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### Viewing cable 06HELSINKI842, FINLAND TO STRONGLY URGE SYRIA TO RESPECT LEBANON

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
06HELSINKI842 | 2006-08-22 12:25 | 2011-04-24 00:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Helsinki

`

    VZCZCXYZ0000
    OO RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHHE #0842/01 2341225
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    O 221225Z AUG 06
    FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2341
    INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
    RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 0073
    RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 0049
    RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 0622

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000842

    SIPDIS

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2016
    TAGS: PREL MOPS PGOV MARR FI SY LE
    SUBJECT: FINLAND TO STRONGLY URGE SYRIA TO RESPECT LEBANON
    ARMS EMBARGO

    REF: STATE 136196

    Classified By: PolChief Gregory Thome, Reasons 1.5 (b and d).

    ¶1. (C) Summary: DCM and PolChief met with MFA Political
    Director Vierros-Villeneuve Aug. 22 to express US
    disappointment regarding the Aug. 23 visit of Syrian FM Walid
    Al-Moallem to Helsinki; to remind the GOF of the need to
    isolate Syria diplomatically; and to urge that the Finns use
    the meeting to insist that Syria honor the arms embargo in
    Lebanon.  Vierros-Villeneuve assured us that the Finnish EU
    Presidency intends to use the meeting to deliver a very tough
    message demanding that Syria honor the embargo and to press
    Damascus to "re-think its behavior" in Lebanon.  Referring to
    our talking points (reftel), she said that "this US message
    is very much our message."  She emphasized that the meeting
    in no way represents an upgrading or improving of EU-Syrian
    relations; is not to be considered a formal bilateral; and
    will take place in Finland because the GOF wants "to control
    the process, rather that letting it be controlled by
    Damascus."  By way of background, at the August 1 GAERC the
    EU Foreign Ministers decided that Spain, Germany and the
    Finnish Presidency would make contact with the GOS to demand
    it play a constructive -- rather than "unhelpful" -- role in
    Lebanon.  The Finns have consulted with the Israelis and
    sought their input for this meeting.  They welcomed our
    input, and promised us a detailed read-out.  End Summary.

    "US Message is Our Message"
    ---------------------------
    ¶2. (C) DCM opened the meeting by expressing disappointment
    over the fact that Finland had agreed to host such a high
    level meeting with the Syrians.  She reminded
    Vierros-Villeneuve that the US believes the international
    community needs to show unity in isolating the GOS in
    response to its unhelpful role in Lebanon and elsewhere in
    the region.  However, since the meeting was to go forward,
    the DCM urged the GOF to use the opportunity to demand that
    Syria, as a UN member, respect the arms embargo on Lebanon
    and honor the other provisions of UNSC Resolution 1701.
    Allowing the Lebanese Government to assert sovereignty and to
    regain control over its territory is key to an enduring peace
    in the region, DCM concluded, and the Syrian Government must
    be put on notice that the international community expects it
    to allow that process to go forward.

    ¶3. (C) Vierros-Villeneuve responded by thanking the US for
    its interest and by assuring us that the GOF had every
    intention of using the meeting to deliver tough messages to
    the Syrians -- both on the arms embargo and on the generally
    troubling role it has played in Lebanon and the region.  In
    that regard, the GOF intends to tell Al-Moallem that Syria
    needs to "re-think its behavior" and "behave in a more
    constructive way."  Referring to the US talking points, she
    said specifically that "this US message is very much our
    message."  FM Tuomioja has even consulted with Israeli FM
    Livni to solicit her input for the meeting,
    Vierros-Villeneuve said.

    Not a Formal Invitation
    -----------------------
    ¶4. (C) Vierros-Villeneuve went on to stress that Al-Moallem's
    visit to Helsinki did not represent a formal bilateral
    meeting, nor did it represent a formal EU Presidency
    invitation.  The ministers will reach no joint conclusions,
    there will be no joint press conference following the
    meeting, and the Finns do not intend to facilitate press
    availability for Al-Moallem.  Rather, discussions will occur
    entirely behind closed doors, with Tuomioja issuing his own
    press statement afterward.  The GOF will then provide a
    detailed report to the other EU member states.
    (Vierros-Villeneuve promised to give us a detailed read-out
    as well.)  She added that Tuomioja will make clear to the
    Syrian that this does not represent "an upgrading" or a step
    toward improving the EU-Syria relationship;  on the contrary,
    the EU remains very concerned about Syria's actions.

    ¶5. (C) By way of background, Vierros-Villeneuve explained
    that the Member States' foreign ministers had agreed at the
    extraordinary Aug. 1 GAERC meetings that the EU needed to
    deliver a tough, direct message to Syria regarding the
    unhelpful role it was playing in the region.  It was decided
    that Spain, Germany, and the Finnish EU Presidency -- along
    with High Rep Javier Solana -- would initiate the contact.
    Unhelpful public comments from Syria kept the German FM from
    visiting Damascus earlier, Vierros-Villeneuve explained, and
    Solana has not yet acted, partly out of deference to France,
    which apparently is adamantly opposed to direct contacts with
    Syria.  Now, however, all member states were in agreement

    that the Presidency needed to deliver a message to Syria as
    part of its effort to support 1701.  Regarding the venue,
    Vierros-Villeneuve added, EU leaders quickly ruled out
    Brussels, to avoid the appearance of an EU-Syria high level
    meeting; for his part FM Tuomioja insisted that the meeting
    not take place in Syria, so that the Finns could "control the
    process, rather that letting it be controlled by Damascus."

    Comment
    -------
    ¶6. (C) Most EU member states, including Finland, do not share
    the US view that diplomatic isolation is the best means of
    dealing with Syria.  That said, Vierros-Villeneuve clearly
    understood our concerns, and was adamant that the US and the
    EU are on the same page in terms of message -- if not
    tactics.  We are relatively confident that the Finns do
    intend to try to turn this potential negative into a positive
    by talking tough to the Syrian; however, given recent
    performances, we are less sanguine that FM Tuomioja will
    manage the media coverage as skillfully as Vierros-Villeneuve
    assured us he would.  We will follow up with a read-out after
    the Aug. 23 meeting.
    WARE

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