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DE RUEHDM #1878/01 1151234
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O 251234Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8535
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5894
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3768
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2268
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 6975
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0918
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4349
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0570
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6714

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 001878 
 
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/Egypt, Syria/US, 
Syrian/Lebanon, Iraq, Palestinian Territories (4/25) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary: Syrian papers today reported President Asad's phone 
call to President Mubarak to condemn the terrorist bombings that 
hit the Dahab resort in Sinai and to extend condolences on the 
victims. 
Papers also featured a statement by Dr. Buthaina Shaaban, 
Minister of Expatriates, during a meeting with a delegation of 
the International Cooperation Council in the US, that the main 
problem in the region is the absence of a solution to the Arab- 
Israeli conflict and non-implementation of relevant international 
resolutions. Shaaban briefed the delegation on the situation in 
the region, saying that instability is a result of the Israeli 
occupation of the Palestinian territories and the US occupation 
of Iraq. The Minister said that "the terms being used by western 
media connecting terrorism with Arabs and Muslims constitute a 
serious menace to the future of relations between the eastern and 
western worlds. Members of the visiting delegation reiterated the 
importance of working with Syrian clubs and organizations in the 
US to convey an accurate image of Syria and its culture. 
 
The Syrian press reported that the Civil Committee on Syrians 
Missing in Lebanon called for consideration of the issue of lost 
Syrians in Lebanon as a primary item in any Syrian-Lebanese 
talks. The statement added that the "fraternal Lebanese people 
are innocent of the acts of the malicious parties who killed the 
Syrian workers," and called for punishing those responsible for 
the crimes and for getting back the 804 lost Syrians who are 
still alive. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"Terrorism strikes again in Sinai. Scores of fatalities and 
casualties in three explosions that hit the Dahab resort. 
President Asad denounces the criminal act and extends condolences 
to President Mubarak for the victims" (Government-owned Tishreen, 
4/25) 
 
"The Civil Committee on Syrians Missing in Lebanon calls for 
consideration of the issue of Syrians missing in Lebanon as 
primary item in any Syrian-Lebanese talks" (Government-owned Al- 
Ba'th, 4/25) 
 
"Information Minister Bilal discusses enhancement of bilateral 
cooperation with French Ambassador in Damascus" (Government-owned 
Al-Thawra, 4/25) 
 
On directives of President Asad and with the presence of Vice- 
President Attar, the Popular Committee decides to start a public 
donation campaign on Sunday to support the Palestinian people. 
 
"Norway, following Switzerland, challenges Washington and 
expresses readiness to meet with Hamas officials" (Government- 
owned Tishreen, 4/25) 
 
"Israel commences its disengagement plan in northern West Bank. 
Hanieh calls for confronting challenges. Norway rejects US 
pressure" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 4/25) 
 
"In a Symposium on Water Security, the Arab League warns against 
the dangers of Israeli robbery of water in Golan and South 
Lebanon" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/25) 
 
"Nasrallah, SecGen of Hizbollah: We reject border demarcation in 
Shebaa Farms under occupation" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/25) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
"Lebanon's Strength Is in its Pan-Arab Affiliation" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
Muhammad Khayr al-Jammali, an editorialist in government-owned 
 
Al-Thawra, commented (4/25): "US Assistant Secretary of State 
David Welch stated that the United States wants Lebanon to be a 
strong country.... Washington wants Lebanon to be strong against 
its Arab brothers and their national hopes and ambitions, 
primarily against Syria, because it is the firm opposition force 
against the American-Israeli plans.... 
 
"The strong Lebanon that Washington wants is a Lebanon allied 
with Israel.... The US Administration wants to see Lebanon in 
this position for three reasons: to relieve Israel from 
Lebanon's resistance, to compensate for its failure to make Iraq 
a model for the Greater Middle East, and to turn Lebanon into a 
burden for Syria and Arabs and their pan-Arab efforts to ensure 
their security, existence, and identity.... 
 
"Lebanon will remain too strong to be isolated from its national 
role and pan-Arab affiliations.... The future of the country 
will be shaped by the Lebanese people and their nationalist 
forces, which realize that Lebanon's real power lies in its pan- 
Arab affiliation, national unity, and resistance against the 
plans of subjugation and Westernization...." 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
"Kind with Officials, Tough on Issues" 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
Buthaina Sha'ban, Minister of Expatriates, commented in 
government-owned Tishreen (4/25): "Some Arab officials [in what 
appears to be a reference to Lebanese Prime Minister Fu'ad al- 
Saniora and his meeting with President Bush] appear willing to 
offer concessions on national causes in return for a short 
meeting with President Bush or a public relations gesture from 
other Western leaders or media.... 
 
"The warmth and intimacy that President Bush or other Western 
leaders show toward visiting Arab officials are meant to 
influence these officials into relinquishing Arab rights.... 
What does it mean to us when President Bush says that 'Lebanon 
is a model for the Middle East'? Does it mean that other 
countries in the Middle East will be Lebanonized in order to 
turn Israel into the sole, hegemonic power in the region, as 
Iraq was Lebanonized after its occupation? Hundreds of thousands 
of Iraqi men, women, and children were killed and the country 
was turned into warring sectarian parties, unable to create a 
real democratic political system expressing the unity of the 
people and their causes, free from ethnic and sectarian 
considerations and from the personal interests of opportunist 
politicians associated with this ambassador or that. Or does it 
mean that the official who delights the US president to the 
point that makes him pat this official's shoulder -- with the 
same hand that signed the decision to cut aid to the Palestinian 
people -- will become a model for anyone who wishes to win the 
approval of the president and, consequently, earn an invitation 
to visit Washington? He must pay the price of the visit in 
advance by pursuing the resistance and stripping it of the 
elements of survival. And in return for the visit, he must also 
sell out family and neighborly relations with a country that has 
all the bonds of common interests and joint destiny with his 
country...." 
 
------------------------------------ 
 
"Fight to Serve America's Interests" 
 
------------------------------------ 
 
As'ad Abbud, a columnist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
commented (4/25): "The US administration endeavors to create new 
animosities in the region, such as conflicts between Iran and 
the Arabs, Sunnis and Shiites, and Muslims and Christians.... 
 
"Such conflicts would be a strong card in the hands of 
Washington, enabling it to implement its plans without waging 
new wars that it might lose.... 
 
 
"Creating hostile climates in the region in which Israel is 
excluded and terrorism is used might be a tactic to throw the 
region off balance and keep its countries busy with each other 
so that the United States will not need to wage new wars. This 
is one of the secrets of the deep hostility toward Iran and 
Syria, as both reject hostility between them and insist that 
Israel is the number one enemy in the region...." 
 
Seche