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DE RUEHDM #0025/01 0031433
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O 031433Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6413
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
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UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000025 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ARN, INR/IC/CD, INR/S:STHIBEAULT AND 
JMCCARTER, VOA NEWS CA, NEA/PPD:CBOURGEOIS, DBENZE AND 
AFERNANDEZ, IIP/G/NEA-SA RWINCHESTER 
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC 
CENTCOM FOR CCPA 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KMDR PREL KPAO OPRC SY
SUBJECT: Damascus Media Reaction: Khaddam's Statements to Al- 
Arabiya TV (1/1-3) 
 
¶1. Summary: Syrian newspapers attacked former Vice President 
Abdul-Halim Khaddam over his statements to Al-Arabiya Television, 
in which claimed that President Bashar al-Asad threatened former 
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri several months before he was 
assassinated. 
Papers reported a statement by the National Leadership of the 
Ba'th Party regarding Khaddam's expulsion from the Party, which 
called him "a traitor to the party and Syria," and saying that he 
has deviated from party principles, values and traditions. The 
statement depicted Khaddam as "joining the chorus of those 
hostile to Syria," pointing out that "he is involved in the US- 
Israeli scheme to strike Syria's steadfastness." 
 
Papers also reported the People's Assembly's call for prosecuting 
Khaddam for high treason. 
 
Commentators condemned Khaddam's statement and "betrayal" of his 
country and people. Chief Editor of government-owned Tishreen, 
Dr. Khalaf al-Jarrad, cast doubts on Khaddam's integrity, 
indicating "serious contradictions" in his statements, blaming 
him for Syria's mistakes in Lebanon, and wondering if Khaddam has 
irrevocably joined Syria's enemies. 
 
End summary. 
 
¶2. Selected Headlines: 
 
"People's Assembly asks Ministry of Justice to bring Khaddam to 
trail" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/3) 
 
"Al-Ba'th Party: Khaddam is a traitor... He is dismissed" 
(Government-owned-Al-Thawra, 1/2) 
 
"Khaddam's office in Paris turns into a mecca for Israeli 
intelligence" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/2) 
 
"The Syrian government opens Khaddam's files of corruption" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/2) 
 
"The National Leadership of Al-Baath Arab Socialist Party expels 
Abdul Halim Khaddam for his high treason to the party, homeland 
and the nation. The Leadership's statement says: Khaddam 
recruited himself to serve hostile plots by joining the Zionist- 
American scheme to strike Syria. He has performed prepaid cheap 
service to those who wanted to incriminate Syria in the Al-Hariri 
assassination. Khaddam is held responsible for the major mistakes 
in Lebanon. The Syrian people know quite well that Khaddam is one 
of the main figures of corruption. Khaddam revealed his true face 
when he found himself outside the authority. He hindered process 
of reform and modernization. Choosing the homeland is not done 
through joining the chorus of its enemies. Renegades and degraded 
persons will not be an obstacle to the march of struggle" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 1/2) 
 
"The Lebanese Presidency refutes and rejects Khaddam's statements 
to Al-Arabiya TV: Khaddam intended to distort a number of facts 
in order to achieve personal goals. President Lahhoud was never a 
provocation to the martyr Al-Hariri even for one day" (Government- 
owned Tisrheen, 1/2) 
 
"Iranian mass media: Khaddam's statements prove his involvement 
in a plot targeting Syria and the whole region" (Government-owned 
Tihsreen, 1/2) 
 
"The People's Assembly demands the prosecution of Abdul-Halim 
Khaddam for high treason. A session at the People's Assembly to 
debate Khaddam's corrupt practices and joining the band of 
enemies" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/1) 
 
"Khaddam presents his credentials as a new false witness and 
praises Mehlis. Khaddam attacks his country from his luxurious 
palace in Paris and talks about the poverty of the Syrians. 
Khaddam uses amazing eloquence in talking about reform and 
corruption. Khaddam ignores his role in Lebanon over the years 
and throws the ball in the court of others. Khaddam announces 
 
loyalties to well-known parties and departs from Syria's national 
stances" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/1) 
 
"Khaddam joins Siddiq and Hussam and turns into an informer to 
Mehlis. Khaddam receives 30 million dollars to unleash 
accusations" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/1) 
 
"Lebanese personalities and circles react to Khaddam's slanders: 
Assem Kanso: Khaddam has become the king of false witnesses. 
Suleiman Franjieh: Khaddam receives millions of dollars in 
exchange for treason. Wiam Wahab: Khaddam pursued a humiliating 
policy in dealing with the Lebanese affairs. Talal Arslan : Such 
traitors will fall away in the end and Arabism will emerge 
victorious" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/1) 
 
"Kaddafi: Syria has preserved Lebanon's security" (Government- 
owned Tishreen 1/1) 
 
¶3. Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
------------------ 
"Even You Khaddam" 
------------------ 
 
Dr. Khalaf al-Jarrad, editor in chief of government-owned 
Tishreen, commented (1/1): "The main objective behind Khaddam's 
fabrications is to harm Syria-- country, government, and 
leadership.... There are serious contradictions in Khaddam's 
statements... The former vice president was clearly addressing 
the outside world because the Syrian people know everything and 
will not be deceived by his story.... 
 
"Khaddam's statements were not objective because they did not 
include a self-criticism of his practices in the party and in the 
government over more than 35 years. We have never heard that 
Khaddam was a democrat who offered a reform program or a 
socialist who supported the poor.... 
 
"Khaddam's sons obtained foreign nationalities while he was still 
in power... This shows how the corrupt ones understand the 
homeland and loyalty to it.... 
 
"Many observers believe Abd-al-Halim Khaddam wanted to take 
personal revenge and to prove his ability to 'annoy' on the one 
hand and to give impetus and a kind of swift boost to the forces 
that are applying pressure on Syria on the other hand. He wanted 
to say: 'Hey, we are here. You might want to use us in the 
current campaign against Syria and its leadership.' 
 
"Khaddam's defense of Detlev Mehlis, chairman of the 
International Investigation Commission into the Al-Hariri 
assassination, labels Khaddam as an advocate of the devil... 
Legal action must be taken against those who join the enemies' 
fold and stoop to the level of high treason. 
 
"The Syrian people have absolute confidence in President Bashar 
al-Asad's leadership, wisdom and will for reform and development 
on all levels...." 
 
--------------------- 
"Without Any Regret!" 
--------------------- 
 
An unsigned editorial in government-owned Al-Ba'th, on (1/2) 
reads: "Khaddam stabbed the homeland in the back on the eve of 
the Belgian General Attorney's assumption of his responsibility 
as chairman of the International Investigation Commission into 
the Al-Hariri assassination.... 
 
"Khaddam chose the time that suited him and the group of 
plotters, as the campaign of pressure and fabrications against 
Syria reaches its peak.... He showed his true face, which he had 
disguised for more than 40 years, disregarding Syria's national 
interests and pan-Arab principles.... 
 
"Khaddam is the last person to talk about poverty and freedom.... 
 
Not only did Khaddam betray his country, but he also betrayed the 
principles of the Ba'th Party and showed unmatched 
opportunism.... Khaddam, Syria knows how to defend its rights and 
the interests of its sons, and how to reject such malicious germs 
that grow in the long Parisian shadows and now want to attack the 
body of this homeland and its children to satisfy senile 
penchants for power..." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
"Khaddam, Whom Do You Serve?" [Khaddam means "Servant"] 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
Abdul-Fattah Awad, editor in chief of government-owned Al-Thawra, 
commented (1/2): "Khaddam's statements serve all those who want 
the campaign of pressure on Syria to continue.... 
 
"Khaddam has no right to talk about the mistakes in Lebanon 
because those were his mistakes... 
 
"The Syrian people are too clever to believe a man who assumed 
power for more than 35 years but when he was 'weaned' from it, he 
came out to criticize it... If this is an attempt to jump from 
one boat to another, it is clear that the result will be nothing 
but a fall in the mud of disappointment, which he chose as a bad 
end that no one had wished for him... 
 
"It is difficult to find a word other than 'treason' to describe 
Khaddam's position.... Why was there silence on Khaddam's conduct 
in the past [when he was in power]? How can we guarantee that 
another Khaddam will not appear from our midst tomorrow? With 
full frankness we say that this is a lesson we must learn: 
Criticism must also include the senior officials, who should 
always be subject to observation and accountability. Only this 
will spare us from another Khaddam..." 
 
----------------------- 
"A Man for All Seasons" 
----------------------- 
 
Muhammad Khair al-Jammali, an editorialist in government-owned Al- 
Thawrah, wrote (1/2: "Khaddam practiced the worst aspects of 
corruption.... He embezzled, looted, amassed tremendous wealth, 
and harmed Syria's relations with Lebanon and with many Arab and 
non-Arab countries... 
 
"Khaddam's statements serve the scheme that targets Syria, 
Lebanon, the Arab world, and the entire region.... Khaddam has 
practiced the worst form of political hypocrisy in return for 
money..." 
 
---------------------------- 
"Khaddam, We Know the Truth" 
---------------------------- 
 
Izz-al-Din Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (1/2): "Khaddam's statements show that he is either 
mentally disabled or motivated by foreign powers with evil 
intentions against Syria. The second option is more likely... 
 
"Khaddam is responsible for corruption in Lebanon, from dirty 
trade to the appointment of heads and members of government.... 
Khaddam was obstacle number one to all reform and development 
steps... 
 
"Khaddam: You did not choose the homeland, as you claimed. You 
chose the enemies of the homeland. Be burned with them. Syria 
will remain immune." 
 
Seche