VZCZCXYZ0041
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #1922/01 1171347
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 271347Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8594
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5904
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3778
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2282
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 6985
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0928
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4359
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0580
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6724

UNCLAS DAMASCUS  001922 
 
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/Palestinians, Lebanon, 
Egypt (4/27) 
 
 
¶1. Summary: Syrian papers reported that PM Mohammed Naji Ottri, 
in a cabinet meeting, called on Syrian citizens to take part in 
the fund-raising campaign for the Palestinian people scheduled to 
be launched next Sunday all over the country. 
 
Papers also reported that the first Arab-Euro Dialogue Forum was 
inaugurated in Paris under the Title, "Towards an Arab-Euro 
Strategic Partnership," with the participation of Syrian Minister 
of Economy and Trade, Amer Hosni Lutfi. In an opening speech, 
Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa hoped that the forum 
would be a framework for critical dialogue and intellectual 
interaction, as well as joint action that would upgrade ties 
between the Arab world and Europe in various domains. 
 
French FM Philip Doust Blazy delivered a speech stressing the 
importance of ties between Europe and the Arab world and the need 
to maintain them. 
 
The Syrian press reported that Information Minister Muhsen Bilal 
met with Necmi Uce, Chairman of the Board of General 
Mediterranean Holding Corporation, and Maha al-Faqir, Secretary 
General of Anglo-Arab Organization in the UK, to discuss the best 
means to convey a positive image of Arabs to western public 
opinion and launch inter-cultural dialogue between Arab and 
western intellectuals. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"Speaker of the People's Assembly al-Abrash congratulates al- 
Mashhadani on his election as Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 4/27) 
 
"On the Eve of resumption of the national dialogue, Berri, 
Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, emphasizes the importance of 
relations with Syria" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 4/27) 
 
"Palestinian Foreign Minister Zahar: It would have been better 
had we been received in Jordan instead of being accused. Norway 
offers donations to Palestinians. President of Switzerland 
criticizes the European position towards Palestinians" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 4/27) 
 
"Less than 48 hours after Dahab explosions, two unsuccessful 
suicide bombings hit northern Sinai" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
4/27) 
 
"A number of car bomb explosions in Baghdad and Fallouja. An Air- 
strike against Yousifiya. US Secretary of State Rice and 
Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld are in Baghdad: Forming the Iraqi 
 
SIPDIS 
cabinet is the key to partial withdrawals" (Government-owned Al- 
Ba'th, 4/27) 
 
"The Arab-Euro Dialogue Forum is inaugurated in Paris with 
Syria's participation. Philip Doust Blazy, French Foreign 
Minister, acknowledges Western double standard towards the Arab 
and Moslem worlds" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/27) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
 
"Syria and Palestine, Continuing Support and Constant Stands" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
 
Ibrahim Shuqyar, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
wrote (4/27): "Syria never hesitated to support the Palestinian 
cause and the Palestinian people in their effort to attain all 
their legitimate national rights and establish their independent 
state with Jerusalem as its capital.... 
 
"Meanwhile, the Jordanian position toward the Palestinian 
government was surprising and contradictory. The Jordanian 
 
 
government suddenly postponed Mahmud al-Zahhar's visit 
indefinitely on the pretext that the Jordanian authorities had 
seized weapons smuggled by HAMAS. HAMAS leaders denied smuggling 
or storing any weapons in Jordan. The movement noted that the 
Jordanian accusations followed the martyrdom operation in Tel 
Aviv and came in response to pressure by Israel and the United 
States, which did not want Jordan to receive Al-Zahhar or deal 
with the Palestinian government before it complies with the 
Israeli conditions and demands.... 
 
"Why this sudden announcement of the discovery of weapons at 
this particular time, when the Palestinian people are coming 
under siege in an effort to subjugate them and force them to 
relinquish their national and pan-Arab principles? The 
Palestinian government has repeatedly announced that it 
represents the entire Palestinian people, not a certain faction, 
and that the rotation of power is a natural process resulting 
from the democratic choice of the Palestinian people. What is 
unacceptable and unnatural is this calculated accusation, which 
adds to the pressure that is being exerted on the Palestinian 
people, who will not surrender no matter what the hardship. 
Previous experience offers the best proof." 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
"Larsen Approaching Annan's Post" 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
Salim Abbud, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(4/26) "Through its hostile nature and explicit accusations 
against Syria, the Palestinians, and Hizbollah, Roed-Larsen's 
third report to the UN Security Council on progress in the 
implementation of Resolution 1559, which he submitted a few days 
ago, was worse than the previous two.... 
 
"The UN envoy deliberately ignored the Israeli air violations of 
Lebanese airspace and interfered in issues that are none of his 
business.... 
 
"With Kofi Annan's term as UN SeGen coming to an end, Roed- 
Larsen appears to be the candidate that the US and Israel have 
chosen for this post. He, therefore, has to adopt positions that 
serve Israel and the United States. This is why his third report 
was the worst...." 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
"Oppression Is Doomed to Failure" 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (4/26): "The Arab region has turned into a field for 
horror, terror, wars, and destruction.... 
 
"All this serves Israel's interests only.... Some Arabs have 
willingly agreed to join this game and implement everything 
dictated to them, even if this drives them to lie, twist facts, 
forge history, and mislead the Arab opinion.... 
 
"The terrorism that is sweeping the world today was created by 
Israel and has been adopted by the United States. The current US 
administration is fully responsible for everything that is 
happening in the world in general and in this region in 
particular. The policy of this administration is contributing to 
the spread of terrorism and the expansion of chaos, tension, and 
explosions in the region, from Afghanistan in the east to 
Morocco in the West.... 
 
"Washington's politicians and their allies are mistaken if they 
believe they can impose their plans and schemes on nations and 
countries...." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------------- 
 
"When the Prey Is Lured to the Bait outside Hunting Season!" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------------- 
Dr. Id Abu-Sikkah, a commentator in government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
commented (4/26): "Was it just a coincidence that the Bin-Ladin 
audiotape was released at a time when Donald Rumsfeld and the US 
administration in general are coming under strong criticism at 
home?  At a time when US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is 
coming under harsh verbal attacks by six American generals...? 
 
"At a time when Madeline Albright, the Secretary of State 
throughout President Bill Clinton's second term, is making 
strong statements against the American war in Iraq, describing 
it as the worst political disaster in the history of the United 
States, stressing that Saddam Hussein did not pose a threat to 
American national security, and saying that it is not possible 
or acceptable to invade a country just because we do not like 
its leader? 
 
"At a time when Senators John Kerry and Edward Kennedy have 
joined the extensive campaign against a Secretary who sees the 
world only through the buttonholes of his old military uniform, 
with the first holding him responsible for the failure to arrest 
Usama Bin Ladin and calling on him to resign and the second 
going much further and demanding that the US Administration 
withdraw its troops from Iraq? 
 
"At this very time, a new tape from Usama Bin Ladin is 
broadcast! Was the timing of this latest broadcast just a rare 
coincidence? Or does the incident, in and of itself, go beyond 
the absurdity of coincidences, which people on our planet, 
including Americans themselves, have boringly been seeing 
repeated like a ridiculous play since 11 September, forming an 
integral part of the US Administration's tedious discourse, 
which can be summed up as follows: All the war's repercussions, 
consequences, disasters, and mistakes -- which have been 
estimated in the thousands -- are not equivalent, and must not 
be, to the mere thought that Usama Bin Ladin is still alive, 
threatening Americans from a tent in a cave somewhere on Planet 
Earth.... 
 
"It is, then, the rare, historic, ideal opportunity when the 
prey is lured to the bait outside hunting season!" 
 
Seche