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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #1879/01 1151343
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251343Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8538
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5897
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3771
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2271
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 6978
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0921
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4352
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0573
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6717

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 001879 
 
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: Lebanon/US, Syria/Palestinian 
Authority, Iraq, Iran (4/21-24) 
 
¶1.  Summary: Syrian newspapers on 23 April criticized Lebanese 
PM al-Saniora's visit to and statements in the United States and 
maintained that "Washington has nothing to present to Lebanon 
other than Israeli demands." 
 
Syrian papers also reported a press statement by Foreign 
Minister Walid al-Mouallem announcing that Syria will upgrade 
the Palestinian diplomatic representation in Syria to facilitate 
visits of Palestinians to their families in Syria. The statement 
was made in a joint press conference with Palestinian FM Mahmoud 
Zahar, who visited Damascus on Friday and met with President 
Asad. FM Mouallem confirmed that President Asad gave directions 
to open doors to popular fundraising to back the Palestinian 
people and the Palestinian Authority. Asked if his meeting with 
Zahar would increase pressure on Syria, al-Mouallem said "Syria 
does not fear anyone and is not ashamed of its support for the 
Palestinian cause at this stage." 
 
Papers also featured an AFP report quoting Khaled Mashaal, head 
of the Hamas Political Bureau, as telling a press conference in 
Damascus in the presence of representatives of ten Palestinian 
factions and Palestinian FM Zahar, that some people had distorted 
his statements on Friday -- in which he accused Abbas of plotting 
against Hamas -- to provoke sedition in the Palestinian arena. 
Mashaal reiterated the importance of maintaining Palestinian 
national unity and cooperation between the Palestinian presidency 
and the government to break the American and Israeli siege 
imposed on the Palestinian people. 
 
End of Summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad confers with Palestinian FM Zahar, who briefs him 
on the difficult situation in the Palestinian territories. 
President Asad calls for respect for the Palestinian people's 
choice rather than punishing them" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
4/21) 
 
"A meeting will be held soon between Fateh and Hamas to contain 
the crisis. Mashaal calls for unity to confront occupation; my 
statements were exploited to create tension" (Government-owned Al- 
Thawra, 4/25) 
 
"Hamas and Fateh agree on ending the crisis. The Olmert 
government decides to resume aggression and building of the 
separation wall" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/24) 
 
"The Arab League underscores the importance of Palestinian unity. 
Switzerland courageously criticizes European participation in the 
siege against the Palestinian people" (Government-owned Tishreen, 
4/24) 
 
"Lebanese parties warn against deformation of and gambling with 
the country's destiny...."The national resistance will exist as 
long as the occupation" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/24) 
 
"Russia: Syria has implemented 1559; its diplomatic relation with 
Lebanon is a matter that concerns the two countries only" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/25) 
 
"Syria's statement to the UN Security Council on the Lebanese 
situation: Syria contributed to the establishment of peace and to 
ending the destructive civil war in Lebanon. Syria sacrificed 
blood to ensure the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon and 
end the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon. Demarcation of 
borders in Shebaa Farms can only be achieved after the end of the 
Israeli occupation. We hope that the Security Council will show 
the same zeal for the implementation of the resolutions related 
to the Arab-Israeli conflict, particularly resolutions 242 and 
¶338. We respect Lebanon's sovereignty, and establishing embassies 
between Syria and Lebanon is an issue of sovereignty" (Government- 
owned Tishreen, 4/22) 
 
"Lahoud: Merging the resistance with the army abrogates its role. 
Former Lebanese Minister Weam Wahab: Seeking the help of the West 
 
does not serve our interests" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/21) 
 
"Commencement of consultations to form the Iraqi government. 
Seven Iraqis killed in an attack within the Green Zone" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 4/24) 
"The rate of suicide among US troops is on the rise. Kerry: 
The Bush administration accuses the opposition of treason to 
minimize criticism. The CIA: We had proof before the war that 
Iraq was free of weapons of mass destruction " (Government-owned 
Al-Thawra, 4/23) 
 
"Russia rejects Washington's demand to halt cooperation with 
Teheran, saying that the Boushaher rector does not violate the 
nuclear ban... We are committed to deliver missile shipment to 
Iran" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/21) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
"Does the US Plan for Lahoud to Become the last Maronite 
President?" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
Elias Murad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
commented (4/23): "Al-Saniora stated in Washington that former 
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri received threats from 
Syrians.... Shouldn't he have waited for the results of the 
international investigation...? This accusation prompts us to 
ask about the role that Al-Saniora might have played, along with 
some other Lebanese parties, in the interference in the affairs 
of the investigation and in Detlev Mehlis' secret and public 
files.... Don't these statements conflict with Al-Saniora's 
declarations regarding the special relations with Syria and the 
demand for noninterference in the affairs of the Lebanese 
judiciary and the international investigations...? 
 
"Al-Saniora said that Syria maintains an intelligence presence 
in Lebanon and that he will not beg Syria for a visit.... The 
US, which offers Israel billions of dollars, ties its aid to 
Lebanon to conditions that might undermine Lebanon's order and 
security.... US Assistant Secretary of State David Welch said 
after his meeting with Al-Saniora that the US has a joint future 
agenda with Lebanon under the leadership of the prime minister 
and his reform team.... This suggests that Washington supports a 
certain Lebanese team against the rest of the Lebanese.... Can't 
we conclude that the US Administration, within its Middle East 
plan and particularly the effort to create sectarian strife, has 
marked the beginning of the end of the position of the Lebanese 
presidency through the adoption of a new political team at the 
expense of the other parties, on the pretext that new regional 
alliances have emerged in the region, in a way that might lead 
to President Emile Lahoud becoming the last Maronite president 
in Lebanon? 
 
"Those who watch American policy in the region will not be 
surprised by anything. Americans have never adopted a position 
in support of Lebanon or Arabs. All that they care about is 
their interests and the interests of Israel. The only service 
Americans offered the Lebanese in the past was to send some 
ships to evacuate Christians from the country. We do not rule 
out the possibility of the repeated visits to Washington 
bringing new ships of another type, ships whose only aim, 
perhaps, is to blow up Lebanon and the region." 
 
--------------------------- 
 
"Secrets of a Warm Welcome" 
 
--------------------------- 
 
Ahmad Dawwa, a columnist in government-owned Al-Thawrah, said 
(4/23): "Al-Saniora's visit to Washington and his meeting with 
President George Bush revealed paradoxes entailing big risks to 
Lebanon in particular and the region in general.... 
 
 
 
"The support that Al-Saniora hoped President Bush would offer 
regarding the Lebanese identity of Shabaa Farms and the need for 
Israel to withdraw from that region in implementation of 
Resolution 425 soon dissipated when the US State Department 
announced that the Shabaa Farms are part of the occupied Syrian 
territory and do not fall under the jurisdiction of Resolution 
425.... 
 
"The same applies to the economy. Neither President Bush nor any 
American official said anything indicating willingness to help 
Lebanon economically.... 
 
"President Bush said that he seeks to make Lebanon a model for 
the Greater Middle East.... Lebanon cannot tolerate the 
requirements of this American plan after the American failure in 
Iraq.... 
 
"The American insistence upon adopting the Israeli position 
regarding Shabaa Farms makes things clear and gives clear 
signals about the future steps that US and Zionist circles are 
preparing for Lebanon.... Presenting the issue of the 
demarcation of the Lebanese-Syrian border in this way does not 
mean Washington cares about Lebanon's rights. The aim of all 
this is to strip Lebanon of the elements of its power, 
represented by the resistance.... 
 
"All indications from Washington are that Al-Saniora will return 
empty handed except for the American-Israeli demands. The first 
and last word here is for Israel, and Bush's administration is 
now unable to make any decision that might disturb AIPAC before 
the coming mid-term elections." 
 
---------------- 
 
"Unknown Gunmen" 
 
---------------- 
 
Ali Nasrallah, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawrah, 
wrote (4/23): "According to independent Iraqi reports, 95 
percent of the 3,457 security incidents that have taken place in 
Iraq since the beginning of this year were registered against 
'unknown gunmen;' Who are these gunmen? What are their 
objectives? Who helps them continue their terrorist 
operations...? 
 
"We differentiate between resistance against US occupation 
forces, which is a noble, honorable, and legitimate act, and 
terrorist operations, which came to Iraq with the occupation and 
for the growth of which the occupier provided the appropriate 
soil, if not support.... 
 
"Any observer finds himself compelled to accuse US occupation 
forces of standing behind the unknown gunmen, as this helps it 
stay in Iraq and loot Iraq's wealth and divide and ignite 
sedition in the country as a prelude to destabilizing the 
region.... 
 
-------------------------- 
 
"The Ugly Face of America" 
 
-------------------------- 
 
Muhammad Ali Buzah, an editorialist in government-owned Al- 
Thawrah, commented (4/21): "President Bush threatened that all 
options are open with regard to Iran's nuclear file.... The US 
Administration apparently insists on pushing the world toward a 
new serious and open threat, not learning from the failure of 
its policies.... 
 
"In the past six years the Bush administration has shown nothing 
but the ugly and hostile face of the United States.... As a 
result of Washington's policy, the world is not safer today; 
indeed, it is more chaotic and deeper in wars, conflicts, and 
 
splits.... 
 
"The Bush administration has failed miserably to prove that it 
is qualified to lead the world. As it faltered at home and 
failed to honor its commitments and to address the issues and 
problems that affected the American citizen's life and 
situation, the foreign policy and the method of confrontation, 
adventure, war, and intimidation against the world, which was 
used to evade domestic crises and render a major service to 
Israel, produced the same harvest and was ever more frustrating 
and financially, humanly, militarily, and ethically costly. 
America's image and prestige were shaken, and it fell into the 
swamp of mud and blood in Iraq and Afghanistan, and also in 
Palestine.... Americans must force the administration hawks to 
abandon their dreams of domination and make them think one- 
thousand times before engaging in any new adventure." 
 
Seche