US embassy cable - 04BRUSSELS4624

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 004624 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARN AND EUR/ERA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2009 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, ETRD, KNNP, SY, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: EU-SYRIA:  NEA A/S BURNS MEETINGS IN BRUSSELS 
 
 
Classified By: USEU POL MINCOUNS KYLE SCOTT; REASON 1.4 (B,D) 
 
1. (C) Commission officials told A/S Burns that the Trade and 
Cooperation Agreement (TCA) with Syria will only go into 
effect after signature and ratification in all 25 member 
states.  Commission argues that initialing the agreement 
provides additional leverage over Syria, which must 
demonstrate good behavior if it hopes to gain ratification. 
A/S Burns replied that Syria is likely to misinterpret the 
decision to initial the agreement, and that Damascus will try 
to do the bare minimum to implement it. 
 
2. (C) In consultations with A/S Burns on October 22, 
Christian Leffler, Director for Middle Eastern Affairs at the 
Commission outlined next steps following initialing of the 
Trade and Cooperation Agreement with Syria.  Commission will 
now put the agreement forward to the European Council 
recommending signature.  Once signed, the agreement must be 
ratified by parliaments in all 25 member states, plus the 
European Parliament.  This will be a time-consuming process, 
Leffler noted, as the agreement can only be signed after it 
has been translated into all official languages of the EU. 
Comprising hundreds of pages, the process of translating this 
into 22 languages will be lengthy.  He suggested that 
signature is unlikely before the first months of 2005. 
 
3. (C) Leffler said the Commission considered initialing the 
agreement to be the best way to maximize the EU's leverage 
with Syria.  By having an agreement "there for the taking," 
the EU can now argue to Syria that if it wants to gain the 
advantages of the trade and aid package, it must do better in 
its performance, or the agreement will never be signed and 
ratified by the member states. 
 
4. (C) A/S Burns thanked Leffler for this explanation, but 
said the EU should not be surprised if the US is not 
supportive of the decision to initial the agreement.  He 
suggested the Syrians are likely to misread the meaning of 
the EU decision.  The US urges the EU to continue to do 
everything possible to maximize its leverage with Syria, and 
to keep pressure on them to fully implement UNSC resolution 
1559.  He cautioned, however, that we would expect Damascus 
to try to get away with the minimum possible in implementing 
its obligations. 
 
5.  (U)  This cable was cleared by NEA A/S Burns. 
 
Schnabel