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DE RUEHDM #2404/01 1451114
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O 251114Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9159
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5978
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3840
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2354
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7046
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1017
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4419
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0642
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6783

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 002404 
 
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, 
Syria/Russian, Lebanon, US/Israel, Iraq, Palestinian Territories 
(5/24) 
 
 
¶1. Summary: Syrian papers reported the visit to Damascus by 
Palestinian Minister of Interior Said Siam and his meeting with 
VP Shara. Siam expressed the Palestinian government's and the 
Palestinian people's great appreciation for Syria's stances 
towards the Palestinian people. VP Shara reiterated the need to 
boost Palestinian national unity on a national principled basis 
and avert all that would create division and dispute among sons 
of one homeland. 
 
On Syrian/Russian relations, papers reported the visit to Moscow 
by Abdullah al-Ahmar, Assistant Secretary General of the Baath 
Party, who said in a press conference held before leaving Moscow 
that viewpoints between the Party and Russian counterparts were 
identical on the latest developments in the region. Al-Ahmar 
emphasized Russia's importance in contributing to dealing with 
the regional issues, which will reflect positively on security 
and stability in the region. 
 
As for Lebanon, papers reported a statement by President Lahoud 
stressing the importance of maintaining strong fraternal 
relations between Syria and Lebanon, saying that "straining ties 
between the countries is not in the interest of Lebanon, but that 
of its enemies." President Lahoud received delegations of student 
and youth organizations, who came to offer congratulations on the 
anniversary of the Liberation of south Lebanon; he pointed to 
Syria's assistance to the Lebanese Army saying "Syria offered all 
facilities to Lebanon until we were able to reunite the army, 
during a period of 3 years; the Lebanese people can't forget the 
Syrian assistance." He renewed rejection of merger of the 
Lebanese national resistance with the Lebanese army, saying that 
this would not be in the interest of the country. 
 
Papers also reported a statement by SecGen of Hizbollah Hasan 
Nasrallah calling for a comprehensive national strategy in 
Lebanon to protect the country from Israeli aggression. "We have 
proposed a study to the Lebanese National Dialogue regarding a 
strategy to protect the country from Israeli aggression," 
Nasrallah said in a speech at the opening of "resistance culture 
exhibition" in Beirut, expressing readiness to discuss this 
strategy with all Lebanese. He reiterated that the Syrian Army 
fought along with the Lebanese against the Israeli occupation 
forces when they attacked Lebanon in 1982. He called on Lebanese 
parties to specify who is the enemy of Lebanon, saying, "if the 
conferees took for granted that Israel is the enemy of Lebanon, 
we would continue dialogue; but if some don't, then we are 
wasting time." 
 
Papers also featured a statement by Nabih Berri, Speaker of the 
Lebanese Parliament, criticizing UNSC resolution 1680 and 
describing it as defective. "This resolution adds nothing to UN 
Resolution 1559," Berri said in an interview published by the 
Lebanese newspaper As-Safir. The Lebanese Speaker wondered why 
UNSC Resolution 1680 never demanded that Israel withdraw from 
occupied Sheba'a Farms, saying "since the resolution is talking 
about Lebanon's sovereignty and independence why does it not even 
mention Israel and its continuous violations of Lebanon's 
airspace?" Berri warned against using Lebanon as a platform to 
judge and besiege Syria: "Actually I am afraid that some Lebanese 
factions are committed to an international agenda," he added. He 
underlined that in the Lebanese national dialogue most Lebanese 
understand that Syria represents a solution for several hard 
issues "Despite this, we find them going to far distant countries 
searching for a solution, instead of to Syria," he said. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"VP Shara discusses with Palestinian Minister of Interior Siam 
recent developments in the Palestinian arena and means to avoid 
civil strife" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 5/24) 
 
"Al-Ahmar concludes his visit to Minsk and Moscow, stressing the 
importance of Russia's role in the Middle East" (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 5/24) 
 
 
 
"Lahoud: Lebanon will never forget Syria's assistance. Berri 
reiterates warning against exploiting Lebanon against Syria. 
Nasrallah: Lebanon needs a strong government and a national and 
patriotic army. Criticism of UNSC 1680 continues: It reflects 
discrimination and double standards in international relations" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 5/24) 
 
"Hanieh undertakes to prevent a Palestinian civil war. Al-Zaha'ar 
commences an Asian tour. The US Congress ratifies a draft 
resolution to halt aid to Palestinians. Bush: Olmert's plan on 
unilateral withdrawal from the West Bank might be an important 
step" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/24) 
 
"Gilerman, Israeli Ambassador to the UN, describes John Bolton as 
a secret agent in the Israeli mission to the United Nations" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 5/24) 
 
"Amnesty International reveals Israeli and US crimes in Palestine 
and Iraq" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 5/24) 
 
"Eight nominees for the Iraqi Defense and Interior Ministers' 
positions. Washington and London discuss acceleration of 
withdrawal from Iraq" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 5/24) 
 
¶3.   Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
"The European Neighbor and Custody" 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (5/24): "The European position, as expressed in a 
statement by the EU presidency on 19 May, toward the detention 
of a number of Syrian intellectuals for signing the Beirut- 
Damascus Declaration on Syrian-Lebanese relations, is 
hypocritical.... How can the EU rise up in defense of human 
rights in Syria while it remains deadly silent toward Israeli 
terrorism against an entire people, forgets thousands of 
Palestinians jailed in the occupation's prisons, unjustly and in 
violation of international law and the Geneva agreements on 
human rights, turns a blind eye to Israeli killing, destruction, 
and racism, and, worse still, joins Israel in punishing the 
Palestinian people for their democratic choice.... 
 
"Why hasn't the EU ever used its influence, as a major power, to 
serve justice in our region? Why did it not dare to send a fact- 
finding mission to investigate the Jenin massacre, for 
example...? Europe is ignoring human rights violations in 
Guantanamo, Abu Ghurayb, and the secret American prisons on 
European territory.... The main concern of Europeans, 
particularly the influential counties in the EU, is apparently 
to please the United States and Israel...." 
 
---------------------- 
 
"The West Is One-Eyed" 
 
---------------------- 
 
Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(5/24): "We wonder How the United States gives itself the right 
to refer journalists to the judiciary if they reveal secrets on 
the Iraq war and yet denies the right of a sovereign country to 
question some of its citizens about their attempts to harm 
national unity and break the law. In this 'American era,' states 
have no right to exercise their sovereignty over their 
territory, protect their security and stability, and punish 
those who try to create sectarianism, encroach upon the law, and 
seek to harm national unity and stability." 
 
"We wonder how the civilized West volunteers to defend human 
rights in Syria while it does nothing for more than 9,000 
 
 
Palestinian prisoners in the jails of the occupation 
authorities. 
 
"We regret that the West, which is responsible for planting 
Israel in the heart of the Arab homeland, has turned into a 
factor of pressure on and threat to countries of the world. It 
is biased in favor of the forces of aggression and terrorism, 
reminding us of its colonialist past, for which it apparently 
yearns." 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
"Resolution 1680, a Blow to International Legitimacy" 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
Hamid Huran, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Ba'th, wrote 
(5/24):  "Security Council Resolution 1680 dealt a new blow to 
international legitimacy when it interfered in relations between 
two sovereign states....  International law is jeopardized 
because the powers of hegemony use it to serve their interests, 
ambitions, and plans to control the nations of the world.... 
 
"Thus, the vital powers of the world should realize the 
magnitude of the threat to world stability and security and call 
for stopping this violation through diplomacy and within the 
framework of the United Nations to prevent the adoption of 
suspicious resolutions...." 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Variables of the Israeli Role" 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Ali Qasim, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(5/24): "There are fearful signs that the American-Israeli 
summit in Washington will discuss not only Israeli Prime 
Minister Ehud Olmert's unilateral withdrawal plan, but also the 
regional roles that Israel will play to serve American 
interests, at a time when the US Administration is facing a 
crisis in Iraq and a showdown over the Iranian nuclear file. 
This feeling was strengthened by leaks from the neoconservative 
team about the essential mission of Israel's presence in the 
region.... There are US reports of a strategic relationship with 
new dimensions between Tel Aviv and Washington.... We wonder if 
this is going to be a strategic partnership to extend the 
American era, in which Israel has become the driving force, the 
implementer, and even the decision-maker.... Through this the 
United States would only be adding fuel to the fire...." 
 
JOHNSON-CASARES