Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10RIYADH105
2010-01-25 11:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:  

SAUDI-SYRIAN RELATIONS: A "GOOD SMELL IN THE AIR"

Tags:  PREL PGOV SA LE SY IR WB GZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6827
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHRH #0105/01 0251124
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 251124Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2363
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDH/AMCONSUL DHAHRAN PRIORITY 0452
RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH PRIORITY 0562
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 000105 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/19/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV SA LE SY IR WB GZ
SUBJECT: SAUDI-SYRIAN RELATIONS: A "GOOD SMELL IN THE AIR"

REF: A. DAMASCUS 00052

B. RIYADH 00034

C. RIYADH 00037

RIYADH 00000105 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: AMBASSADOR JAMES B. SMITH FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

SUMMARY
--------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 000105

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/19/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV SA LE SY IR WB GZ
SUBJECT: SAUDI-SYRIAN RELATIONS: A "GOOD SMELL IN THE AIR"

REF: A. DAMASCUS 00052

B. RIYADH 00034

C. RIYADH 00037

RIYADH 00000105 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: AMBASSADOR JAMES B. SMITH FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad's three-day visit to
Saudi Arabia from January 13-15 (ref A) marked the third time
in four months that the once-estranged Asad and King Abdullah
have met face to face. While the Syrian Embassy in Riyadh
has downplayed the political dimensions of the visit--and
brushed off the suggestion that Egyptian President Hosni
Mubarak had been invited to attend--they are clearly
enthusiastic about the improving personal relationship
between the King and Asad and its potential implications for
Syria's--and the region's--future. END SUMMARY.


ASAD'S VISIT: THE BASICS
--------------


2. (U) According to official SPA reporting, Asad was
received at the airport on January 13 by King Abdullah bin
Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Riyadh Governor
Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, and the King's son and advisor
Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah. The group went to the King's
Janadriyah farm outside of Riyadh, where they were joined by
FM Prince Saud Al-Faisal for official meetings and a dinner.


3. (U) On January 14, Asad traveled to Jeddah, accompanied
by Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah for the duration of the
trip. In Jeddah he paid official visits to the King Abdullah
University for Science and Technology (KAUST),where he met
with Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali
Al-Naimi, and to the King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC),
where he met with SAGIA Governor Amr Al-Dabbagh. Other press
outlets reported that Asad's wife and children met him in
Jeddah, and that the family performed Umrah together.


"PRIVATE VISIT" WITH LIMITED OFFICIAL CONTENT
--------------


4. (C) Syrian Embassy contacts described the visit as a
"tremendous success," stressing the personal, rather than the
official dimensions of the trip. According to Syrian First
Secretary Qusay Mustafa, their Embassy in Riyadh was aware of

Asad's visit in advance; however, they were told it was
"purely personal" and had limited involvement in its
arrangement or substance. Asad had initially just asked to
visit the Kingdom to perform Umrah with his family; however,
the King insisted upon hosting him and the pair held
approximately two hours of official meetings. No Syrian
officials accompanied Asad on the visit, and the Syrian
Ambassador to Saudi Arabia was present at "some, but not all"
of the official talks between the two leaders.


5. (C) Mustafa said that discussion of Lebanon, the
Egyptian-led Palestinian reconciliation efforts, and the
upcoming Arab League summit in March dominated the official
conversation. On Lebanon, both sides were "pleased" with
current progress. On Palestinian reconciliation, Syria hoped
that an agreement could be reached, but did not believe
Palestinian unity was a necessary prerequisite before
continuing their own talks with Israel vis-a-vis the Golan
Heights. On the Arab League summit, Mustafa said the Syrians
we0QiQQb;TS*U,7wportant" to happen, such as an
agreement on a possible "deadline" for Israel to acknowledge
the Arab Peace Initiative. He was tight-lipped as to what
extent Saudi and Syrian goals for the summit were in
alignment, but maintained the Syrians were "optimistic" that
developing personal bonds between Abdullah and Asad would
eventually pay dividends. While the official news reports
suggested Iran, Iraq, and Yemen were also on the agenda,
Mustafa made no comments about these topics.


WHAT ABOUT MUBARAK?
--------------


6. (C) Asked about media speculation that King Abdullah had
been trying to bring about a three-way meeting that included
Egyptian president Mubarak, Mustafa insisted it was
unfounded. "I was standing next to our Ambassador when he
asked our President if this was the case, and he said no,
absolutely not."



RIYADH 00000105 002.2 OF 002


COMMENT:
--------------


7. (C) Asked to describe the current state of Saudi-Syrian
relations and their prospects for the immediate future,
Mustafa noted a "good smell in the air." However, his
insistence that Asad's visit was "purely personal" may be an
attempt to camouflage Syrian disappointment that the rumored
three-way summit didn't materialize. In separate meetings,
Egyptian Embassy contacts have maintained that Mubarak was
invited, but that he refused because he did not want to
"reward" the Syrians for what he views as insufficient steps
to distance themselves from Iran, Hezbollah, and especially
Hamas. Further, they suggested that some Saudi officials
were "growing frustrated" with Asad, but that the King felt
strongly that engagement with Syria was essential. While the
truth probably lies somewhere in between, it is clear that
both the Egyptians and Syrians are interested in shaping the
U.S. view of the changing Saudi-Syrian relationship.


8. (C) COMMENT CONTINUED: Asad's visit came during a
particularly active time for Saudi diplomacy--on the heels of
visits by Mahmoud Abbas (ref B) and Khaled Mish'al (ref C),
following trips by FM Saud to Egypt and Damascus, on the same
day as a visit by Chinese FM Yang (septel),and just prior to
a visit by Turkish PM Erdogan. Given this context, the
suggestion the Saudis may have been trying to broker a
three-way summit is believable. Regardless of what else may
have been intended, the Syrians are clearly enthusiastic
about the improving personal relationship between Abdullah
and Asad and its potential implications for Syria's--and the
region's--future. END COMMENT.
SMITH