US embassy cable - 05BRUSSELS691

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000691 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2010 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, PGOV, SY, LE, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: EU RESPONSE ON ASSASSINATION OF FORMER LEBANESE PM 
HARIRI 
 
REF: SECSTATE 27178 
 
Classified By: POL MC KYLE SCOTT.  REASON: 1.4(B)(D) 
 
(C) Mission relayed reftel points to Pascal Charlat, Head of 
the Council Task Force on the Middle East.  We referred to 
press reports of Solana's weak reaction when asked if the 
Hariri assassination would have an impact on EU relations 
with Syria (Solana reportedly stated "At the moment we have 
not any reason why it should").  Mission stressed the 
importance of EU engagement to press for full Syrian 
compliance with UNSC 1599.  Charlat contacted mission later 
to say that the Council Secretariat was trying to press for a 
declaration "in that direction," and that something could be 
issued by the end of the day.  He also said that the GAERC 
conclusions being prepared for EU Foreign Ministers for next 
Monday's meeting were likely to highlight the importance of 
full compliance with 1599.  Finally, Charlat advised us to 
review Solana's official declaration on the Hariri 
assassination, in which Solana said that "the trials that 
Lebanon and the Lebanese people are undergoing today must be 
surmounted ... with respect to the two principles to which 
Rafik Hariri dedicated his life: the independence and the 
sovereignty of Lebanon." 
 
SCHNABEL 
.