US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3678

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003678 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2010 
TAGS: PREL, SY, IZ 
SUBJECT: DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER COMPLAINS OF SYRIA'S 
ATTITUDE TOWARD IRAQ 
 
REF: BAGHDAD 3668 
 
Classified By: ACTING POLITICAL COUNSELOR MICHAEL J. ADLER, FOR REASONS 
 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
 1.  (C) In the course of a broader September 5 discussion 
with poloffs (reftel), Deputy FM Albayati decried the Syrian 
Government's attitude toward Iraq.  Albayati said that during 
a recent visit, a Syrian delegation refused to accept 
responsibility for poor control of its border with Iraq, 
seeking to deflect blame toward the U.S. and UK.  Albayati 
said the delegation rebuffed GOI efforts to discuss potential 
Syrian measures aimed at preventing the entry of foreign 
fighters into Iraq.  Albayati commented disdainfully that 
Syria is one of the most difficult countries in the world to 
enter, yet claims that it is unable to control who departs 
its territory across the Iraqi border. 
 
2. (C) Albayati noted Syria's readiness to resort to 
political blackmail in a variety of contexts.  He recounted a 
recent incident in which Syria threatened to withdraw all 
border guards from the frontier if "four Syrian intelligence 
officers", who had been arrested by Iraqi border guards, were 
not immediately released.  (He said that the individuals were 
subsequently let go by the Iraqis.)  As another example, 
Albayati said the Syrians raised the possibility of 
normalization of relations with Iraq and even asked for a 
suitable Embassy site in the green zone.  In response to 
positive signals from Baghdad, however, the GOS drew back and 
demanded a high level visit by either President Talabani or 
PM Ja'afari to Damascus.  Al-Bayati said that the Iraqis 
would not agree to such a visit absent tangible improvements 
in the border control situation. 
Satterfield