VZCZCXYZ0006
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #1697/01 1031424
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131424Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8327
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5877
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3755
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2254
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 6965
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0897
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4332
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0559
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6703

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 001697 
 
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: Syria/Iran, Syria/China, 
Conference of Parliamentary Union of OIC Member States, 
Palestinian Territories, Iraq, Lebanon (4/13) 
 
 
¶1. Summary: Syrian papers reported President Asad's meeting with 
Sheikh Hashemi Rafsanjani, Head of the Iranian Expediency 
Council. The meeting dealt with mutual cooperation, the current 
regional situation, mainly in Iraq and Palestine, and the 
international conference due to be held in Tehran to support the 
Palestinian people. 
 
Papers also highlighted President Asad's meeting on Wednesday 
with Wang Li Chiwan, Member of the Politburo of the Central 
Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, who confirmed support 
for the modernization and development of Syria, restoration of 
the occupied Golan, and a just and comprehensive peace based on 
relevant international resolutions. Mr. Chiwan held a joint press 
conference with Assistant Secretary General of al-Ba'th Arab 
Socialist Party, Abdullah al-Ahmar. 
 
The Syrian press also reported the fourth conference of the 
Parliamentary Union of OIC member states in Istanbul, with the 
participation of Mahmoud Abrash, Speaker of the Syrian 
Parliament, who charged that "campaigns are being 
launched against the future of the Islamic peoples and their 
beliefs, and this has become a real conflict between the west and 
the east." He added, "what was published regarding Prophet 
Mohammed revealed the true picture of the hostile media campaign 
against Islam and Islamic peoples." He called for a strategy to 
confront these challenges. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad reviews mutual cooperation and regional 
developments with the Chinese Communist Party and discusses the 
situation in Iraq and Palestine with Rafsanjani (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 4/13) 
 
"Al-Shara and Rafsanjani discuss latest developments in the 
Palestinian and Iraqi arenas" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/14) 
 
"The Conference of the Parliamentary Union of OIC member states 
inaugurated in Istanbul. Al-Abrash [Speaker of the Syrian 
Parliament]: A strategy for facing campaigns against Moslems has 
been adopted" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/13) 
 
"The ministerial committee on Iraq ends deliberations in Cairo 
and underscores the importance of preserving Iraq's Arabism, 
respect, unity and sovereignty. FM Mouallem calls for formation 
of an Iraqi government and for withdrawal of foreign troops from 
Iraq" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/13) 
 
"Lebanese President calls for expanding investigations into the 
plot targeting Nassrallah" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/13) 
 
"Abbas warns against a disaster due to halt of aid to 
Palestinians. Many Palestinians martyred and wounded during an 
Israeli bombardment of Gaza Strip" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
4/13) 
 
"Prodi: The Mediterranean Basin is of high importance to Italy" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/13) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
----------------------- 
 
"Assassination Attempt" 
 
----------------------- 
 
Khaled al-Ashhab, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
commented (4/13): "Israel, in one way or another, was the party 
that planned, financed, and did the training for the attempt on 
the life of Hizballah Secretary General Hasan Nasrallah.... 
 
"Tools in Lebanon remained silent on the attempt.... Naturally, 
 
 
they will not accuse the party that they kept accusing until 
recently Syria. For they are not fools, and they do not want 
people to accuse them of foolishness. And they will not accuse 
Israel in any way, not because Israel is beyond accusation, but 
because one cannot, no matter how fair, transparent, and 
courageous, disavow his heart and hands...." 
 
--------------------- 
 
"Still There Is Hope" 
 
--------------------- 
 
Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (4/13): "It is sad that Arabs have been unable to 
adopt a united position or at least forge an economic unity, 
even though they know that there is no place in today's world 
for small countries and blocs.... 
 
"Our big Arab homeland has all the elements of power that would 
enable it to establish a competitive economic bloc capable of 
standing fast in the world of major blocs.... 
 
"The only way out of the difficult Arab situation lies in the 
reactivation of existing agreements and treaties in a way that 
ultimately leads to the creation of solid grounds for a unified 
Arab political position to confront challenges and ward off the 
numerous dangers.... 
 
"Despite the complicated situation and the chronic differences, 
there is still hope that the Arabs will unify positions and 
achieve a better future...." 
 
---------------------- 
 
"Punishment of Victim" 
 
---------------------- 
 
Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (4/13): "UN organizations are warning against a 
dangerous humanitarian disaster in the Palestinian territories 
due to the American and European positions toward the 
Palestinian government.... These US and European positions are 
unfair and illogical.... They show blind bias toward Israel.... 
 
"They are punishing the victim because he is rejecting 
humiliation and the abandonment of his rights.... The world is 
not only watching the suffering of the Palestinian people, but 
also deliberately making it worse...." 
 
Seche