Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PARIS109
2008-01-22 17:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
FRANCE CRITICIZE ARRESTS OF SYRIAN ACTIVISTS BUT
how-toVZCZCXRO8084 PP RUEHAG RUEHROV DE RUEHFR #0109 0221740 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 221740Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1741 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0861 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 1498 RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 0312 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1174 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 2198 RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 1489 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0554 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2625
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000109
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2013
TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM KMPI FR SY
SUBJECT: FRANCE CRITICIZE ARRESTS OF SYRIAN ACTIVISTS BUT
REFUSES PUBLIC SUPPORT OF SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL
REF: 07 STATE 171106
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso
ns 1.4. (b),(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000109
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2013
TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM KMPI FR SY
SUBJECT: FRANCE CRITICIZE ARRESTS OF SYRIAN ACTIVISTS BUT
REFUSES PUBLIC SUPPORT OF SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL
REF: 07 STATE 171106
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso
ns 1.4. (b),(d).
1. (C) Post delivered reftel demarche to French MFA Syria
desk officer Jean-Christophe Auge on January 14. He did not
have an immediate response and stated he would have to get
back to us. We used a January 17 meeting between visiting
Deputy Assistant to the Vice President for National Security
Affairs Joseph Wood and French MFA DAS-equivalent Ludovic
Pouille to request a response.
2. (C) Pouille referred to a statement made by the MFA
press spokesperson January 14 criticizing the human rights
situation in general and the recent wave of arrests of
signatories to the Damascus Declaration. When we pressed
specifically with respect to a public declaration of French
support for the Syrian National Council or for Syrians to
enjoy the right of free association, Pouille initially
replied that France would not back a group calling for the
overthrow of the Syrian regime. We countered that the
Council was not seeking that per se but merely wishing to
exercise the right to peaceful and legal dissent in
opposition. Pouille stated that France supports legal
dissent and was particularly mindful of the plight of
opposition leader Riad Seif, whose poor health has prompted
France, as de facto representative of the EU presidency in
Damascus, to lead a joint diplomatic effort to allow him to
seek medical treatment in France.
3. (U) Following is the embassy's informal translation of
the Q and A that appeared in the transcript of the January 14
French MFA press briefing:
Q: A majority of European countries condemned the wave of
arrests carried out by the Syrian authorities, affecting
activists involved with the Damascus Declaration. I would
like to know France's position in this matter, knowing that
nine activists are still in prison, among them Madame Fida'
Hurani, president of the National Council of the Damascus
Declaration.
A: France is very concerned about the human rights situation
in Syria, and in particular about the successive wave of
arrests of several signatories to the Damascus Declaration.
As the European Union did in its statement of December 31, we
call for their release and ask that Syria assure its respect
for freedom of expression in conformity with its
international commitments.
End translation
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
PEKALA
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2013
TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM KMPI FR SY
SUBJECT: FRANCE CRITICIZE ARRESTS OF SYRIAN ACTIVISTS BUT
REFUSES PUBLIC SUPPORT OF SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL
REF: 07 STATE 171106
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso
ns 1.4. (b),(d).
1. (C) Post delivered reftel demarche to French MFA Syria
desk officer Jean-Christophe Auge on January 14. He did not
have an immediate response and stated he would have to get
back to us. We used a January 17 meeting between visiting
Deputy Assistant to the Vice President for National Security
Affairs Joseph Wood and French MFA DAS-equivalent Ludovic
Pouille to request a response.
2. (C) Pouille referred to a statement made by the MFA
press spokesperson January 14 criticizing the human rights
situation in general and the recent wave of arrests of
signatories to the Damascus Declaration. When we pressed
specifically with respect to a public declaration of French
support for the Syrian National Council or for Syrians to
enjoy the right of free association, Pouille initially
replied that France would not back a group calling for the
overthrow of the Syrian regime. We countered that the
Council was not seeking that per se but merely wishing to
exercise the right to peaceful and legal dissent in
opposition. Pouille stated that France supports legal
dissent and was particularly mindful of the plight of
opposition leader Riad Seif, whose poor health has prompted
France, as de facto representative of the EU presidency in
Damascus, to lead a joint diplomatic effort to allow him to
seek medical treatment in France.
3. (U) Following is the embassy's informal translation of
the Q and A that appeared in the transcript of the January 14
French MFA press briefing:
Q: A majority of European countries condemned the wave of
arrests carried out by the Syrian authorities, affecting
activists involved with the Damascus Declaration. I would
like to know France's position in this matter, knowing that
nine activists are still in prison, among them Madame Fida'
Hurani, president of the National Council of the Damascus
Declaration.
A: France is very concerned about the human rights situation
in Syria, and in particular about the successive wave of
arrests of several signatories to the Damascus Declaration.
As the European Union did in its statement of December 31, we
call for their release and ask that Syria assure its respect
for freedom of expression in conformity with its
international commitments.
End translation
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
PEKALA