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FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0087
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0110
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DAMASCUS 003223 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS FOR WALLER, LONDON FOR TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL SY
SUBJECT: UNDER PRESSURE, SYRIAN REGIME STIRS STONE SOUP 
 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4 b/d 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  The ongoing Gaza crisis notwithstanding, 
the SARG is conducting its foreign policy in traditional 
Syrian style, playing for time and survival against 
international pressure on a range of issues.  This was most 
recently demonstrated by the July 1 meeting between the 
visiting Qatari FM and Syrian President Bashar al-Asad in 
Damascus, according to Syrian foreign policy analyst Samir 
al-Taki.  The SARG used the visit to convey its willingness 
to listen to outsider advice about the ongoing standoff 
between Israel and Hamas, asserted al-Taki, predicting that 
the regime will sidestep any demands to pressure 
Damascus-based Hamas leaders about the fate of the kidnapped 
Israeli soldier.  Given continued USG pressure for the 
international isolation of Syria, the SARG continues to 
pursue opportunities to engage other governments, including 
Russia, China, India, Iraq, Italy, and possibly Germany, 
al-Taki said.  The SARG is likely to continue to encourage 
visits by foreign officials who seek Syria's assistance with 
the standoff in Gaza (and other regional concerns) and to use 
these opportunities to convey a message that the pressure 
politics of the West are, in fact, impeding the SARG's 
ability to intervene effectively.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (C) The SARG is conducting its foreign policy in 
traditional Syrian style, playing for time and survival 
against international pressure on a range of issues, 
according to Syrian foreign policy analyst Samir al-Taki, who 
cited the stone soup fable with protagonists stirring a stone 
and water in a pot to elicit outside contributions, while 
adding nothing themselves.  The SARG was using the Qatari 
FM's July 1 visit to convey its willingness to listen to 
outsider advice about the ongoing standoff between Israel and 
Hamas, even those interlocutors with good ties to the USG, 
al-Taki said.  The SARG, however, would never offer up all of 
the details about the "cards" it is holding to other leaders 
in the region or ask another country to serve as an 
intermediary, al-Taki said.  Separately, the Qatari 
Ambassador here told the Charge on July 2 that al-Thani went 
directly from the airport to Asad's palace, where he held a 
one-on-one session with Asad, followed by an expanded meeting 
attended by Syrian FM Walid Mu'allim.  Talks dealt with 
ongoing events in the Palestinian Territories, with Asad 
assuring al-Thani of his interest in helping to resolve the 
ongoing crisis, while claiming that it was difficult for him 
to do as much as he might like, for fear he would be seen as 
succumbing to international (i.e. U.S.) pressure, according 
to the Qatari Ambassador. 
 
¶3.  (C) The SARG never responds to direct international 
pressure but instead formulates its foreign policy, 
particularly toward Israel, based on public sentiment, 
asserted al-Taki.  The regime has been rallying support for 
the Palestinian cause, with a public fund drive launched 
earlier this year, which has so far netted more than 12.6 
million USD, which is to be delivered "at the proper time" to 
help in "the education, charitable, health and human fields," 
according to a report in the official Syrian Arab News Agency 
(SANA).  Another SANA news item reported a "huge mass 
demonstration" in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza that 
took place the evening of July 2 in the Palestinian refugee 
camp of Yarmouk in Damascus.  (Note:  We have been unable to 
confirm the size of the demonstration and have received no 
reports of similar protests outside the Palestinian camps.) 
The regime will sidestep any demands to pressure Mish'al 
about the fate of the kidnapped Israeli soldier, predicted 
al-Taki, who denounced USG silence over past and ongoing 
Israeli actions leading to civilian deaths.  Separately, 
SANA reported July 3 that Syria would only lean on Hamas to 
find a solution to the crisis only after Israel stops its 
attacks on Gaza. 
 
¶4.  (C) Al-Taki commented on a range of other bilateral 
relationships, including: 
 
-- SYRIA-LEBANON:  The June 28 meeting in Damascus between 
Asad and visiting Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri 
would not produce a visit by Lebanese PM Fouad Siniora 
because the SARG doesn't really want him to come, al-Taki 
said.  "The regime is using velvet words to cover an iron 
hand," said al-Taki, noting that the SARG has decided to 
close the door on Lebanon and let the country stew in its 
escalating domestic problems. 
 
-- SYRIA-IRAQ:  While closing the door on Lebanon, Syria is 
interested in "opening its door" completely to Iraq, despite 
 
DAMASCUS 00003223  002 OF 002 
 
 
USG pressure on Baghdad to stifle prospects of restoring full 
diplomatic relations, al-Taki said. 
 
-- SYRIA-IRAN:  The SARG has recently decided to try and 
limit some of Iran's overt religious influence in Syria, 
which is creating resentment among the majority Sunni 
population, al-Taki claimed.  (Note:  Despite al-Taki's 
assertion, SANA reported the July 2 arrival to Damascus of 
the grandson of Iran's late Ayatollah Khomeini, who was 
"warmly welcomed" by Syria's Vice President Farouk 
al-Shara'a.) 
 
¶5.  (C) Given continued USG pressure for the international 
isolation of Syria, the SARG continues to seek engagement 
with other governments, al-Taki said.  Russia has been 
telling the SARG "to go ahead, we support you," and 
discussions are underway about a possible visit by Russia's 
FM to Damascus, al-Taki said.  The Chinese support the 
regime, and talks are ongoing about an Asad trip to India, 
al-Taki stated.  The Europeans are wavering over their policy 
of isolating Syria; most recently, Germany has indicated 
interest in engaging the SARG to help fill what it sees as a 
potential regional power vacuum, which it fears would be 
exploited by Islamists and backers of Iran, al-Taki claimed. 
French officials have also expressed deep reservations about 
French President Jacques Chirac's policy of isolating Syria, 
said al-Taki, recently in Paris as part of a two-person 
delegation from the new Asharq Center for Strategic Studies, 
which has ties to Syrian FM Mu'allim.  During a lunch with 
French MFA officials, a vice minister stated that France 
should be more open to Syrian views in formulating its 
Lebanon policy, al-Taki claimed.  (Note:  The second member 
of the Syrian delegation told us a few weeks ago that French 
officials seemed open to more contact, with the exception of 
Chirac, but that the hard sell was with Asad, who was 
convinced that nothing could be accomplished until Chirac 
left office.)  A SANA report on July 3 reported a meeting 
between Mu'allim and the visiting former Italian FM Gianni De 
Michelis on the situation in the Palestinian Territories and 
Syria-Italy relations. 
 
¶6.  (C) Comment:  We agree with al-Taki's assessment that the 
SARG is using the ongoing conflict in Gaza to elevate its 
importance both regionally and internationally.  The SARG is 
likely to continue to encourage visits by foreign officials 
who seek Syria's assistance with the standoff in Gaza (and 
other regional concerns) and to use these opportunities to 
convey a message that the pressure politics of the West are, 
in fact, impeding the SARG's ability to intervene effectively. 
SECHE