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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0473/01 0381357
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (508)
O 071357Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6943
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5775
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3670
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2129
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 6898
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0770
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4256
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0488
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6635

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000473 
 
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: Prophet Muhammad Cartoons, 
Lebanon, Syria/Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Palestinian Territories (2/7) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers reported that President Asad received 
Al-Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr, leader of Al-Sadr Current in Iraq. 
Talks focused on the situation in Iraq, the results of the recent 
election, and the ongoing consultations to form an Iraqi 
government. The president called for unifying Iraqi people to 
preserve the safety of the fraternal country and secure its 
liberation from the occupation. Al-Sadr praised Syria's support 
for the Iraqi people and its eagerness to maintain Iraq's 
security. He expressed his solidarity with Syria and his 
willingness to continue the coordination on joint interests of 
the two fraternal countries. In a press conference following 
their meeting, Al-Sadr and FM Shara told journalists that their 
talks dealt with Syrian-Iraqi relations and ways to achieve 
security and stability in the region to confront the challenges 
and pressures that the two countries are facing. Al-Sadr 
described Syrian-Iraqi relations as good and noted that the two 
countries are facing common challenges. He said that the Al-Sadr 
Current wants to bring stability to Iraq and to work with anyone 
who is interested in the reconstruction of country and cementing 
stability in the region. 
 
Syrian papers also reported that Hassan Narsallah, Secretary 
General of Hizbollah Party and Michel Aoun, leader of the Free 
Patriotic Movement, approved a joint memo of understanding on 
national resistance, relations with Syria, and Lebanese national 
dialogue. In a joint press conference Monday, Nasrallah stressed 
the necessity of maintaining natural and good relations between 
Syria and Lebanon. On the investigations into the al-Ashrafieh 
incidents in Beirut, Nasrallah said "what is going on is a 
premeditated decision to accuse Syria with no evidence and an 
attempt to use these incidents in a political battle against 
Syria." Aoun pointed out that the memo stresses the necessity of 
establishing correct and natural relations with Syria and solving 
the Lebanese disputes without the intervention of Western 
capitals. He called for enhancing dialogue and exchanging 
opinions to solve the Lebanese problems. 
 
End summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad reviews with Iraqi clergyman Muqtada al-Sadr the 
Iraqi situation and calls for enhancing national unity to 
safeguard the country. Al-Sadr praises Syria's positions 
supporting security and stability in Iraq" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 2/7) 
 
"Defense Minister Lieutenant General Hassan Turkmani receives a 
popular delegation from Jordan. Members of the Jordanian 
delegation: We express solidarity with the Syrian people in the 
face of the campaigns of pressure and organized threats" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 2/7) 
 
"Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hizbollah, warns 
against accusing Damascus of incidents that took place in the 
Ashrafieh district of Beirut. Nasrallah and Michel Aoun, leader 
of the Free Patriotic Movement, sign a memo of understanding 
asserting normal and good relations with Syria" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 2/7) 
 
"Iran to resume its peaceful nuclear program within days: We do 
not want to withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 2/7) 
 
"Tehran calls for holding a conference by Foreign Ministers of 
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to respond to the 
offensive cartoons on Prophet Mohammad. Angry demonstrations 
sweep Arab and Islamic capitals in protest of cartoons insulting 
Prophet Mohammed [published] in some Danish and Western 
newspapers" 
 
"Hamas discloses British and American initiatives to contact it. 
Martyrdom of four activists from Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Brigades" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 2/7) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
"Deliberate Insults Serve Whose Interests?" 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
Muhammad Khair al-Jammali, an editorialist in government-owned Al- 
Thawra, wrote (2/7): "It was not in the interest of Denmark and 
some other European countries to see their relations with the 
Islamic world deteriorate to this level.... The freedom of 
expression cannot be absolute and irresponsible.... 
"We do not rule out the involvement of international Zionism and 
its lobbies in the United States and Europe in the creation of 
this crisis to drive a wedge between Europe and the Islamic 
world.... 
 
"International Zionism is historically known for creating 
seditions, unrest, contradictions, and disputes among nations.... 
We call on the European countries to realize the perils of this 
deliberate insult to Islam and know that it does not serve their 
interests and the interests of the Islamic world. It serves only 
the interests of those who find their interests lie in spoiling 
European-Islamic relations and pushing them toward tension, 
hatred, and disputes...." 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
"Insult to Islam and Absent Joint Arab Action" 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
Dr. Khalaf al-Jarad, Chief Editor of government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (2/7): "Cartoons on Prophet Muhammad shocked Muslims, 
Christians, and all believers.... 
"Tempers will not cool down unless those who created this serious 
problem apologize publicly and unambiguously for the foolish act 
they committed under the slogan of 'freedom of expression....' 
 
"Freedom of expression is not recognized in the West when it 
comes to doubts about the holocaust and so called anti-Semitism. 
These are two red lines that Western laws allow no one to 
cross.... 
 
"On the other hand, we wonder at the complete silence of the 
Organization of the Islamic Conference.... The OIC should draw up 
a realistic plan to address the Western governments to ensure 
respect for Muslim sanctities.... 
 
"We call for calm and enlightened confrontation, not extremist 
reactions, of the campaigns that target Islam...." 
 
--------------------------- 
"Language of Logic and Law" 
--------------------------- 
 
Ali Nasrallah, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (6/7): "At a news conference held at the White House late 
last year, US President George Bush admitted that the mistakes 
about Iraq harmed US credibility.  He added: If we seek to pass 
on a message about Iran, people will say: The intelligence 
information on Iraq was not successful, so how can we trust you 
information on Iran?! 
 
"Today, weeks after making this confession, Bush is trying over 
and over again to threaten military action. Using the power of 
the media and disregarding the language of law and logic, he is 
seeking to drag the world into a new problem and into a tenser 
crisis, which would pose a greater danger to world security, 
peace, and stability; despite all attempts by Tehran to build 
bridges of trust with the international community, especially the 
European troika. 
 
"The decision to refer this file to the Security Council is a big 
mistake... and a complete failure of the option of diplomacy and 
political solution. It represents the height of political 
hypocrisy and violates laws and legitimacy. This is because Iran 
does not posses a nuclear weapon and is not likely to get 
one.... 
 
"Why all this clamor and fabricated exaggeration about Iran and 
its peaceful nuclear file, and on the other hand, why all this 
silence over, collusion with, and failure to notice the Israeli 
nuclear arsenal, which poses a threat to the security and 
stability of the region and the world?!  Why all this 
international impotence toward the international demands that 
Israel be forced to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, 
and thus open its nuclear installations to UN inspectors?! 
 
"There is no doubt that the US and some European forces are 
escalating the situation and pushing for the option of war under 
the cover of diplomacy, as French President Jacques Chirac 
recently did when he threatened to use the French nuclear 
weapon. This escalation no doubt represents the biggest danger 
and is the greatest proof of their wish to abandon the language 
of logic and law and return to the medieval ages and to their 
past abominable colonialist records and practices.  The message 
of Iran and the people of the world to them is: You should know 
that it is impossible to revive this language and these 
practices, because the world has changed and because people now 
understand only the language of logic and law and insist on 
resisting those who speak the language of force, belligerence, 
and confiscation of wills and rights." 
 
Seche