FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER'S VISIT TO DAMASCUS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DAMASCUS 000267

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/22/2018
TAGS: KPAL PGOV PREL SY IS
SUBJECT: FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER'S VISIT TO DAMASCUS

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


1. (SBU) Summary: Though Embassy Damascus provided little
more than security and logistical support for former
President Carter's April 18-19 trip to Damascus, the SARG
seized on the visit to underscore the point that peace in the
Middle East cannot be reached without engaging Syria. From
our brief contacts with the Carter team, we believe Carter's
primary agenda was fact finding, with a view to developing a
mediation role between Israel and Hamas. End Summary


2. (SBU) President Carter's plane touched down at Damascus
International Airport on April 18 and was met by VFM Miqdad.
Originally conceived as an Elder's Mission to the Middle East
that was to have included Mary Robinson and Kofi Annan,
Carter's visit to Damascus ended up occurring under the
auspices of the Carter Center. Those accompanying President
Carter included: Mrs. Carter, Jeff Carter, Steve Solarz,
Roberst Pastor, Hrair Balian and Rick Jasculca.


3. (SBU) Embassy participation in the visit was confined to
RSO/GSO support to the Secret Service's mission to protect
the former president (armored vehicles, cellular phones,
hotel reservations, etc.),issuance of Diplomatic Notes
(requesting meeting with President Asad, Foreign Minister
Muallim, visa issuance, support for Secret Service
requirements and airplane landing clearances),and a briefing
for Carter on arrival by the Charge. Carter's advance
person, Kristi Sebestyen, requested the only other Embassy
support which was that we provide her contact information to
SARG protocol. Sebestyen planed and organized all visit
specifics directly with the SARG.


4. (SBU) In advance of Carter's arrival, local media as well
as pan-Arab media based in Syria were seized with the
possibility of a Carter/Meshal meetings and refused to
believe that the Embassy was not involved in all elements of
his schedule, despite clear statements to the contrary from
Washington.

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DAY ONE - Lunch with Asads, Dinner with Hamas
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5. (C) During the ride from the airport to the Four Seasons,
Charge briefed President Carter and his team. For his part,
Carter was extremely focused on the Hamas portion of his
visit, and on Syrian-Israeli relations. Carter said he
planned to raise Human Rights cases with Bashar, but wanted
Bashar to act on his pressure.


6. (C) Bashar and spouse Asma hosted the Carters to a
two-on-two lunch at the trendy "Art house" restaurant the
afternoon of their arrival. The rest of delegation had lunch
with the MFA. After lunch President Bashar, FM Muallem, and
VFM Miqdad had a joint meeting with the delegation. One
Embassy contact told us that the meeting seemed to lack
substance and was largely protocolary. After 5:00 p.m. the
first day (after a noon arrival),Carter's delegation spent
hours with Hamas leader Khaled Meshal and other Hamas
officials at a private house in the West Mezzeh district of
Damascus. The delegation stayed for dinner and then another
meeting between the two principals.

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Day Two - Breakfast with Hamas
--------------


7. (SBU) The following morning on April 19 there was another
meeting at 7:00 a.m. with Khaled Meshal before the
delegation's scheduled departure for Riyadh.


8. (C) President Carter's departure was colored by the fact
that his private jet suffered an unspecified mechanical
failure. Bashar provided his own presidential jet to fly
Carter and party to Riyadh. Given the sad state of
Syrian-Saudi relations, Bashar likely saw the irony in his
"gracious" provision of the Syrian official aircraft to ferry
Carter to Riyadh. Security cooperation with the SARG was

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excellent and Secret Service left satisfied, according to all
reports.


9. (C) Comment: During and after Carter's visit, pan-Arab and
Western journalists paid scant attention to Carter's meetings
with President Bashar and Muallem, and focused reporting
almost exclusively on the Carter-Meshal meetings. In
contrast, Syrian media gave lengthy coverage to the Bashar
and Muallem meetings. Some rumors exist that Carter will
return to Syria soon. Carter's staffer, Sebestyen, who
remained behind discounted the rumor, but she also denied the
existence of a meeting with Meshal almost up until the moment
it happened.
CORBIN