SARG CONCURS: THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE CENTER IS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 000227


DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA, AND NEA/PPD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2019
TAGS: PREL AMGT KPAO SY
SUBJECT: SARG CONCURS: THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE CENTER IS TO
REOPEN

REF: A. DAMASCUS 223 (NOTAL)

B. DAMASCUS 192

C. 08 DAMASCUS 803

Classified By: CDA Maura Connelly for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) The Syrian government (SARG),through a diplomatic
note received by post March 26, concurred with Post's plan to
reopen the American Language Center (ALC),a sub-component of
the American Cultural Center (ACC). Both activities had been
ordered closed by the SARG in late October 2008 following an
alleged U.S. raid on a site in eastern Syria. The decision
was previewed by Syrian Ambassador to Washington Imad Mustafa
to NEA A A/S Feltman March 21 and then formally conveyed in
Damascus during a banner week for U.S. ) Syrian bilateral
relations; during the same week, the SARG facilitated the
work of an OBO-led team seeking sites for a new embassy
compound, allowed us to establish a channel between our
consular section and the MFA to discuss American Citizen
Services issues, including a long-standing child custody
case, and followed up on an issue raised (ref A ) notal)
during A A/S Feltman's and NSC Senior Director Dan Shapiro's
March 7 meeting with FM Walid al-Muallim. The ALC issue was
also raised by A A/S Feltman and post followed up with a
diplomatic note stating our "intention" to reopen the ALC
before May 1 (ref B).


2. (C) The reopening of the ALC, on a date yet to be
determined between post and Amideast, represents the first
reversal of the SARG's orders last year to close three U.S.
Embassy functions (ALC, ACC, and the Damascus Community
School ) DCS). Local media erroneously reported for several
days that the pending MFA concurrence would include the ACC
and DCS. The SARG has not provided any indication as to when
it would agree to the reopening of either of the two
remaining institutions. The ALC, which trains approximately
9,000 students during the average year, is considered by many
to be the top English-language training facility in Damascus.
Despite the positive news regarding the reopening, there
remain potential hurdles involving the acquisition of
residence permits and other permissions for the mother-tongue
training staff.


3. (C) Comment: The SARG's decision on the ALC, like the
other developments this week, is clearly intended by the SARG
to be seen as part of its response to U.S. efforts under the
new administration to re-engage with Syria. Syria's positive
responses, including the breaking of a logjam of long
duration on visas for TDY and other USG employees, no doubt
come at least in part to NEA's more routine communications
with the Syrian Embassy in Washington and to the recent
granting of safety-of-flight and other export licenses to
U.S. and Western firms seeking to do business in Syria as
allowed under U.S. sanctions. The manner through which the
SARG's concurrence was obtained -- asking the SARG to concur
with our stated "intention" to reopen -- validates a
post-developed strategy that leverages USG visits and avoids
putting the USG into the position of demandeur for decisions
that the SARG ought to make as a function of its own stated
desire for a better relationship. One down, two to go.


CONNELLY