US embassy cable - 05CAIRO8617

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 008617 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, SY, LE, EG, UNSC 
SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL MOUSSA COMMENTS ON 
SYRIA AND MEHLIS 
 
 
 Classified by Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone for reasons 
1.4(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C)  During a November 15 meeting, Arab League Secretary 
General Amre Moussa told the Ambassador of his latest 
discussions with Syrian President Asad.  Moussa said that 
when he saw Asad before his recent speech,  Asad pledged: 
full cooperation with Mehlis; that he would tell any high 
official summoned for the investigation to cooperate; and 
that he could not send anyone to Lebanon for investigation. 
According to Moussa, Asad said questioning Syrian officials 
in Lebanon would be humiliating and unsafe. 
 
2.  (C) Moussa also said that Asad expressed a strong 
preference that the investigations take place on UNDOF 
premises, which is on Syrian soil but "under the UN flag." 
According to Moussa, Asad also, however, asked Moussa about 
using the Arab League in Cairo for questioning.  Moussa said 
that he told Asad that this could only happen on four 
conditions:  1) Mehlis agrees, 2) the GOE agrees, 3) Lebanon 
agrees, and 4) Syria formally asks the Arab League to offer 
its facilities.  Moussa said that he knew that Syria sent its 
legal advisor to Beirut to meet with Mehlis, but he had not 
heard the results of the meeting.  Moussa said he would call 
the Syrian Ambassador in Cairo for a report after his meeting 
with the Ambassador. 
 
 
RICCIARDONE