IRAQI CHARGE SAYS SECURITY DIALOGUE WITH SYRIANS

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 000563

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PARIS FOR WALLER; LONDON FOR TSOU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL SY
SUBJECT: IRAQI CHARGE SAYS SECURITY DIALOGUE WITH SYRIANS
BLOCKED

REF: DAMASCUS 0541

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Michael Corbin, per 1.4 b,d.


1. (C) Summary: The Iraqi Charge d'Affaires in Syria,
Hassan Abdul Aziz, told the Charge June 10 that dialogue with
the Syrians on security was completely blocked for the moment
over SARG unhappiness at the detention in Iraq of two Syrian
soldiers taken into custody since February. Abdul Aziz also
reported that the Iraqi government was organizing an internal
meeting in Amman on the refugee issue for senior Iraqi
diplomats serving in the neighboring countries. End Summary.



2. (C) The Iraqi Charge d'Affaires in Syria, Hassan Sawedi
Abdul Aziz, told the Charge June 10 that dialogue with the
Syrians on security was temporarily -- but completely --
blocked because of SARG anger over the detention in Iraq of
two Syrian soldiers taken into custody since February
(reftel). Abdul Aziz reported that Syrian DFM Faisal Mikdad
had made that blockage clear in a June 7 meeting at the MFA
and indicated that there would be no movement until the issue
was resolved. Abdul Aziz noted that the Iraqi Minister of
Interior had talked by telephone with his Syrian counterpart
"about a week ago" but that no resolution to the issue of the
Syrian soldiers had been found.


3. (C) On a separate subject, Abdul Aziz told the Charge
that the Iraqi embassies in countries neighboring Iraq were
sending representatives to a GOI-organized meeting in Amman
June 20-21 to discuss issues relating to Iraqi refugees.
Iraqi Chiefs of Mission from Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Saudi
Arabia, and possibly others were expected to attend. When
asked what kind of assistance his government was planning to
offer the Syrians, in line with the Iraqi commitments made at
Geneva, Abdul Aziz answered that he had received no
information from the GOI, despite his repeated inquiries to
the Iraqi MFA.


4. (C) Abdul Aziz noted that he expected number of Iraqis in
Syria to swell by some 500,000 this summer, as Iraqis fled
the heat and chaos after their children got out of school in
early July. He made clear that a large proportion of these
Iraqis would not be intending refugees, but would presumably
return to Iraq in the fall. Nonetheless, he agreed with the
Charge that such numbers could further raise alarm among
Syrian officials and prompt a tightening of the rules under
which Iraqis in Syria must operate to stay in a legal status.



5. (C) Charge pushed Abdul Aziz to see Syrian Red Crescent
head Abdul Rahman Attar and explore possible ways for the
Iraqi Embassy to work with Attar's organization and the
American Embassy to assist Iraqi refugees during the summer.


CORBIN