ASAD CONFIDENT ABOUT CURRENT SITUATION, WELCOMES U.S. ENGAGEMENT WITH SYRIA
id: 72810
date: 7/27/2006 13:41
refid: 06DAMASCUS3701
origin: Embassy Damascus
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination:
header:
VZCZCXRO2863
OO RUEHAG
DE RUEHDM #3701 2081341
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 271341Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0617
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0153
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0132
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
----------------- header ends ----------------
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 003701
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR WALLER; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, SY, LE
SUBJECT: ASAD CONFIDENT ABOUT CURRENT SITUATION, WELCOMES
U.S. ENGAGEMENT WITH SYRIA
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Stephen A. Seche, per 1.4 b,d.
1. (C) Summary: Syrian President Bashar al-Asad met for an hour July 25 with David Lesch , his American biographer, who is in country with his family for a short visit. Asad appeared relaxed and confident about the way events were playing out in Lebanon. He mentioned the possibility of Syrian intervention in the conflict but did not seem to be considering the option in a serious way, according to Lesch. Asad expressed a desire for an American mediation effort that would include Syria, Lesch told the Charge during a subsequent readout. End Summary.
2. (C) Syrian President Bashar al-Asad appeared confident and relatively content with the way the situation in Lebanon has played out, according to his American biographer, David Lesch, who met with him at his in-town residence, Tishreen Palace, July 25. Lesch provided a readout for Charge and PolChief the following day, noting that Asad clearly communicated the sense that "he had been dealt back into the game" as a result of the two weeks of fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hizballah. Asad did not seem worried that
Israel would eventually crush Hizballah with its overwhelming military superiority. According to Lesch, Asad at one point noted that the image of Israeli military invincibility had been destroyed in the current conflict.
3. (C) Asad spoke at one point about the possibility of Syria entering the war if Israel invaded Lebanon. Lesch said he responded that Israel had already done so, and asked Asad if he had any line in mind that, if crossed, would trigger Syrian intervention. Asad told him that his generals were looking at this issue and considering different scenarios, a response that to Lesch indicated that Asad's mention of the possibility was more rhetorical than real.
4. (C) When asked if Syria would accept diplomatic mediation by European parties to help resolve the conflict in Lebanon, Asad said he would not rule out such efforts, but voiced a preference for U.S. engagement directly with Syria on this and other issues. In response to Lesch's inquiry about President Bush's offhand comments about Syria to PM Blair, Asad laughed and said that in general he was pleased because it indicated that the U.S. was at least thinking about Syria. Asad expressed a longing for a comprehensive approach that would reach beyond the current conflict and include issues such as the occupied Golan Heights. He noted wistfully that if he could succeed in getting the Golan back, he would be a hero to the Syrian people. (According to Lesch, although Asad did not refer to Iran directly or the issue of facilitating Iranian support for Hizballah, several other officials with whom he met separately insisted that Syria would abandon its alliance with Iran if the U.S. would engage and stop trying to isolate and pressure Syria.)
5. (C) Lesch's wife and 16-year old son accompanied him to an initial 20-minute meeting with Asad that also included First Lady Asma al-Asad. Lesch described the interaction between the couple as natural and informal, with the nor粑al back-and-forth banter of a couple obviously at ease with each other. Asad spoke in English, without interpreter, during the private one-on-one the two subsequently held. Asad lent his camera to Lesch's son. He held out the possibility he might meet with Lesch again before he departed the evening of July 26.
6. (C) Lesch met a range of Syrian officials, including Minister of Higher Education Ghiath Barakat, as well as other prominent Syrians, at a series of dinners and other more informal encounters. He also gave an interview on Syrian TV. Lesch is the author of Bashar al-Asad, the Lion of Damascus.
He noted that Asad was aware that he would be seeing USG officials after his meeting and assumed Asad wanted to use such meetings to inform and help shape US perceptions.
SECHE
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 72810
date: 7/27/2006 13:41
refid: 06DAMASCUS3701
origin: Embassy Damascus
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination:
header:
VZCZCXRO2863
OO RUEHAG
DE RUEHDM #3701 2081341
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 271341Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0617
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0153
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0132
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
----------------- header ends ----------------
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 003701
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR WALLER; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, SY, LE
SUBJECT: ASAD CONFIDENT ABOUT CURRENT SITUATION, WELCOMES
U.S. ENGAGEMENT WITH SYRIA
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Stephen A. Seche, per 1.4 b,d.
1. (C) Summary: Syrian President Bashar al-Asad met for an hour July 25 with David Lesch , his American biographer, who is in country with his family for a short visit. Asad appeared relaxed and confident about the way events were playing out in Lebanon. He mentioned the possibility of Syrian intervention in the conflict but did not seem to be considering the option in a serious way, according to Lesch. Asad expressed a desire for an American mediation effort that would include Syria, Lesch told the Charge during a subsequent readout. End Summary.
2. (C) Syrian President Bashar al-Asad appeared confident and relatively content with the way the situation in Lebanon has played out, according to his American biographer, David Lesch, who met with him at his in-town residence, Tishreen Palace, July 25. Lesch provided a readout for Charge and PolChief the following day, noting that Asad clearly communicated the sense that "he had been dealt back into the game" as a result of the two weeks of fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hizballah. Asad did not seem worried that
Israel would eventually crush Hizballah with its overwhelming military superiority. According to Lesch, Asad at one point noted that the image of Israeli military invincibility had been destroyed in the current conflict.
3. (C) Asad spoke at one point about the possibility of Syria entering the war if Israel invaded Lebanon. Lesch said he responded that Israel had already done so, and asked Asad if he had any line in mind that, if crossed, would trigger Syrian intervention. Asad told him that his generals were looking at this issue and considering different scenarios, a response that to Lesch indicated that Asad's mention of the possibility was more rhetorical than real.
4. (C) When asked if Syria would accept diplomatic mediation by European parties to help resolve the conflict in Lebanon, Asad said he would not rule out such efforts, but voiced a preference for U.S. engagement directly with Syria on this and other issues. In response to Lesch's inquiry about President Bush's offhand comments about Syria to PM Blair, Asad laughed and said that in general he was pleased because it indicated that the U.S. was at least thinking about Syria. Asad expressed a longing for a comprehensive approach that would reach beyond the current conflict and include issues such as the occupied Golan Heights. He noted wistfully that if he could succeed in getting the Golan back, he would be a hero to the Syrian people. (According to Lesch, although Asad did not refer to Iran directly or the issue of facilitating Iranian support for Hizballah, several other officials with whom he met separately insisted that Syria would abandon its alliance with Iran if the U.S. would engage and stop trying to isolate and pressure Syria.)
5. (C) Lesch's wife and 16-year old son accompanied him to an initial 20-minute meeting with Asad that also included First Lady Asma al-Asad. Lesch described the interaction between the couple as natural and informal, with the nor粑al back-and-forth banter of a couple obviously at ease with each other. Asad spoke in English, without interpreter, during the private one-on-one the two subsequently held. Asad lent his camera to Lesch's son. He held out the possibility he might meet with Lesch again before he departed the evening of July 26.
6. (C) Lesch met a range of Syrian officials, including Minister of Higher Education Ghiath Barakat, as well as other prominent Syrians, at a series of dinners and other more informal encounters. He also gave an interview on Syrian TV. Lesch is the author of Bashar al-Asad, the Lion of Damascus.
He noted that Asad was aware that he would be seeing USG officials after his meeting and assumed Asad wanted to use such meetings to inform and help shape US perceptions.
SECHE
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
Uprooted Palestinian
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