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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #2424/01 1491218
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O 291218Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9183
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5984
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3846
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2360
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7052
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1023
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4425
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0648
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6789

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 002424 
 
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/UAE, Syria/UK, South 
Lebanon, Iraq, Palestinian Territories (5/26-29) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary: Syrian papers reported the visit of Vice President 
Shara to the United Arab Emirates and his meeting with Sheikh 
Hamdan bin Zayed Al-Nhayan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister, which 
focused on recent developments in the region and bilateral 
relations. 
Papers also reported the visit to Damascus of Richard Spring, 
Member of the British House of Commons and Member of the 
Administrative Board of the British-Syrian Association. Headlines 
reported Mr. Spring's meetings with Prime Minister Ottri, which 
tackled bilateral relations and the role of the British-Syrian 
Association in enhancing bilateral relations. During the meeting, 
Prime Minister Ottri underlined Syria's desire for a just and 
comprehensive peace in accordance with the land-for-peace formula 
and the related international resolutions. For his part, MP 
Spring said he appreciated Syria's position and active role to 
establish security and stability in the region. MP Spring also 
held talks with FM Mouallem, focusing on developments in Iraq, 
and Minister of information Dr. Mohsen Bilal, focusing on means 
of developing cooperation between Britain and Syria in all 
fields. 
 
Papers also reported the Israeli assault against south Lebanon 
and featured a statement by President Lahoud stressing that "the 
Israeli aggression against Lebanon is an attempt to undermine 
security and stability in Lebanon; they want to bring us back to 
the atmosphere of insecurity in Lebanon." President Lahoud said, 
"the latest developments in Lebanon, starting from the 
assassination of Mahmoud Majzoub to the latest Israeli aggression 
against Lebanon, require full awareness and vigilance from all 
Lebanese parties. We should not let Israel realize its aggressive 
goals against us." Meanwhile, Speaker of the Lebanese parliament 
Nabih Berri said that "Israel is the real enemy of Lebanon, the 
Arab nation and all of humanity."  He said that "Israel's 
aggressive plots can be faced by sticking to resistance and 
enhancing Lebanon's ties with the Arab countries, particularly 
Syria." 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"Vice-President Shara discusses latest developments in the region 
with His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al-Nhayan, UAE Deputy 
Prime Minister" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 5/29) 
 
"Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Meqdad arrives in Kuala Lumpur 
heading an official delegation to represent Syria at the 
ministerial conference of the Non-Aligned Movement" (Government- 
owned Tishreen, 5/29) 
 
"Prime Minister Mohammed Ottri discusses cooperation ties between 
Syria and the United Kingdom with Richard Spring, Member of the 
British House of Commons and Member of the Administrative Board 
of the British-Syrian Association. Mr. Spring: Syria has an 
active role in establishing security and stability in the region" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 5/29) 
 
"Foreign Minister Walid Al-Mou'allem holds talks in Beijing on 
latest developments in the region" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
5/29) 
 
"Minister of Information Dr. Mohsen Bilal discusses with a 
delegation of the British-Syrian Association means of further 
developing cooperation between Britain and Syria in all fields. 
Bilal stresses that Syria has no problem with any country in the 
world, adding that Israeli occupation of Arab lands is the reason 
behind all the problems" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 5/28) 
 
"Two Lebanese martyred, 6 wounded in an Israeli aggression 
against south Lebanon and Bekaa. The Lebanese resistance responds 
by a missile shelling, killing one Israeli soldier and injuring 
several others. Olmert unleashes threats" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 5/29) 
 
"Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese commemorate the anniversary of 
 
liberating south Lebanon. Nasrallah Hizbollah SecGen thanks 
Syria by saying: The day of liberation is written in blood; no 
one can erase it.... Resorting to the UNSC and superpowers 
complicates matters in Lebanon. Berri Lebanese Speaker: 
Aggravating tension with Syria contradicts our interests" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 5/26) 
 
"Extensive Lebanese denunciation of the government cancellation 
of the Liberation Day holiday. Calls for maintaining resistance 
and enhancing relations with Syria" (Government-owned Tishreen, 
5/27) 
 
"The Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) in Lebanon: UNSC 
Resolution 1680 is a dangerous precedent that violates 
sovereignty of countries" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/29) 
 
"A US helicopter crashes in al-Anbar. Italy reduces its forces as 
a prelude to withdrawal from Iraq" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
5/28) 
 
"Leader of the Islamic Jihad movement is assassinated in Sidon. 
Israeli fingerprints on the crime" (Government-owned Tishreen, 
5/27) 
 
"Hamas approves 90% of the prisoners' initiative and dismantles 
interior force. At least 4 martyrs in the Israeli bombardment of 
Beit Lahia" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/27) 
 
"Bush and Blair acknowledge mistakes in Iraq and reject 
scheduling pullout. Scores of Iraqis killed and injured in 
blasts, shootings in Baghdad" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/27) 
 
"Sessions of the Palestinian dialogue kick off. Hamas: The 
Palestinian people will not make concessions" (Government-owned 
Al-Thawra, 5/26) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
------------------------- 
 
"Why Did They Disappear?" 
 
------------------------- 
 
Ezzeddin Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (5/28): "Those Lebanese who say that Syria, not Israel, is 
Lebanon's enemy have remained silent about the assassination of 
the Islamic Jihad official in Sidon, southern Lebanon, so as to 
avoid talking about Lebanon's real enemy, Israel.... 
 
"These Lebanese are Israeli tools.... While Israel violates 
Lebanese sovereignty around the clock, these Lebanese see no 
problem, and indeed call for disarming the resistance.... This 
is not the first time that Israel has carried out an 
assassination in Lebanon.... Every nationalist Lebanese figure 
is a target for Israel, and every balanced Lebanese position is 
a target for Israel.... 
 
"What happened in Sidon two days ago calls for full vigilance 
and high alert. It requires that honorable Lebanese do 
everything in their capacity to defend the national resistance 
and denounce the discordant voices that call for disarming it. 
Resistance means power and national sovereignty. It means defeat 
for Israel, for its plans against Lebanon, and for those who 
mortgage themselves to Israel's will in Lebanon, those who 
claim, contrary to history and geography, that Syria, not 
Israel, is Lebanon's enemy." 
 
------------------------------ 
 
"Confessions Are Insufficient" 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Ali Nasrallah, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (5/28):  "US President George Bush and British Prime 
 
Minister Tony Blair have acknowledged that they made mistakes in 
Iraq.... The two leaders made the admission while they are in 
their worst shape, as if they are asking for forgiveness and 
hoping that their popularity rating, which dropped to 
unprecedented lows, might improve.... 
 
"Blair these days is looking for anything that will save him 
from a political fall and a resounding defeat and help him 
regain his lost popularity.... 
 
"Admitting to making mistakes in the war, whether under the 
pressure of politics or out of a genuine conviction, is 
insufficient to improve the image of Bush and Blair and their 
countries. If they really want reconciliation with themselves 
and with the international community, then the natural 
introduction is to withdraw immediately from Iraq, apologize to 
the country, compensate Iraq and the Iraqis, stop interfering in 
the affairs of sovereign states, and abide by international law 
and the UN Charter. Otherwise, a fate similar to the fate of 
Aznar and Berlusconi awaits Bush and Blair." 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
"No Alternative for the Palestinian National Dialogue" 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
Muhammad al-Khadr, a commentator in government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
commented (5/28): "Palestinians have no option other than 
national dialogue. Remaining differences will be natural as long 
as everyone agrees on the need to preserve national unity and 
maintain the resistance as long as the occupation continues.... 
 
"The challenge that Palestinians are currently facing, which 
calls for an expanded domestic dialogue, is not linked to the 
rivalry between Fatah and HAMAS after the latter's victory in 
the legislative elections. Rather, the challenge proceeds from a 
plan, on which countries and intelligence agencies are 
constantly working, to place various obstacles in the way of the 
elected Palestinian government, from economic siege and the 
attempt to create a gulf between the Palestinians and their 
elected government to the fabrication of infighting. Therefore, 
the dialogue must produce clear results reaffirming Palestinian 
national principles for the sake of which Palestinians have 
offered thousands of martyrs...." 
 
------------------------------ 
 
"Alliance of the Axis of Evil" 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(5/27): "Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and British Prime 
Minister Tony Blair have visited Washington recently.... 
President Bush made pathetic and miserable statements during the 
press conferences following his meetings with his strongest two 
allies.... 
 
"Olmert obtained full American support for Israel and a 
Congressional decision legitimizing the killing of Palestinians 
through siege and starvation.... President Bush particularly 
underlined the Jewish state and announced beyond any doubt that 
he is an active preacher for Zionism.... This came as no 
surprise, because Bush's conduct and policies prove this fact 
and reveal the reasons behind his wars on the Arab and Islamic 
nations, wars that he has described as crusades.... 
 
"As for the visit of British PM Blair, Bush's partner in the 
aggression on Iraq and the Arab nation, Blair and Bush decided 
to continue the occupation of Iraq and to level threats against 
Iran.... 
 
"What concerns us in the two visits and the two press 
conferences is that the governments of Bush, Blair, and Olmert 
send fiery messages to Arabs and Muslims, showing more loyalty 
 
to international Zionism and Israel than to the domestic and 
national interests of the United States and Great Britain, and 
glorifying wars, killing, bloodshed, and terrorism. People 
already knew this, but they still needed additional proof that 
this vicious trio is hostile and that the extremist rightist 
fundamentalist ideologies have the same objectives against 
humanity. This being the case, don't we have the right to call 
this trio 'the alliance of the axis of evil'?" 
 
Seche