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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0325/01 0920909
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 020909Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3252
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6693
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4436
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3050
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7586
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1655
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4990
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1200
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7324

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000325 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ARN, INR/IC/CD, INR/R/MR:STHIBEAULT AND 
JMCCARTER, VOA NEWS CA, NEA/PPD:CBOURGEOIS, AZAIBACK, AND 
AFERNANDEZ, IIP/G/NEA-SA MDAVIDSON 
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC 
CENTCOM FOR CCPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR PREL KPAO OPRC SY
SUBJECT:  The Arab Summit, Syria/US, Syria/Israel Syria/Cuba, 
Palestinian Territories, Iraq (3/30 - 4/1) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on Mar. 30 featured the final communique 
and decisions issued by the Arab summit held in Riyadh on Mar. 
28-29.  Papers also featured two other statements, one issued by the 
Russian Foreign Ministry on Mar. 31 praising the results of the Arab 
Summit, and another by EU Foreign Ministers during their talks in 
Bremen City, northwestern Germany, reiterating the importance of 
boosting prospects for peace in the Middle East, and expressing hope 
that the Riyadh Arab Summit would be a new chance for achieving 
peace in the Middle East. 
 
On the visit to Damascus by Rep. Frank Wolf of Virginia, Rep. Joseph 
Pitts of Pennsylvania and Rep. Robert Aderholt of Alabama, papers 
reported that the US Codel met on Mar. 31 with Syrian Grand Mufti 
Ahmad Badr Eddin Hassoun, who reiterated the importance of 
coordinating efforts by the honest men of the world to realize a 
just and comprehensive peace in the region and to restore usurped 
Arab rights.  The Mufti stressed the need to spread the culture of 
dialogue, communication and cooperation among peoples instead of the 
struggle among civilizations.  The US representatives stressed their 
desire to work in favor of establishing peace in the region and the 
world as a whole. 
 
Independent Al-Watan on Mar. 30 cited BBC reports  that US House of 
Representative Speaker Nancy Pelosi, heading a delegation of 
Congressmen, will arrive in Damascus on 3 April for talks with 
President Asad and other Syrian officials.  The paper said the 
Syrian Information Minister Bilal welcomed Pelosi's visit and 
praised her rejection of the war in Iraq.  It also reported that the 
director of the Orient Center for Studies, based in Damascus, told 
the paper that Pelosi's visit reflects the importance that a large 
sector of the Americans attach to finding compromise solutions to 
the problems of the region. 
 
Independent al-Watan on Apr. 1 featured an AFP statement quoting 
Israeli PM Olmert's comments in an interview with TIME magazine 
published on Mar. 31 saying that he is open to peace talks with 
neighboring Syria after "low-level contacts" between the two 
countries.   "I don't rule out negotiations with Syria.  It just 
needs to be done in a manner that will guarantee that we can move 
forward rather than get stuck almost in the beginning.... We (must) 
be certain that when we talk about negotiations for peace with Syria 
that what we have in mind and what they have in mind is broadly the 
same."  Olmert said he did not take part in what he described as 
"low-level contacts" between the countries.  "They weren't serious, 
and weren't considered so by the Syrians," he said. 
 
On Syrian-Cuban relations, papers on Apr. 1 reported that Deputy FM 
Faisal al-Miqdad on Mar. 31 reviewed bilateral relations with First 
Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cuba, Bruno Rodriguez. 
Talks also dealt with the situation in the Middle East and 
developments in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian arena.  They also 
discussed he positive outcome of the late Arab summit held in Riyadh 
that supports Arab solidarity in facing the challenges facing the 
Arab region, in addition to the latest developments in Latin America 
and Caribbean region.  Rodriguez expressed his country's support of 
Syria's efforts to regain the occupied Golan and praised the 
distinguished role played by President Asad in making the Arab 
summit in Riyadh a success. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"The Riyadh Summit concludes its deliberations.  Damascus is to host 
the next Arab summit.  President Asad:  Our nation is restoring hope 
and sends a strong message:  Determination to enhance Arab security 
and defend pan-Arab interests.  The summit reiterates full 
solidarity with Syria, calls for a complete Israeli withdrawal from 
the Golan, rejects US sanctions against Syria" (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 3/30) 
 
"After US and Israeli rejection, the EU welcomes the Arab peace 
initiative, considering it a new chance that must be exploited" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 3/31) 
 
"President Asad reviews bilateral relations and topics on the agenda 
 
of the summit with Mubarak, Abbas and Hanieh" (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 3/30) 
 
"The White House criticizes Pelosi's upcoming visit to Damascus. 
Mustafa, Syrian Ambassador to the US:  It is a chance to talk 
frankly with the US Congressional majority" (Independent al-Watan, 
4/1) 
"Syria's Grand Mufti Ahmad Badr Eddin Hassoun meets a Russian and a 
US delegation:  Dialogue and cooperation must replace conflict among 
civilizations" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/1) 
 
"Olmert does not object to talks with Syria" (Independent al-Watan, 
4/1) 
 
"French Ambassador in Damascus:  Syria is a model for coexistence" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/1) 
 
 
"Palestinians celebrate Earth Day.  Hanieh calls for lifting siege 
on Palestinians.  Olmerts talks about reaching peace within five 
years" (Government-owned Tishreen, 3/31) 
 
"Turkey abolishes military contracts with Israel" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 4/1) 
 
"Al-Sadr calls for withdrawal of foreign troops.  Killing of a US 
soldier raises the death toll among US soldiers to 3243" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 3/31) 
 
"The US Congress defies Bush and approves a timetable for withdrawal 
from Iraq" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 3/30) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
---------------------- 
 
"The Arab Veto Summit" 
 
---------------------- 
 
Isam Dari, Chief Editor of government-owned Tishrin, wrote (3/31): 
"The Arab summit in Riyadh achieved more than what was expected and 
largely revived Arab solidarity.... 
 
"It is true that the summit was not up to the ambitions of the Arab 
peoples, but it came closer to them, for the first time in years.... 
 
 
"It is the summit of restored hope, as President Asad said, and as 
many observers and analysts, and even Arab and non-Arab politicians, 
described it.... 
 
"The Arab leaders foiled major efforts made before the summit to 
make the outcome serve American and Zionist plans.... 
 
"Saudi King Abdullah described the American presence in Iraq as 
illegal.... The US master was shocked when he heard that.... 
 
"For the first time Arabs agreed that what is happening in Iraq is 
occupation, not an American effort to save Iraq and support 
Iraqis.... 
 
"The Arabs also agreed to reject bargaining over rights, confirming 
that they are alive and that they have their weight, power, and word 
and that they are able to defend themselves, their existence, and 
the future of coming generations competently. 
 
"In their summit, Arabs raised their veto in the face of Zionist 
American decisions, diktats, and policies, or, in more precise 
words, the Zionist policies that are made in White House 
factories.... 
 
"But Arabs did not declare war on anyone.... They announced that 
they are for a just and comprehensive peace based on the first Arab 
initiative in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict.... 
 
 
"However, Israel rejected the Arab initiative while the United 
States wanted to amend it and turn it into an Arab initiative for 
surrender.... 
 
"We hope that the resolutions of the Arab summit will be translated 
into action...." 
-------------------- 
 
"On the Right Track" 
 
-------------------- 
 
Ahmad Hamadah, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
commented (3/30):  "The Riyadh summit succeeded, and provided all 
elements of Arab unity and accord.  It resulted in unanimous Arab 
adherence to the Arab peace plan without any modifications, as the 
Israelis and the Americans tried to promote, especially with regard 
to the abolishment of the right of return and the settlement of 
Palestinian refugees in the host countries. 
 
"Arab countries must make the most of this success so that the 
resolutions can be effective, influential, and on the right track. 
 
"Analyses of previous Arab summits often indicated that their 
results were not up to their ambitions.  But the Riyadh summit was 
special, both in terms of the existing threats to the Arab nation, 
from Sudan to Iraq to Palestine to Lebanon to Somalia, and the 
tepidness in Arab-Arab relations in the stage that followed the 
American invasion of Iraq, tepidness that many Western capitals, in 
turn, worked to consolidate into a fixed Arab situation. 
 
"That special nature of the Riyadh summit, accompanied by an Arab 
will to overcome differences and assert solidarity, cooperation, 
coordination, and consultation, rendered the summit successful and a 
major step toward closing gaps of division and fragmentation in 
order to protect the Arab future. The hope is that what was agreed 
upon will be implemented with strong determination." 
 
Corbin