US embassy cable - 05SANAA477

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000477 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/2015 
TAGS: PREL, LE, YE 
SUBJECT: SALEH TELLS SYRIAN PRESIDENT TO WITHDRAW TROOPS 
FROM LEBANON 
 
 
Classified By: CDA Nabeel Khoury for reasons 1.4 b and d. 
 
1. (U)  President Saleh telephoned Syrian President Bashar 
al-Assad the evening of March 4, advising him to withdraw 
Syrian troops from Lebanon in accordance with the 1989 Taif 
Accord.  This move followed Foreign Minister Qirbi's 
statement at the March 3 Arab League Ministerial declaring 
confidence in the Taif agreement as the basis for solving the 
current crisis in Lebanon. 
 
2. (U) According to government Arabic daily "al-Thawra," 
Saleh advised Assad to respond to international pressure by 
withdrawing Syrian troops from Lebanese territory "quickly" 
and "in accordance with the Taif Accord" and, "in the 
interests of Syria, Lebanon and the Arab Nation."  Saleh 
reportedly recommended a speedy pullout to preempt any 
"pretext to trap or target Syria." 
 
3. (C) Comment:  Prior to Saleh's phone call, the ROYG had 
not been vocal about the current Syrian-Lebanese crisis, and 
Saleh does not routinely give public advise to other Arab 
leaders.  Following Rafiq Hariri's assassination, Saleh 
limited his comments to condemning his murder and urging 
restraint in jumping to hasty conclusions on responsibility 
(re: Syria).  Saleh has been attempting of late to emphasize 
his role as regional statesman, most notably in the Horn of 
Africa.  Following his phone call to Assad, Saleh's office 
called CDA at home to alert us to this intervention.  CDA 
informed the caller that the U.S. appreciates Saleh's use of 
his good offices with Assad and that the Embassy would pass 
on this information to Washington. 
Khoury