Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09DAMASCUS286
2009-04-16 14:32:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:
MFA REQUESTS EMBASSY HELP FOR SYRIAN AIR
how-toVZCZCXRO7697 OO RUEHDE DE RUEHDM #0286/03 1061432 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 161432Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6264 INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 7584 RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 1052 RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 5129 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 3883 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 2375 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 8063 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0525 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0494 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0147 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 0281 RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI PRIORITY 0236 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0596 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0679 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 DAMASCUS 000286
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA, EEB/ESC/TFS; NSC FOR
SHAPIRO/MCDERMOTT; COMMERCE FOR BIS/CHRISTINO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2019
TAGS: EAIR ECON ETRD ETTC PGOV PREL GE SP SY
SUBJECT: MFA REQUESTS EMBASSY HELP FOR SYRIAN AIR
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* Missing Section 001 *
***********************
***********************
* Missing Section 002 *
***********************
DAMASCUS 00000286 003.2 OF 003
9. (C) Charge advised Miqdad and Abdullatif that it was
unlikely that Syrian Air's desire for new aircraft could be
justified on humanitarian grounds, and would be better
addressed as a political issue. She suggested that the
Syrians should raise this issue with Washington visitors who
want to have political discussions in Damascus, and reminded
them that Ambassador Mustafa is also in position to raise it
in his meetings in Washington.
10. (C) Miqdad acknowledged the Charge's point, and said he
would raise it with FM Muallim. He also asked the Charge to
convey the Syrians' desire to purchase new aircraft in her
report on this meeting to Washington in order to start the
discussion as soon as possible. "It's good to have these
kinds of frank discussions," Miqdad said. "We hope this
meeting will facilitate a good beginning."
--------------
Conveying a Request to Meet Again
--------------
11. (C) The Charge next informed Miqdad of the proposed visit
A/S-designate Feltman and NSC Senior Director Shapiro to
Syria on April 27. Miqdad responded that the proposal was
"excellent news," but expressed concern that "no one" would
be available to meet with the delegation on April 27. (Note:
FM Muallim may be accompanying President Asad to Austria for
meetings on April 27-28. End note.) He promised to convey
the request to FM Muallim and respond by April 16 with an
alternative date if April 27 is, in fact, not possible.
--------------
Comment
--------------
12. (C) Abdullatif's frank description of Syrian Air's
"priorities" paints an even grimmer picture of the airline's
desperate condition than our internal assessments had
indicated. Although we were aware of the two engines
requiring maintenance from Lufthansa Technik, this was the
first we had heard of the 15 engines needing service from IAE
or the three Honeywell APUs. Notably absent from Syrian
Air's presentation was any discussion of the two export
licenses to recondition the Boeing 747-SPs. Laying their
cards on the table, the Syrian regime has
uncharacteristically acknowledged its need for our help.
They will see our response as a metric by which to guage the
seriousness of our desire to engage them.
CONNELLY
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA, EEB/ESC/TFS; NSC FOR
SHAPIRO/MCDERMOTT; COMMERCE FOR BIS/CHRISTINO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2019
TAGS: EAIR ECON ETRD ETTC PGOV PREL GE SP SY
SUBJECT: MFA REQUESTS EMBASSY HELP FOR SYRIAN AIR
***********************
* Missing Section 001 *
***********************
***********************
* Missing Section 002 *
***********************
DAMASCUS 00000286 003.2 OF 003
9. (C) Charge advised Miqdad and Abdullatif that it was
unlikely that Syrian Air's desire for new aircraft could be
justified on humanitarian grounds, and would be better
addressed as a political issue. She suggested that the
Syrians should raise this issue with Washington visitors who
want to have political discussions in Damascus, and reminded
them that Ambassador Mustafa is also in position to raise it
in his meetings in Washington.
10. (C) Miqdad acknowledged the Charge's point, and said he
would raise it with FM Muallim. He also asked the Charge to
convey the Syrians' desire to purchase new aircraft in her
report on this meeting to Washington in order to start the
discussion as soon as possible. "It's good to have these
kinds of frank discussions," Miqdad said. "We hope this
meeting will facilitate a good beginning."
--------------
Conveying a Request to Meet Again
--------------
11. (C) The Charge next informed Miqdad of the proposed visit
A/S-designate Feltman and NSC Senior Director Shapiro to
Syria on April 27. Miqdad responded that the proposal was
"excellent news," but expressed concern that "no one" would
be available to meet with the delegation on April 27. (Note:
FM Muallim may be accompanying President Asad to Austria for
meetings on April 27-28. End note.) He promised to convey
the request to FM Muallim and respond by April 16 with an
alternative date if April 27 is, in fact, not possible.
--------------
Comment
--------------
12. (C) Abdullatif's frank description of Syrian Air's
"priorities" paints an even grimmer picture of the airline's
desperate condition than our internal assessments had
indicated. Although we were aware of the two engines
requiring maintenance from Lufthansa Technik, this was the
first we had heard of the 15 engines needing service from IAE
or the three Honeywell APUs. Notably absent from Syrian
Air's presentation was any discussion of the two export
licenses to recondition the Boeing 747-SPs. Laying their
cards on the table, the Syrian regime has
uncharacteristically acknowledged its need for our help.
They will see our response as a metric by which to guage the
seriousness of our desire to engage them.
CONNELLY