Syria Files - RE: Our visit to Damascus

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# The Syria Files

Thursday 5 July 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing the Syria Files – more than two million emails from Syrian political figures, ministries and associated companies, dating from August 2006 to March 2012. This extraordinary data set derives from 680 Syria-related entities or domain names, including those of the Ministries of Presidential Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Information, Transport and Culture. At this time Syria is undergoing a violent internal conflict that has killed between 6,000 and 15,000 people in the last 18 months. The Syria Files shine a light on the inner workings of the Syrian government and economy, but they also reveal how the West and Western companies say one thing and do another.

## RE: Our visit to Damascus

Released on 2012-07-09 06:00 GMT

Email-ID | 2103605
Date | 2010-05-28 16:20:45
From | b.shaaban@mopa.gov.sy
To | b.shaaban@mopa.gov.sy, maxine_isaacs@Harvard.Edu, Kathleen.Brown@gs.com

Dear Maxine, Dear Kathleen I can't tell you what a pleasure it had been to me to meet and converse with you, Jim and Van. I felt like joining you in your vaccation. It is so heartening to be able to engage so fast and so well. It only goes to show that it
is not very difficult to make the world a better place for every one. We have been trying, and I am now even more inspired to continue. Please stay in touch and come back again for a longer vaccation, there's so much more to see and know here. Wishing you
all the best of time and a safe return to your country With my very best wishes Bouthaina Shaaban On Thu 27/05/10 11:10 PM , "Brown, Kathleen"
Brown@gs.com> wrote: > Dear Bouthaina: > Let me add my thanks for the extraordinary evening sitting on the > top of > the world and overlooking the exotic and captivating city of > Damascus. > We are so grateful for your generosity and hospitality. Van
and I > had a > delightful time and enjoyed our conversation and learning about you > and > your background as well as about the important work that you do for > your > President and your county. Maxine and I traveled to Maalula this > afternoon and found
the monastery and the convent to be remarkable > sites. The setting was both peaceful and beautiful. This evening > we > enjoyed a delicious dinner in the old city, but nothing can compare > with > the vista and the setting from last night. I look forward
to > returning > the hospitality in Los Angeles. Please let us know if your schedule > brings you to our part of the world. And, a final and warm thanks > for > the books and the CD. We will share and enjoy. Best regards, > Kathleen > and Van > -----
Original Message----- > From: Isaacs, Maxine [] > Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 10:07 PM > To: > Subject: RE: Our visit to Damascus > Dear Bouthaina, > I can't thank you enough for the fun, interesting and most > memorable dinner last night. We had a
wonderful time and are most > grateful to you for taking time from your incredibly busy schedule > to > spend it with us. We loved the restaurant and will never forget the > megnificent view of your magnificent city. We all hope one day to > have > the
privilege of returning your hospitality in Washington and > Los Angeles. Again, with thanks from Jim, Kathleen, Van and me, > Sincerely, > Maxine Isaacs > Maxine Isaacs > Lecturer on Government > Associate, Shorenstein Center on the > Press, Politics and
Public Policy > Harvard University > 202/338-3101 > ________________________________________ > From: [] > Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 7:43 PM > To: Isaacs, Maxine > Subject: RE: Our visit to Damascus > Dear Mrs. Isaacs, > Please let me know where are you
staying in Damascus and on which > number > are you available and my assistant Raghad Al-Mahrous will give you a > call to arrange every thing for you. Raghad can be reached on > 00963-9566-33311 > Best wishes > Bouthaina Shaaban > On Wed 26/05/10 6:57 AM
, "Isaacs, Maxine" > wrote: > > Dear Dr Shaaban, > > You were quite right of course; we had absolutely no problems upon > > arrival and are delighted to be here. We are looking forward to > our > > tour of the city today. Please let me know when and where
you > would > > like to meet us. Again, many thanks for your kind hospitality. > > Sincerely > > Maxine Isaacs > > Maxine Isaacs > > Lecturer on Government > > Associate, Shorenstein Center on the > > Press, Politics and Public Policy > > Harvard
University > > 202/338-3101 > > ________________________________________ > > From: [] > > Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 8:55 AM > > To: Isaacs, Maxine > > Subject: Re: Our visit to Damascus > > Dear Mrs. Maxine: > > I have checked the subject you are
referring to, and I am pretty > > sure there is no cause for such concern. You may be referring to > > something else which does not apply to your case. > > As long as you have a valid visa issued duly by the Syrian embassy > > in the US, you will have no
problems entering the country. > > Looking forward to seeing you all. > > Best wishes, > > Bouthaina Shaaban > > On Mon 24/05/10 4:55 PM , "Isaacs, Maxine" wrote: > > > Dear Dr. Shaaban, > > > Thank you again for your lovely invitation to dinner on >
Wednesday > > > night. > > > We have been somewhat concerned today because we have learned > that > > > in the last 24 hours the Syrian government seems to have > announced > > > that it was no longer honoring Syrian visas issued in the U.S. > We > > >
are trying to determine whether there will be a problem with our > > four > > > visas, issued in Washingon DC about 8 weeks ago. If you have > > knowledge > > > of this policy and can advise us about whether we should be > > concerned, > > > I would be
very grateful if you could please advise us. Many > > thanks, > > > and looking forward to meeting you, > > > Sincerely > > > Maxine Isaacs > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: > > > To: Isaacs, Maxine > > > Cc: ; ; ; ; > > > Sent: Sat May 22
11:33:18 2010 > > > Subject: Re: Our visit to Damascus > > > Dear Mrs. Maxine > > > Thank you so much for your kind email. The pleasure of seeing > you > > > and having dinner with you is absolutely mine. > > > May 26th is excellent. Please give my
assistant, Raghad Al > > Mahrous, > > > a call when you are in Damascus and she'll send you a car to > pick > > you > > > up to the restaurant. > > > With best wishes to all of you > > > Bouthaina Shaaban > > > On Wed 19/05/10 6:00 PM , "Isaacs, Maxine"
wrote: > > > > Dear Dr. Shaaban, > > > > > > > > Many thanks for extending to us through Ambassador > > > > Indyk an invitation to dinner during our upcoming visit to > > > Damascus. > > > > We would be honored to meet with you and are very grateful to >
> you > > > for > > > > extending your hospitality to us. As we are arriving in the > > late > > > > evening on Tuesday May 25th, we would like to join you on > > > Wednesday > > > > May 26th if that date is still available. > > > > > > > > There are four
of us in our party. My husband, Jim > > > > Johnson, whose biography Ambassador Indyk has already > forwarded > > to > > > > you; I, who teach Government at Harvard University following a > > > career > > > > in government and politics; and our dear
friends Kathleen > Brown, > > > the > > > > daughter and sister of two California governors, a former > > > > gubernatorial candidate herself, and currently an investment > > > banker > > > > with Goldman Sachs and Kathleen's husband Van Gordon Sauter, a
> > > writer > > > > and former President of CBS News and CBS Sports. > > > > > > > > We are very excited about our trip to your country. > > > > None of us has ever been there, so we are quite thrilled to > have > > > the > > > > opportunity to visit. >
> > > > > > > Please let me know if there is any additional > > > > information you need from me. I will be traveling but may be > > > reached > > > > via email, and the others' email addresses appear above. Many > > > thanks. > > > > > > > > > > > >
Sincerely, > > > > > > > > Maxine Isaacs > > > > MAXINE ISAACS > > > > > > > > ASSOCIATE > > > > > > > > THE JOAN SHORENSTEIN CENTER ON > > > > > > > > THE PRESS, POLITICS AND PUBLIC POLICY > > > > > > > > HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL > > > > > > > > 79 JFK
STREET > > > > > > > > CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138 > > > > > > > > > > > > 202/338-3101 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > See the http://www.gs.com/disclaimer/afg/ for important information > regarding this message and your reliance on information
contained in > it. This message may contain information that is confidential or > privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please advise the > sender immediately and delete this message. See the > http://www.gs.com/disclaimer/email/ for further
information on > confidentiality and the risks inherent in electronic communication. > >