A/S SCHWARTZ DISCUSSES REFUGEES AND NGOS WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DAMASCUS 000819 SIPDIS LONDON FOR LORD, PARIS FOR NOBLES E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2019 TAGS: PREF SOCI PREL PHUM SY SUBJECT: A/S SCHWARTZ DISCUSSES REFUGEES AND NGOS WITH SYRIAN VICE FOREIGN MINISTER Classified By: CDA Charles Hunter, Reasons 1.4 b and d. 1.(C) Summary: On November 18, PRM A/S Eric Schwartz asked Syrian Vice Foreign Minister Faysal al-Miqdad that Syria grant visas to NGO and International Organization staff, praised Syria,s generosity in hosting Iraqi refugees, and invited Miqdad to keep the channel between Syria and Washington open on refugee issues. Miqdad assured Schwartz that Syria would not force Iraqis to leave until they were ready to do so voluntarily. He called on the USG to continue support to UNHCR in Syria. Miqdad also said he would continue to facilitate the visas for DHS circuit riders, although he expressed lingering bitterness over his treatment by TSA officers at Dulles Airport. He agreed to look at Schwartz, requests to issue a visa for an IOM deputy director and for the director of the Center for the Victims of Torture. He also agreed to review Save the Children's pending application for a license to operate in Syria. Miqdad mentioned he would be attending an upcoming conference in Geneva on urban migration and hoped to see Schwartz there; Schwartz replied he would look at this possibility. End Summary. PROTECTING REFUGEES WHILE ENCOURAGING INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ¶2. (C) A raspy-voiced Miqdad returned to work on November 18 solely to receive A/S Schwartz after almost three weeks of hospital and home recovery from having a stent placed in a blocked artery and then dealing with a bad cold and a case of asthma. After Schwartz recounted his trip to Iraq with Samantha Power of the National Security Council, Miqdad took several swipes at the GOI,s "immoral" attitude toward Iraqi refugees, noting PM Maliki had stated in an earlier visit that he viewed these Iraqi refugees as corrupt traitors. Miqdad argued that this attitude would only embitter refugees and make them more vulnerable to extremists. Schwartz replied the Iraqi government had taken positive steps in addressing the needs of displaced citizens and is preparing for the return of Iraqis abroad, but more clearly needed to be done. The U.S. would continue to push the GOI to do more and would continue its substantial assistance of Iraqi refugees in the region until there were significant returns. Schwartz thanked Miqdad for Syrian generosity in hosting refugees. ; ¶3. (C) Miqdad said Syria would not send Iraqis back to Iraq against their will; refugees continue to arrive and to find asylum in Syria. He noted, however, that he expected the number of Iraqis entering Syria to decrease in the future. Miqdad explained that pursuant to an agreement with the GOI, Syria had instituted a requirement for Iraqis hoping to enter Syria to apply for a visa at the Syrian Embassy in Baghdad. Schwartz asked whether all Iraqis seeking to enter Syria required a visa, or whether there were provisions to permit the entry of Iraqis seeking political asylum. He urged Miqdad to allow for the possibility of entry on humanitarian grounds. Miqdad clarified that Syrian regulations stipulated the necessity of an embassy-issued visa. He indicated, however, that there continued to be room for entry on humanitarian grounds. ¶4. (C) Schwartz noted Syria,s positive experience with working with an increasing number of international NGOs. As many countries had experienced, this was both a challenge and an opportunity because of the NGOs' desire to operate without government interference, and their exceptional ability to respond to humanitarian needs. The A/S noted some NGOs in Syria were facing challenges in obtaining visas for staff and in navigating the registration process. In particular, Schwartz asked Miqdad to help expedite the pending review of Save the Children's license; to facilitate the visa issuance for the Director of the Center for the Victims of Torture; and to help gain approval for the issuance of a visa for the IOM deputy, whose presence was critical for training staff. He expressed hope that Syria would allow more NGOs to work with fewer restrictions in the future. Miqdad replied international NGOs sometimes employed foreign nationals in positions best filled by Syria nationals, who have superior area and cultural knowledge. The Vice Minister agreed, however, to look at all three requests. ¶5. (C) In a long back-and-forth on resettlement, Miqdad questioned the value of emphasizing this approach over assistance, noting 14,000 Iraqis approved for resettlement in the U.S. represented a "drop in the bucket" compared to the million ("plus or minus") Iraqis in Syria. Schwartz agreed with Miqdad that resettlement would be a solution only for a minority of refugees, but stressed the program was more than trivial. Resettlement would be a crucial tool for assisting DAMASCUS 00000819 002 OF 003 the 10-20 percent who would never return home, and resettlement had already moved a significant percentage of registered Iraqis in Syria and Jordan (more so in the latter). Miqdad criticized resettlement policies of EU countries, particularly Germany and Australia for favoring one group of Iraqis (Christians) over others. He noted that the SARG had spoken with the German Government about its policy of "taking mostly Christians," and had a satisfactory response to their protests. Miqdad said SARG had shut down Australian resettlement operations for their perceived prejudice for resettling Iraq Christians. Schwartz added there was likely to be a small group of Iraqis for whom neither resettlement nor repatriation were practical solutions. REGRETTING THE PAST, WORKING FOR A POSITIVE FUTURE ¶6. (C) On Iraq, Miqdad regretted the "tragic legacy" inherited by the Obama administration. Syria, he continued, wholeheartedly supported President Obama,s wise decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq and had offered its assistance. Calling attention to Syrian efforts to close down the al-Tanf camp in the no-man,s land between Iraq and Syria and to relocate the 300-400 Iraqi-Palestinians to the al-Hol camp inside Syria, Miqdad urged the U.S. to provide more support to UNHCR to support Syrian infrastructure and expand provision of basic services (food, housing, health, etc.). He conceded direct U.S. assistance to Syria would not be possible, but Syria hoped the U.S. would increase support to UNHCR to help alleviate the burden Iraqi refugees placed on Syria. Schwartz predicted the U.S. commitment in future years would continue, and agreed to look into Miqdad,s request regarding additional funding for al-Hol. ¶7. (C) Schwartz asked if Iraqis were working informally in Syria and whether the Syrian government might provide more flexibility on this issue. Miqdad offered that Iraqis were working informally, and Iraqis who work in legitimate enterprises were not arrested or detained for labor code violations. Miqdad said Syria did not want the crime, prostitution and other ills that might result from the increasing poverty among the Iraqis. But he emphasized there was strong political and economic pressure, due to high unemployment to prevent foreigners from entering the work force, and that the Ministry for Social Affairs would strongly resist any move in this direction. Miqdad said he planned to attend an upcoming conference on urban displacement in Geneva, where the problems associated with providing assistance in an urban environment would be discussed. The Vice Minister encouraged Schwartz to attend the meeting as well. ¶8. (C) Miqdad positively recounted his September 29-30 meetings in Washington, calling them a "good beginning." "We believe there should be normal U.S.-Syrian relations, but not at any price, based on our mutual interests," he noted. He mentioned his still-pending invitation to U/S Burns as a follow up to his Washington meetings. WE DO NOT MEDDLE IN LEBANESE AFFAIRS ¶9. (C) Miqdad referenced A/S Feltman,s recent an-Nahar interview and commented that the SARG believed the best approach to improve U.S.-Syria bilateral relations would be without direct linkages to regional issues. Miqdad acknowledged "there might be different ways of interpreting events in Lebanon since 1975 and Syria,s role," but he maintained "the situation has changed completely" because of Asad,s decision to respect Lebanese sovereignty and independence. Miqdad warned A/S Schwartz the USG might hear allegations from "forces or parties" in Lebanon, but these allegations were baseless. "We are helping the Lebanese without interference," he claimed. Now that a new government was formed, Lebanese officials would discuss how to proceed and then would begin dealing with Syria, like any relationship between two countries. DHS VISAS ¶10. (C) A/S Schwartz broached the subject of pending visas for DHS circuit riders, thanking Miqdad for his help in the past and expressing hope Miqdad would continue to facilitate the visas in the future. Schwartz reported he had heard about Miqdad's experience while leaving Dulles Airport and offered to convey Miqdad's concerns about his treatment. Miqdad said he had recently instructed the visas for the DHS Circuit Riders to be issued, but admitted he had put a previous hold on them because of the Dulles incident. Miqdad criticized DHS and the airport security system and initially insisted that he would not return to the U.S. for any reason, DAMASCUS 00000819 003 OF 003 even to meet the President, without written assurance that he would not be subjected to an intrusive search. A/S Schwartz explained that no such assurances were possible; security officials acted independently of other USG agencies, and had to adhere to strict protocols in airport searches. Schwartz agreed to communicate Miqdad,s concerns directly to officials in Washington. Miqdad said "the matter is now behind us" and thanked Schwartz for his understanding. He said there would be no problems for DHS visas in the future. KURDISH STATELESSNESS CAN BE RESOLVED ¶11. (C) In a pull-aside discussion with Miqdad, A/S Schwartz asked the Vice Minister about progress on the status of stateless Kurds in Syria. Miqdad said in light of Syria,s new relationship with Turkey, President Asad had "changed everything." He indicated that the USG would hear something soon. Miqdad added that among the many bilateral discussions taking place between the SARG and the USG, the issue of the stateless Kurds will not prove to be a barrier to good relations. ¶12. (C) Comment: Miqdad is Post,s chief interlocutor on Iraqi refugee issues. However, in his discussion of refugee issues Miqdad misspoke on two points: 1) Iraqi refugees in Syria report that they received visas on application at land border with Syria and were not required to submit applications to the Syrian Embassy in Baghdad; 2) on arrest and detention, NGOs and church groups confirmed to us that Iraqis are indeed arrested and detained when found to be working illegally. The labor law is enforced unevenly, but authorities have arrested some Iraqis who worked in Internet shops and telephone cafes, threatening them with deportation. On resettlement, UNHCR reports that the SARG,s protests over the Australian resettlement program are not the whole story. Australian diplomats have told us the majority of the 100 Iraqis referred for resettlement to Australia were indeed Christians, but this fact reflected Australian law which gives preference to refugees who have family members residing in Australia. These diplomats suspect Syria remains frustrated by Australia's 1998 decision to close its embassy in Damascus (while keeping open its embassies in Cairo and Beirut). End Comment. HUNTER