VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0445 1740531
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 220531Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5107
INFO RUCNNAF/NORTH AF NEA AND SOUTH ASIAN COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION US IN NEW YORK
RUEHGVA/USMISSION GENEVA 0629
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0006

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000445 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/PPD, VCI, ISN 
GENEVA PASS TO USUN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO SY XF PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: SARG EFFORTS TO RESTRICT MEDIA COVERAGE OF UPCOMING IAEA 
INSPECTION 
 
¶1.  SBU SUMMARY: Journalists seeking to cover the visit by the 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection team to Syria 
June 22-24 have been given pause by media reports and rumors that 
the Syrian government has banned reporters from entering the country 
and may restrict the movements of journalists already in Damascus. A 
Ministry of Information (MoI) official seemed to confirm placing 
Syria off-limits to international reporters for the month, but cited 
"bureacratic re-shuffling" as the cause. Meanwhile, local and 
foreign journalists confirmed both denials at the border and 
successful entries.  Local journalists were awaiting instructions 
from the MoI on the perameters for press coverage of the IAEA visit. 
The press expect the Syrian News Agency (SANA) to be granted 
exclusive coverage.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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Banned? 
------- 
 
¶2.  [SBU] In advance of the visit to Syria by an inspection team 
from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) June 22-24, the 
Syrian government has denied entry to some foreign journalists and 
reportedly restricted journalists in Damascus from travel outside 
the city.  The story first broke in the Egyptian media, which 
reported that an Egyptian journalist from "Al-Ahram" was denied 
entry to Syria and told "journalists could not enter from the 
beginning to the end of June."  A Syrian opposition website picked 
up the story, and local and foreign journalists confirmed to EmbOffs 
both denials at the border and successful entries. 
 
------------------ 
The Official Story 
------------------ 
 
¶3.  [SBU] With a large number of key officials in the Syrian 
government traveling with President Asad to India until June 21, 
journalists were not able to get official confirmation.  The 
Director of Foreign Media at the Ministry of Information (MoI), 
Abeer Al-Ahmad, told a PD FSN, "For technical reasons, because the 
MoI is working on re-arranging its archive, there is no way that 
facilities and services can be provided to journalists.  And, it 
will be a waste of time for them to come and sit around a hotel for 
a week without the proper permits.  Everything will return to normal 
at the end of the month." 
 
-------------- 
The Local View 
-------------- 
 
¶4.  [SBU] One local reporter for a Western media outlet told PolOff 
she was sure reporters trying to travel to Syria were being denied 
visas, but she was not sure how the press already in country would 
be treated.  A reporter for a pan-Arab paper told the IO that some 
reporters were being denied, but others were permitted to enter 
Syria.  Two Syrian reporters, representing both foreign and Arab 
media told a PD FSN they were awaiting instructions from the MOI 
regarding any press coverage of the IAEA visit.  They said there 
would be a press conference at some point during the visit, but they 
strongly believed no press would accompany the IAEA team or gain 
access to the area while the team was in country. An official at the 
state-run press reported to PD FSN that foreign press would not be 
permitted to cover the story, and the Syrian News Agency (SANA) 
would have exclusive coverage of the visit. 
 
¶5.  [SBU] COMMENT: While the Syrian government has a long history of 
obstructing the work of foreign journalists, this particular round 
appears to be connected directly to the IAEA visit and is of note 
given the SARG's declared intention of being open and transparent 
about the facility in al-Kibar. 
 
 
 
 
 
CORBIN