VZCZCXYZ0018
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0779/01 3091511
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041511Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5533
INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 7446
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 5656
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0954
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 5029
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 3751
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 0379
RUEHGVA/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0648

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000779 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PRM F/O, NEA/ELA, NEA/I 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL SY IZ
SUBJECT: DAMASCUS REFUGEE SITREP 7 
 
REF: DAMASCUS 575 
 
¶1. (SBU) CIRCUIT RIDE WRAP-UP:  IOM reports that for the 
circuit ride 9 August - 25 September, DHS/USCIS approved 480 
cases (1359 individuals) and denied 43 cases (152 
individuals).  No decision was made in 89 cases (312 
individuals).   DHS team leader Frank Minnick said that this 
approval rate of 81.5% was much higher than anticipated. 
Minnick expressed surprise at the high incidence of medical 
problems among the cases during this circuit ride. 
 
¶2. (SBU) DHS/USCIS FACILITIES:  The nine member DHS/USCIS 
refugee processing team arrived October 29 without incident 
and started interviewing November 2.  Renovations to the new 
UNHCR building are near completion.  The new facilities 
include space for 11 interview rooms (the current team will 
only utilize seven).  The DHS/USCIS team arriving in January 
2009 plans to make use of all available interviewing space. 
 
¶3. (SBU) PANEL PHYSICIANS:  Our consular section is now 
reviewing resumes and coordinating with the Center for 
Disease Control  to identify qualified doctors and expand the 
number of approved panel physicians.  These physicians will 
work with refugee processing only.  They will not assist with 
Post's regular medical examinations for immigration visas. 
Contracts for post's current three physicians were renewed 
for FY2009. 
 
¶4. (SBU) REFUGEES "TAKE FLIGHT" FROM SYRIA:  Poloff monitored 
the first free flight ferrying Iraqi refugees back to Baghdad 
on October 15.  Roughly 200 Iraqis participated in this 
repatriation program organized and carried out by the Iraqi 
Embassy in Syria.  Many of the returnees were children, and 
all appeared in good health and spirit.  According to 
diplomatic contacts in the Iraqi Embassy, the charted Cham 
Wings flight cost the Iraqi government nearly 100,000 USD. 
The refugees gathered at the Iraqi Embassy, where five 
coaches were stationed to transport them to the Damascus 
International Airport.  Several print media and news outlets 
monitored the departure. According to Iraqi Embassy contacts, 
a second flight took place on October 25, carrying a similar 
load of returnees. 
 
¶5. (SBU) GOI PRESSURES FOR IRAQI RETURNS:  Iraqi Embassy 
contacts report the Iraqi MFA has been "pressuring" them to 
push forward with a more robust returnee program and claim 
UNHCR is "not doing enough" to assist with the return of 
refugees.  Iraqi Embassy representatives also criticized SARG 
"obstacles" to the Iraqi government's return program, such as 
not allowing the Iraqi government to advertise the return 
program in print or television media.   UNHCR representatives 
report that UNHCR is not actively encouraging returns, but it 
will assist any Iraqi who wishes voluntarily to return to 
Iraqi.  UNHCR representatives report the establishment of a 
return desk at the UNHCR registration site in Duma, where 
those seeking to return can receive detailed information on 
the program. UNHCR says that several hundred Iraqis have 
approached the return desk seeking information. 
 
¶6. (SBU) UNHCR DIRECTOR:  Charge met with UNHCR's Radhoune 
Nouicer, Director for North Africa and the Middle East on 19 
October.  Nouicer said that there was no pressure or 
interference from the SARG on UNHCR Syria, and that the SARG 
is providing acceptable protection space for the refugees. 
Nouicer also said the GOI is most likely pressuring refugees 
to return, though he assessed Iraq was not sufficiently 
prepared to absorb them.   Laurens Jolles, UNHCR chief in 
Syria, added that UNHCR does work with the GOI, but some 
Iraqi officials in the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and 
Displacement have their own agenda and are seeking to 
publicize mass returns, though actual returns have been much 
smaller.  Noucier and Jolles commented that an October 19 
GOI-arranged return by air (19 October) went more smoothly 
than the previous attempt by bus in November 2007.  Jolles 
also reported UNHCR was preparing contingency plans in case 
UNHCR to begins to observe mass returns to Iraq, adding that 
UNHCR wants to be forward leaning on this sensitive issue. 
 
¶7. (SBU) UNHCR CAP PREVIEW:  On October 22, the UN Country 
Team presented an estimate of its 2009 Consolidated Appeals 
Process (CAP) funding request for Syria.  Final numbers are 
set to be released sometime in December 2008.   For calendar 
year 2009, the UN will be seeking to spend roughly 217 
million USD on a wide range of assistance programs targeting 
the Iraqi refugee population in Syria.  UNHCR reports there 
have been some "grumbles" from European donors about the 
price tag of the 2009 CAP. 
 
¶8. (SBU) CHRISTIAN IRAQIS SEEK REFUGE IN SYRIA:  UNHCR Public 
Information Officer Sybella Wilkes reported UNHCR had 
information on 45 Christian families (roughly 200 people) who 
fled the Mosul area of Iraq in search of protection in Syria 
in the wake of reported violent activity in the area.  UNHCR 
staff members had reportedly traveled up north to monitor the 
situation and register these families.  Wilkes added that 
UNHCR had received reports that Iraqi Christians who tried to 
enter Syria experienced difficulties in acquiring Syrian 
entry visas - with many of the families not having the 
necessary paperwork to enter.  Wilkes surmised that there are 
many more who wanted to enter and were unable to do so 
because of visa restrictions. 
 
¶9. (SBU) AL-TANF CONDITIONS WORSEN:  According to UNHCR 
representatives, the dire humanitarian situation in the Iraqi 
Palestinian camp of Al-Tanf became even more acute after 
severe flooding.  Heavy rains drenched the tents of some 800 
Iraqi Palestinians.  Raw sewage leaked throughout the camp 
and electricity supplies were cut.  The UN dispatched 
emergency workers and supplies, and UN contacts report they 
have the necessary funding to assist these desperate 
refugees.  UNHCR continues to work with prospective 
resettlement countries. 
 
¶10. (SBU) SAVE THE CHILDREN U.S. OPTIMISTIC ABOUT OPENING IN 
SYRIA:  A/DCM Novinger and Poloff met October 28 with Save 
the Children U.S. Middle East/Eurasia Area Director Tom 
Tauras and heard about the organization's plan to establish 
operations in Damascus.  During his visit, Tauras met with 
Syrian Arab Red Crescent President Attar and the UN Country 
Team.  Tauras expressed optimism about opening a Damascus 
office and believed the SARG appeared willing to grant the 
necessary licenses, which could come within six to eight 
weeks.  Tauras noted Save the Children Sweden, in 
coordination with the Swedish Ambassador, had been 
instrumental in erasing the ill-will that followed the abrupt 
departure of Save the Children U.K. earlier in the year. 
Tauras reported Save the Children U.S. would be working under 
the auspices of Save the Children Sweden and planned to focus 
its efforts on early childhood education (children under 6 
years of age) as well as addressing child exploitation issues 
among the Iraqi refugee community.  UNHCR Representative 
Jolles told Tauras the UN would have funds available for 
these programs based on the spending proposals outlined in 
the 2009 CAP. 
 
¶11. (SBU) VISITORS: Post recently supported the visits of 
Sharon Waxman from Senator Kennedy's office and is grateful 
to PRM for lending us Adrienne Nutzman.  We also met with 
International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) President 
John Klink and ICMC Secretary General Johan Ketelers.  UNHCR 
is hosting a delegation from EU member states this week.  The 
delegation is comprised of EU-country immigration authorities 
here to gather facts on resettlement needs, with the aim of 
recommending an Iraqi refugee resettlement an EU target 
number that EU members would seek to fill on a voluntary 
basis. 
CONNELLY