SPAIN ENGAGES WITH SYRIA TO PROMOTE CONSTRUCTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 000827 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE, NEA/ELA E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN SY SP SUBJECT: SPAIN ENGAGES WITH SYRIA TO PROMOTE CONSTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR REF: STATE 78880 MADRID 00000827 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Ambassador conveyed reftel points to FM Moratinos the morning of July 24. Moratinos said the Spanish sought to engage Syria in dialogue; continual contact would keep Syria focused on the benefits of playing a more constructive role in the region. Moratinos believes that based on the strength of personal relationships and through steady engagement, Syria can be brought around to stopping its counterproductive activities. Moratinos asked for a non-paper detailing our specific concerns and said that he would respond with more information, as well as a read-out of recent joint Spanish-German-Italian communication with Syria. An unclassified non-paper has been translated and sent to Moratinos and his staff. Moratinos faxed to the Embassy the afternoon of July 24 a copy of a joint Spanish-German-Italian letter to Syrian FM al-Muallim. Text of the letter is included in paragraph 4. ¶2. (U) Spain hosted the Syrian Vice Prime Minister for the Economy Abdallah al-Dardari for extensive consultations with the Spanish business community, as well as a bilateral meeting with Moratinos on July 7. Al-Dardari also participated in the inaugural festivities for the Spanish Goverment-affiliated Casa Arabe in Madrid. The Spanish Chambers of Commerce stressed Syrian investment opportunities thanks to recent economic reforms and the concessions granted by the Syrian Housing Ministry. Reportedly, current Spanish presence in Syria is very low. 2007 bilateral trade amounted to just 320 million dollars. ¶3. (U) During the al-Dardari visit, Moratinos announced that Spain will open an Office for Technical Cooperation in Amman in the next few months with responsibilities in Syria and Lebanon. Moratinos also expressed Spanish support for Syrian reforms and economic liberalization and reiterated the Spanish commitment to strengthening the EU-Syria relationship, saying, "the EU acknowledges the important role that Syria can play in the stability and welfare of the Mediterranean and the Middle East." ¶4. (U) BEGIN TEXT OF JOINT LETTER DATED JULY 22, 2008: We welcome recent moves by Syria to improve relations and positively engage with neighbouring countries. We hope that indirect talks with ISRAEL will lead as soon as possible to direct negotiations. The European side will fully support these efforts, as well as those make on the other tracks, and will assist all actors involved in order to achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the region. We especially acknowledge that Syria has openly declared its readiness, as in your letter to Federal Foreign Minister Steinmeier of June 29 and in your recent conversations with FM Moratinos and with FM Frattini, to discuss all aspects of bilateral relations with Lebanon once a government would be formed in Lebanon. We also appreciate the positive report by Lebanon and the constructive meetings between the Presidents of both states in Paris on July 13. At the same time, your Government has expressed a strong wish to improve relations with European partners and the EU in its quest for economic reform and social development. We stand ready to work for the improvement of our bilateral ties with Syria and to work with our partners in the EU to develop the relations between the EU and Syria. At the same time, we remain committed to further the independence, sovereignty and stability of Lebanon. To achieve rapid and lasting progress in both fields, we believe a number of issues need to be addressed: Concerning Syrian-Lebanese relations, whilst welcoming the commitment of President Assad and President Sleiman to re-establish diplomatic relations and to open the respective embassies in Beirut and Damascus, we suggest that both governments should commit themselves publicly to a mutually agreed process for the normalisation of bilateral relations, based on the principles of full equality and mutual recognition, containing the following elements: - proceeding in opening the Embassies in Beirut and Damascus and in exchanging Ambassadors, - activation of the Lebanese-Syrian border committee for the demarcation of borders, MADRID 00000827 002.2 OF 002 - activation of border cooperation with the aim of improving security on the Lebanese-Syrian border. To support the National Dialogue in Lebanon on strengthening the control of the Lebanese State over its territory as agreed in Doha, we expect that Syria exert her influence on Palestinian factions to stop all armed activity in Lebanon and hand over control over their positions to the Lebanese authorities in a phased and orderly manner. (These elements are of course in no way intended to impede Lebanon and Syria to take additional measures to improve their bilateral relations.) Concerning EU-Syria relations, we are ready to work with our partners in the EU and with Syria so that, -the EU would commit to urgently dispatch fact-finding missions with a view to identify ways of intensifying cooperation in the economic, financial and scientific filed and to increase technical support to Syrian border security, - both sides would agree to establish a regular and comprehensive political dialogue, including on regional and human rights issues, - after taking stock of overall progress, the EU would invite Syria to sign the EU-Syria Association Treaty before the end of the year 2008. Sincerely yours, Frank-Walter Steinmeier/Franco Frattini/Miguel Angel Moratinos Cuyaube END TEXT OF LETTER Aguirre