VZCZCXRO9744
RR RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHHE #0045 0361055
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 051055Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4044
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 0044
RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST 0563
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 4117
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 0064
RUEHLJ/AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA 0057
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0130
RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE 0988
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 4679

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000045 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2018 
TAGS: PREL KMPI SY FI
SUBJECT: FINNISH RESPONSE - CONDEMNING ARREST AND 
ARRAIGNMENT OF SYRIAN DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 11025 
 
Classified By: POLCHIEF GREG THOME FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
¶1. (C) PolChief delivered subject demarche Feb. 5 to Deskoff 
for Syria and Lebanon Keijo Karjalainen.  Karjalainen thanked 
us for the detailed information on the plight of Raid Seif 
and the Damascus Delcaration National Council members.  He 
said that the GoF is now following these cases closely within 
the EU.  The resident EU Ambassadors met in Damascus and 
agreed that the Syrians' handling of this issue was abusive 
and disturbing.  All EU capitals have received the French 
draft demarche, and the GoF supports the "stronger" language 
that it includes.  However, Kajalainen reported, there is 
division within the EU regarding the French proposal to use 
equally strong language in a public statement.  Several EU 
members -- Finland included -- are concerned that a strong 
public statement could jeopardize the safety of Damascus 
group members.  Finland has not reached a national position 
on this aspect of the question, however, and is likely to 
support EU consensus. 
 
¶2. (C) Meanwhile, Karjalainen noted, Finland plans no 
bilateral contacts with the SARG until Sept. or Oct., when a 
Director-General level delegation will visit Syria and 
Lebanon. 
WARE