Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10DAMASCUS45
2010-01-14 09:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:
SARG CONFIRMS RAISING AMCIT HIKERS WITH IRANIAN FM
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C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 000045
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR P, NEA/FO, NEA/IR, NEA/ELA, CA/OSC/ASC/NESA
NSC FOR SHAPIRO/MCDERMOTT, ROSS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2020
TAGS: CASC IR MOPS PGOV PHUM PREL PROP SY
SUBJECT: SARG CONFIRMS RAISING AMCIT HIKERS WITH IRANIAN FM
REF: A) 09 STATE 13038 B) 09 DAMASCUS 884 (NOTAL) C)
DAMASCUS 0041
Classified By: CDA Charles Hunter, Reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 000045
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR P, NEA/FO, NEA/IR, NEA/ELA, CA/OSC/ASC/NESA
NSC FOR SHAPIRO/MCDERMOTT, ROSS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2020
TAGS: CASC IR MOPS PGOV PHUM PREL PROP SY
SUBJECT: SARG CONFIRMS RAISING AMCIT HIKERS WITH IRANIAN FM
REF: A) 09 STATE 13038 B) 09 DAMASCUS 884 (NOTAL) C)
DAMASCUS 0041
Classified By: CDA Charles Hunter, Reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
¶1. (C) Hussam A'ala, chief of staff to Vice Foreign Minister
Faisal Miqdad, called DCA to the MFA on January 14 to confirm
that the SARG had raised the case of Joshua Fattal, Shane
Bauer and Sarah Shourd, the three American hikers detained in
Iran since July 31, with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr
Mottaki during the latter's visit to Damascus on January 11.
¶2. (C) According to Ala'a, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid
al-Muallim, acting on the USG request conveyed to the SARG on
December 23 (refs A and B),communicated to Mottaki the
SARG's wish that the matter be solved "on a humanitarian
basis." Muallim also shared with his Iranian counterpart his
belief that Iran's compliance with this request would be
viewed as a "confidence-building measure." Mottaki undertook
to convey Syria's request to Tehran for consideration.
¶3. (SBU) Post will immediately report any further
developments on this matter the SARG informs us of.
HUNTER