US embassy cable - 05CAIRO7510

S E C R E T CAIRO 007510 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, KPAL, EG, SY, IS, IZ, MEPN 
SUBJECT: SYRIAN PRESIDENT ASAD'S SEPTEMBER 26 VISIT TO EGYPT 
 
 
Classified by Charge d'Affaires, Stuart Jones, for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (S) Senior Egyptian contacts have shared read-outs with 
Post on the September 26 visit to Cairo by Syrian President 
Asad.  President Mubarak reportedly pressed Asad hard to 
cooperate with the UN investigation into the killing of 
Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri and to stop interfering 
negatively in Lebanon.  The subject of ending support for the 
insurgency in Iraq appears to have factored less prominently 
in their discussions (at least according to GOE readouts), 
apart from Mubarak's call for Bashar to respond favorably to 
U.S. concerns.  Asad was reportedly uninformed on events and 
out of touch on the level of his country's international 
isolation, including by traditional allies Egypt and Saudi 
Arabia.  End summary. 
 
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Presidential Spokesman on Asad Visit 
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2.  (S) Presidency Spokesman and Advidor to the President 
Soliman Awad conveyed to the Charge September 27 that 
President Mubarak delivered a tough message to Bashar Asad 
during the latter's September 26 visit to Cairo.  Summing up 
the outcome of the meeting which included Egyptian 
Intelligence Chief Soliman and Foreign Ministers, Awad said 
that the Syrian President "went in cheerful, and came out 
pale."  According to Awad, the Syrian President was unaware 
of many details on current events that President Mubarak 
described to him.  People around Asad, Awad said, were 
clearly keeping information from Asad.  Mubarak described the 
gravity of the current political situation to Asad, as the 
Syrian President clearly did not fully comprehend the full 
implications of recent events.  Citing an example, Awad said 
that Asad was unaware of a letter that had been written and 
addressed to Syrian Military Intellience Chief Asif Shawkat 
by UN-appointed investigation head Detlev Mehlis. 
 
3.  (S) Describing further what he characterized as a blunt 
and tough GOE message, Awad said Mubarak warned that Syria 
was isolated on the international stage.  Furthermore, 
Mubarak cautioned Asad from the latter's reported threat made 
during the meeting to use Palestinian factions in Lebanon and 
Syria to relieve pressure on Syria.  Mubarak chastised Asad 
for "not listening" to GOE advice before passage of UNSCR 
1559 - "I warned you. Your father used to listen, but you 
don't listen" - Mubarak told Asad.  Mubarak further counseled 
Asad to cooperate with the UN/Mehlis investigation both now 
and following the expected October 25 publication of the 
investigation report. 
 
4.  (S) Turning to Lebanon, Awad said Mubarak insisted that 
the situation in Lebanon must "remain calm."  Any further 
disruptions, Mubarak cautioned, would be blamed on Syria. 
(Note:  A bomb attack in Beirut on Lebanese Broadcasting 
Channel journalist May Chidiac took place one day prior to 
the Mubarak-Asad meeting.  End note.)  According to Awad, 
Mubarak shared that the GOE had reports of arms shipments 
from Syria to Lebanon which were "very upsetting." 
Responding to Mubarak's counsel, Asad indicated that he would 
"do his best" to comply with the UN/Mehlis investigation 
requests.  Asked if the Syrian President had made any 
commitments on issues related to Iraq, Awad said he "did not 
know." 
 
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Comment 
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5.  (C) This readout corroborates other reports and suggests 
Egypt decided to deliver a tougher-than-usual message to 
Bashar, probably based on their assessment that he is unaware 
of the depth of his isolation and the effect his lack of 
action on issues of concern to the U.S. is having.  End 
comment. 
 
 
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http://www.state.sgov.go