VZCZCXYZ0013
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #2297/01 1370630
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 170630Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9029
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5957
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3821
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2333
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7027
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0994
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4399
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0622
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6763

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 002297 
 
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/Iraq, EURO-MED, Boycott 
of Israel Conference, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestinian Territories 
(5/16) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary: Syrian papers reported President Asad's meeting with 
Subhi Abdul Hamid, Secretary General of Iraq's Arab Nationalist 
Movement, which tackled the situation in Iraq and bilateral 
relations. President Asad confirmed Syria's support for efforts 
to restore Iraq's stability and security that reflect positively 
on the region. Talks also dealt with the role of the Iraqi 
national parties in boosting national unity, the necessity of 
enhancing joint action and fulfilling the aspirations of Iraqi 
people to find an end to the occupation and restoring Iraq's 
sovereignty and stability. 
 
Papers also reported statements by Lebanese personalities 
criticizing UN Resolution 1559 including a statement by FM 
Salloukh criticizing the current deliberations at the Security 
Council and the UN Secretary General's latest report, about 
following up on the implementation of UN 1559 resolution, for not 
mentioning Israel's continuous violations of Lebanon's 
sovereignty. Minister Salloukh mentioned that Israel violates 
Lebanon's airspace every day, arrests Lebanese citizens as 
hostages with no justification, refuses to deliver the mines maps 
and still occupies Lebanese land, "which is considered an obvious 
violation of the UN resolutions" he added. "Nothing of this was 
mentioned in the current deliberations at the Security Council," 
the Minister emphasized. "The Lebanese agreed to peruse a 
specific strategy to implement a series of principles and steps 
regarding the Syrian-Lebanese tie," he said, rejecting any kind 
of foreign intervention between the two countries. Meanwhile 
Lebanese ex-Premier Salim al-Hoss criticized UN resolution 1559 
again saying "the Lebanese resistance realized a big victory in 
May 2000 when they forced the Israeli occupation to withdraw from 
South Lebanon". For his part, Lebanese parliamentarian Mohammed 
Ra'ad underscored that Lebanon is committed to the UN resolutions 
426 and 425 saying "Implementing these two resolutions dictates 
for Israeli full withdrawal from the occupied Lebanese lands in 
accordance with international legitimacy". 
 
Papers also reported that Syria has been chosen Representative of 
the Second Commission for Cooperation among the EURO-MED Local 
Authorities COPEM, Dr. Tamer al-Hajjeh, Governor of Aleppo 
announced on Monday.  The Governor said that "the election of 
Syria to the committee came during the Ninth General Assembly 
meetings for the Permanent Committee for EURO-MED Partnership of 
Local Authorities held recently in Palermo of Italy." 
Syria participated at the EURO-MED meetings with an official 
delegation headed by Dr. Hajjeh who underscored that "he would 
exert all efforts to boost and cement ties between the local 
authorities in the EURO-MED region" noting that "Syria has always 
been for the international legitimacy and intercultural 
dialogue." 
 
Papers also reported a statement by Mohammad al-Taieb Bou-Sallaa, 
Commissioner General of the Boycott of Israel, at the opening 
session of the 76th Conference of Regional Liaison Officers for 
the Boycott of Israel in Damascus, confirming that "a just and 
comprehensive peace in the region will not be achieved without a 
full Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories, occupied 
Golan and South Lebanon as well as the establishment of a 
Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital," Bou-Sallaa said 
at the opening session of the 76th Conference of Regional Liaison 
Officers for the Boycott of Israel. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad discusses with Subhi Abdul Hamid, Secretary 
General of Iraq's Arab Nationalist Movement, Syrian-Iraqi 
relations and the role of national parties in consolidating 
Iraq's national unity. Syria supports efforts exerted to restore 
Iraq's security and stability" (Government-owned 5/16) 
 
"Syria is elected Deputy to the Second Commission for Cooperation 
among EURO-MED Local Authorities COPEM" (Government-owned Al- 
Thawra, 5/16) 
 
 
"The Lebanese National Dialogue resumes today. Berri: The 
resistance is a national necessity to build a defense strategy" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 5/16) 
 
"A new round of the Lebanese National dialogue will be held 
today. Aoun attends as an observer. FM Salloukh criticize the UN 
Security Council's disregard for Israeli violations" (Government- 
owned Al-Thawra, 5/16) 
 
"Wide Lebanese resentment over honoring US Ambassador to UN John 
Bolton" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/16) 
 
"Two American soldiers killed in helicopter crash"(Government- 
owned Tishreen, 5/16) 
 
"Putin reiterates support of Palestinians. Jenin buries its 
martyrs. Israel: The right of return is erased" (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 5/16) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
--------------------------- 
 
"Compensation for Failure" 
 
--------------------------- 
 
Muhammad Khair al-Jamali, a commentator in government-owned Al- 
Thawra, wrote (5/16): "The draft UNSC resolution that calls on 
Syria to demarcate its border with Lebanon and establish 
diplomatic relations with it is a serious precedent in the 
history of the international relations.... 
 
"The demarcation of borders and the establishment of diplomatic 
relations are sovereign issues in which no party has a right to 
interfere.... Such interference harms the sovereignty of the two 
countries no matter what excuses are offered to justify it.... 
 
"Through such a resolution, the Security Council exceeds its 
powers under the UN Charter and serves the interests of forces 
that seek to define international relations in a way that serves 
their own interests.... Washington, through the draft 
resolution, seeks to export its own crises and compensate for 
the failure of US policy in the Middle East." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
"Inside and outside the Lebanese National Dialogue" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
Shawkat Abu-Fakhr, a commentator in government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
wrote (5/16): "Some parties to the Lebanese national dialogue 
say things at the dialogue table and different things outside 
the dialogue sessions. These forces level accusations and plant 
the seeds of division based on rancorous revenge positions that 
seek to punish the Lebanese resistance.... 
 
"The advocates of sovereignty, independence, and free decision 
make a mistake when they think that going to foreign capitals 
and deriving power from them could establish sound and healthy 
relations with their brothers.... 
 
"Those Lebanese taking procedural and contentious issues to the 
United Nations in an effort to pressure Syria show a lack of 
political experience and reveal a tendency for vengeance.... 
 
"The sacrifices of the Lebanese and the support of the brothers 
have entrenched the resistance as an indisputable fact in 
Lebanon no matter what the international position...." 
 
--------------------- 
 
"No Time for Yawning" 
 
 
--------------------- 
 
Abdul-Fattah Awad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Thawra, 
criticized (5/16): "Some Syrians claim to be patriotic, while 
they meet and shake hands with people who call for harming and 
occupying Syria and consider it, not Israel, the enemy.... 
 
"Their objectives, ideas, and programs have reached the point of 
adhesion with the objectives, ideas, and programs of parties 
that openly declare hostility toward Syria.... 
 
"How can we hear daily threats, bear painful pressure, face 
economic sanctions and then see someone agreeing with them, 
using their expressions, speaking their language, raising their 
demands and yet giving us lectures on patriotism? 
 
"Can one claim to be patriot while his ideas concur with those 
who consider Syria an enemy? 
 
"These people cannot deceive the Syrian people when they talk 
about reforms.... Reforms must proceed from within the country, 
not be imposed or dictated by foreigners.... 
 
"Only reforms are the exemplary answer for those.... 
Achievements on the ground are the real evidence of a genuine 
intention to proceed with reforms. There is no time for yawning 
while wolfs are surrounding us." 
 
-------------------------- 
 
"The New Shape of Apartheid" 
 
-------------------------- 
 
Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (5/16): "The Israeli law that prevents Palestinian family 
reunions is not the first racist Israeli law against 
Palestinians. The new law is politically motivated and part of a 
clear Zionist effort targeting the entire Arab presence in 
Palestine.... 
 
"This is part of the true face of the racist Israeli entity, 
which completely disregards human rights and international 
legitimacy, and which was built on injustice, repression, and 
aggression. Yet some parties in this 'free world' claim that 
Israel is an oasis of democracy! For how long will this twisted 
logic, which can only be described as a pure colonialist logic, 
continue...?" 
 
------------------------------------ 
 
"For Whom the Lebanese Cedar Trophy" 
 
------------------------------------ 
 
As'ad Abbud, a columnist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
commented (5/16): "The March 14 forces in Lebanon have 
participated in a ceremony in New York in which John Bolton, US 
Representative to the United Nations, was awarded the Lebanese 
Cedar Trophy.... 
 
"Bolton is an arrogant Zionist who boasts his absolute loyalty 
to Israel and who hates every Arab and Muslim.... 
 
"Leaders of March 14 forces have now proven that they are really 
the enemies of Syria.... But the Lebanese people will not give 
them a chance.... Their American-French-Israeli love will not be 
enough to dry up the sea of love between Syria and Lebanon." 
 
Seche