIDE; WILL CONSIDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 001188

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA/ELA
PRM FOR LIZ HARRIS
DHS FOR SCIALABBA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2017
TAGS: PREF PREL SY
SUBJECT: MFA AGREES TO NEXT CIRCUIT RIDE; WILL CONSIDER
ADDITIONAL INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR IOM

REF: DAMASCUS 1083

Classified By: CDA Michael H. Corbin for reasons 1.5 b/d


1. (C) Summary. A Syrian MFA official confirmed UNHCR's
report that the SARG would allow a DHS circuit ride in
January as long as the same conditions set for the
November-December circuit ride were met (reftel). The Charge
asked that the SARG grant visas for international trainers
and a deputy director for IOM Damascus to ensure all pending
cases are prepared in time for the DHS interviews. The MFA
official took note of the request and said he understood the
point that this issue should be treated as part of the DHS
circuit ride process. End Summary.


2. (C) On December 18, Charge met Husam ed-Din Al-Ala,a,
Deputy FM Faisal Mikdad,s chef de cabinet, to press for
early issuance of visas for the eight team members of the
next DHS circuit ride and for the SARG to allow international
staff to provide training and oversight at IOM in Damascus
for the OPE resettlement program. The Charge emphasized that
IOM needed a deputy director to supervise the preparation of
files for the DHS circuit rides and international trainers to
improve the skills of the Syrian staff if the OPE is to
process the required number of cases in time for the next
circuit ride.


3. (C) Ala,a confirmed what the MFA had informed UNHCR on
December 17 that the SARG approved a January DHS circuit ride
on the basis that the November/December circuit ride had been
approved: UNHCR delivered to the MFA the results of the
circuit ride that finished on December 13, to include the
names and criteria for each approved case; the UNHCR would
provide the cases with a brief synopsis of the refugee
criteria for those to be interviewed by the next circuit
ride; and that the UNHCR, rather than IOM, would be the venue
for all interviews.


4. (C) Ala,a agreed to consider the request for
international staff for IOM but asked that IOM communicate
the specifics on international staff needed to the MFA via
note verbale. Ala,a commented that "making IOM again part
of the issue" would make it "more difficult." He said that
he wanted to keep to the DHS interview agreement reached
after the visit to Syria by Ambassador Foley. Charge
emphasized that the IOM support was part of the DHS process
and that the U.S. had already compromised by agreeing to
conduct the interviews at a different (and more complicated)
location than had been used by previous circuit rides.
Ala,a questioned the Charge closely on the details of the
next circuit ride: dates, number of interviewers, number of
cases to be processed, who would be preparing the cases,
whether additional circuit rides would be needed beyond
January. IOM has already passed information to UNHCR to
allow UNHCR to fulfill the first commitment. IOM plans to
present a list of TDY staffers needed to the MFA after the
Eid holiday. Embassy will follow up.

CORBIN