VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #1987/01 1211422
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (508)
O 011422Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8667
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5908
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3781
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2285
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 6988
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0937
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4362
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0583
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6727

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 001987 
 
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: Terrorism, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, 
Palestinian Territories (4/28-5-1) 
 
 
¶1. Summary: Syrian papers featured a statement by the Syrian 
Foreign Ministry refuting the US annual report on terrorism, 
saying that the US war on terrorism hasn't achieved any positive 
results, but rather, increased terrorism, for two main reasons. 
One is the US and Israeli rejection of what Syria had repeatedly 
asserted, namely, that terrorism must be combated by uprooting 
its causes. "The second reason is that the invasion of Iraq has 
created new fertile land for terrorism...," the source added. 
 
"Syria has taken all necessary measures to guarantee border 
security with Iraq," the source said, adding that US military 
officials have previously made many statements that contradict 
the report on that issue. 
 
The source denied as "null and void" accusations that Syria 
sponsors terrorism through Palestinian information offices in 
Damascus, saying that the Palestinian people have proven, through 
the ballot box, that Syria has been right in distinguishing 
terrorism from the legitimate right of resistance. 
 
"One cause of the violence that our region is undergoing is the 
US policies that prolong the Israeli occupation and exacerbate 
the Iraqi people's suffering, causing the US administration to 
lose credibility inside the U.S., in the region and in the world 
as a whole." the source concluded. 
 
Papers also reported that Lebanese political parties and figures 
have called for stronger ties with Syria, recalling Damascus' 
sacrifices for Lebanon's national unity and stability. 
 
"Syria has always supported the Lebanese national resistance and 
helped liberate most of South Lebanon from Israeli occupation 
through its support for the Palestinian resistance," said Tawfik 
Muhanna, representative of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party 
(SSNP) in a Beirut ceremony on the anniversary of the foundation 
of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). 
 
Mr. Muhanna added that Syria "stood by Lebanon in its most 
difficult times and helped consolidate its territorial integrity 
and stability."  In a similar speech, the head of the Popular 
Conference Party, Kamal Shatilla, described UN Resolution 1559 
as "intervention in Lebanon's internal affairs and an attempt to 
disarm the national resistance and antagonize Syria."  Mr. 
Shatilla said that "the Palestinian struggle is now threatened 
by American and Zionist pressure which aims to destroy 
Palestinian national unity." 
 
Mr. Abbas Mawlawi, of Hizbollah, strongly criticized the latest 
report by the US State Department on terrorism, saying that 
describing the Lebanese national resistance as terrorist "is a 
fresh indication of US blind bias towards Israel."  The 
Hizbollah official said his party has turned down recent 
proposals to revive a truce with Israel, adding that resistance, 
not truce, is the guarantee for Lebanon. 
 
Former Lebanese MP Elie Ferzli has stressed that the 
assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri 
was part of an international conspiracy targeting Lebanon and 
Syria through the Greater Middle East Project or through the 
establishment of small sectarian countries. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"In implementation of President Asad's directives, Syria launches 
a national fundraising campaign to back Palestinians and ease 
their suffering" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/1) 
 
"An official Syrian source: US policy is one of the main causes 
of violence in the region. The US war on terrorism hasn't yet 
achieved any positive results. Terrorism is on the rise. The US 
invasion of Iraq has created fertile land for terrorism. 
Terrorism cannot be tackled and combated without combating its 
causes" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/1) 
 
"Pessimistic expectations on the upcoming session of the Lebanese 
national dialogue. Aoun: The majority does not have popular 
support and the government is incompetent. Lebanese figures: The 
US report on the Lebanese resistance shows blind bias toward 
Israel" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/1) 
"The Palestinian dialogue is due to resume between May 15-20. 
Israel modifies track of its separation wall. Thousands of 
Palestinians will be isolated from their lands.  Fifteen 
settlements are annexed" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/1) 
 
"Three foreign contactors killed in Iraq. Italy and Denmark plan 
to pull forces out of Iraq" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 5/1) 
 
"Dozens of members of Syrian civil societies stage a sit-in 
outside the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Damascus 
in solidarity with the Palestinian people" (Government-owned Al- 
Thawra, 4/30) 
 
"A national fundraising campaign to support Palestinians kicks 
off today" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/30) 
 
"Lebanese personalities call for protecting the resistance and 
completing the national dialogue. Berri: We will face a 
catastrophe in case of failure. Ferzli: The assassination of Al- 
Hariri is an international conspiracy" (Government-owned Al- 
Thawra, 4/30) 
 
"Head of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, calls for a 
national dialogue. The Hanieh government welcomes Abbas' call. 
Occupation forces renew shelling of northern Gaza. Seven 
Palestinians, including two children, wounded in Israeli bombing 
of eastern Gaza Strip" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/30) 
 
"The Lebanese national dialogue resumes today. Lahoud calls on 
Lebanese to open a new page. Nasrallah: The weapons of the 
resistance are sacred and a defensive guarantee. Karami: All of 
Lebanon seeks outstanding relations with Syria" (4/28) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
----------------- 
"Double Language" 
 
----------------- 
 
Ahmad Dawwa, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
commented (4/30): "It is no secret that Lebanese Prime Minister 
Al-Saniora uses language with double meaning when he talks about 
Lebanese and Arab issues.... 
 
"After every foreign trip, Al-Saniora and his team need to 
recruit Lebanese and Arab media to explain his position and what 
he claims he wanted to say. He and his team do not ask 
themselves why this happens only to him, not to others. 
 
"It is wrong to believe that distortion and minimization can 
hide the facts and the reasons behind these conflicting 
statements. After his return from Washington, the head of the 
Lebanese government should have been busy not with explaining 
his positions and statements there, but with informing the 
Lebanese people of President Bush's responses to his requests 
that Israel withdraw from the Shab'a Farms, halt its daily 
violations of the Lebanese sovereignty, release Lebanese 
prisoners and detainees, submit maps of landmines, and so on -- 
requests that Al-Saniora promised his people, before traveling, 
that he would present to the US president and other American 
officials. 
 
"Regrettably, Al-Saniora's agenda was completely changed in 
Washington and replaced by another agenda that was not announced 
before the visit - an agenda that helps deepen the split in 
Lebanese society and create tension in relations with Syria. 
 
"In his statements, Al-Saniora remained silent about all the 
requests that were related to Israel and the economic issue. 
 
Instead of admitting that he failed to persuade US officials to 
listen to the demands of his country, he made statements about 
the international investigation into the Al-Hariri 
assassination, Lebanese-Syrian relations, and the topics of the 
Lebanese national dialogue, which is making no progress because 
the plans of some of its parties are connected to the American 
agenda in the region.  Those statements were made at the wrong 
time and in the wrong place. 
 
"Al-Saniora is mistaken if he believes any Syrian is convinced 
of his claim that he is eager to establish fraternal and equal 
relations with Syria, no matter how hard he tries to choose his 
words and emotional statements. 
 
"No person in his right mind can explain Al-Saniora's statement 
that he does not accuse Syria of killing Al-Hariri and, at the 
same time, his talk, from an American podium, about Syrian 
threats against Al-Hariri. 
 
"It has become clear that the foreign trusteeship of Lebanon 
does not want Syrian-Lebanese relations to improve. Regrettably, 
some Lebanese parties respond favorably to this.... 
 
"Syria will not give in to blackmail, pressure, and bullying by 
people who draw strength from foreigners. Dealing with it in 
this language will be useless. Syria's positions are clear, and 
others have to shoulder their responsibilities and stop using 
double language." 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
"Please Save Us from the Consequences of This War Against 
Terrorism" 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned 
Tishreen, commented (4/30): "There was a sharp increase in the 
number of terrorist operations worldwide in 2005 compared to 
2004.... How can anyone in this world believe the US 
Administration when it says day and night that it has made 
significant progress in its war against world terror...? 
 
"After the start of this war, these figures began to jump 
crazily, to the point where they are now. And this sequence (a 
fourfold increase) will continue so long as the US Administration 
says that it is still in a long-term war that might last for 
years, as the enemy is adapting to the new circumstances at each 
stage...." 
 
------------------------------------- 
 
"Summer and Winter under One Surface" 
 
------------------------------------- 
 
Ali Nasrallah, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (4/28): "There are contradictions in the positions of the 
US Administration toward the United Nations.... While it says 
that the referral of the Iranian nuclear file to the Security 
Council is a serious test for the United Nations, it forgets 
previous descriptions of this organization and ignores the fact 
that it thwarted dozens of Security Council resolutions and 
actions and repeatedly threatened the Security Council's unity 
through the unjust veto that it used against just causes 
supported by the majority of UN members.... 
 
"The world seems more convinced today that the problem lies not 
with Iran and its peaceful nuclear activities but with Israel 
and its arsenal and occupation.... The American people are 
expressing their resentment at the positions and statements that 
the White House and the State Department issue on democracy and 
human rights.... 
 
"If the official and popular international mood opposes the 
imposition of smart or not-smart sanctions against Iran, any 
American-Israeli military adventure against it will not be a 
 
picnic. It will lead the world to a more complicated situation, 
with undesirable consequences. This strongly dictates that the 
world governments undermine the ideas of the warmongers and 
deter those who tamper with international security and 
stability." 
Seche