US embassy cable - 00DAMASCUS2985

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 002985 
 
NICOSIA FOR ILMG 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/11/10 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, SY 
SUBJECT: ASAD SITREP 03: BASHAR PROMOTED TO COMMANDER- 
         IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES; KHADDAM 
         SIGNS DECREES BUT IS NOT ACTING PRESIDENT 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR RYAN C. CROCKER, REASON 1.5 (B) 
AND (D) 
 
1. (U) SYRIAN TELEVISION REPORTED THE AFTERNOON OF 6/11 
THAT VICE PRESIDENT KHADDAM HAD SIGNED DECREE NUMBERS 9 
AND 10, PROMOTING COLONEL BASHAR AL-ASAD TO THE RANK OF 
GENERAL AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES. 
 
2. (C) THE MOST OBVIOUS EFFECT OF THIS IS THAT BASHAR 
HAS NOW OFFICIALLY ASSUMED ONE OF THE PRESIDENT'S "THREE 
HATS," I.E. HEAD OF THE ARMED FORCES, HEAD OF THE PARTY, 
AND HEAD OF STATE.  BASHAR IS EXPECTED TO BECOME HEAD OF 
THE BA'TH PARTY AT THE PARTY CONGRESS, STILL EXPECTED TO 
TAKE PLACE JUNE 17-22, AND HEAD OF STATE AFTER A PUBLIC 
REFERENDUM WHICH COULD BE HELD AS EARLY AS JUNE 25. 
 
3. (C) THIS DEVELOPMENT ALSO POINTS MORE CLEARLY TO HOW 
WE BELIEVE THE DECISION-MAKING GROUP IS HANDLING THE 
ISSUE OF "WHO'S IN CHARGE."  NO INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN 
APPOINTED ACTING PRESIDENT, ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT IS 
STICKING AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO CONSTITUTIONAL PRACTICE 
AND THUS KHADDAM, AS FIRST VICE PRESIDENT, IS 
RESPONSIBLE FOR SIGNING DECREES.  HOWEVER, WE NOTE THAT 
KHADDAM IS NOT BEING REFERRED TO AS ACTING PRESIDENT, 
NOR HAS HE MADE ANY PUBLIC STATEMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE 
GOVERNMENT.  THIS IS LIKELY DELIBERATE.  THE DECISION- 
MAKING GROUP AT THIS POINT IS LIKELY COMPRISED OF 
BASHAR, 'ASIF SHAWQAT, FM SHARA, DEFMIN TALAS, AND 
PERHAPS OTHERS.  KHADDAM IS APPARENTLY COOPERATING AS 
TITULAR SIGNER OF DECREES UNTIL BASHAR CAN TAKE OVER 
OFFICIALLY. 
 
 
CROCKER