VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #2554/01 1551243
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 041243Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9336
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5998
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3859
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2376
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7065
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1044
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4438
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0661
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6802

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 002554 
 
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, Syria/China, 
Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Iraq, Iran (6/2-4) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary: Government-owned Tishreen, the only paper to appear 
on Saturday, featured an Interior Ministry statement reporting 
the clash that took place Friday morning between an anti-terror 
unit and a terrorist extremist group near 
Omayyad Square in 
Damascus. The statement said that the clash resulted in the 
killing of four terrorists, the wounding of two others, and the 
arrest of four. It also resulted in the killing of a member of 
the anti-terror unit and the injury of two others. The statement 
mentioned that ten US guns were confiscated from the group, with 
ammunition and other arms, in addition to locally made explosives 
and tape recordings, including religious sermons. The statement 
noted that "arms were supplied to the group by a neighboring 
country to stage sabotage acts aimed at vital targets and 
national interests." The statement also underlined that the 
arrested terrorists would be sent to a specialized court after 
completing the investigation. 
 
Papers also reported a statement by Foreign Minister Walid al- 
Mouallem describing his visit to China as "fruitful and 
constructive," adding that the two sides have agreed to continue 
political deliberations concerning regional and international 
issues. On the Iranian nuclear file, Mouallem said that Iran is 
not the cause of chaos in the Middle East. Rather, it is Israel, 
because Israel has occupied Arab lands in Syria, Palestine, and 
Lebanon since 1967. Mouallem added that Iranians have repeatedly 
asserted that their nuclear program is peaceful and that their 
installations are monitored by the International Atomic Energy 
Agency, while the Israeli nuclear program is not. He stressed 
that Syria calls for finding a diplomatic solution for the 
Iranian nuclear program through dialogue and that it strongly 
rejects the use of force against Iran, which would destabilize 
the entire region. In this regard, Mouallom also announced 
Syria's support of the Chinese position at the UN Security 
Council when this issue was discussed. On US policy in the 
region, Al-Mouallem said that when the US began the war against 
Iraq three years ago, it removed the peace process from its 
priorities and manifested unlimited support for Israel in the 
economic, military, and political fields at the expense of the 
Arabs' rights, and that it has continued the occupation of Iraq. 
Therefore, the popularity of this administration is extremely low 
in the Arab world. Moreover, the US policy toward the Middle East 
is utterly rejected. Mouallem said that developing countries 
reject the domination that the US is trying to impose on the 
region. He urged Washington to opt for dialogue, because it is 
the civilized tool to bridge gaps and reach a better 
understanding of the problems and issues of developing countries, 
particularly the Arab countries. Mouallem added that he asks 
Americans why Syria has good relations with big countries, such 
as China, and does not have good relations with one big country, 
the United States. Mouallem said that the answer is very simple: 
China understands the problems of the developing countries and 
does not try to dominate them. Instead, it tries to help and 
cooperate with these countries through balanced economic 
relations. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"An anti-terror unit clashes with a terrorist group. One element 
of the unit martyred, four of the terrorist group killed, other 
terrorists arrested. Confiscation of US made guns from the group 
with their ammunition in addition to locally made explosives. 
Terrorists got arms from a neighboring country to stage sabotage 
acts targeting vital targets and national interests" (Government- 
owned Tishreen, 6/3) 
 
"Foreign Minister al-Mouallem describes his visit to China as 
fruitful and constructive. The 'land for peace' principle is the 
best option. The Syrian people insist on restoration of the 
occupied Syrian Golan. Al-Mouallem: The policy of hegemony will 
not be useful.... We call upon Washington for dialogue, as a 
civilized option" (Government-owned Tishreen, 6/3) 
 
"Foreign Minister Mouallem addresses the Arab-Chinese Cooperation 
Forum: We share with China the same position on UN reform. The 
 
final communique of the Arab-Chinese Forum calls for enhancing 
dialogue, boosting peace, increasing the volume of trade and 
expanding investments" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 6/2) 
"Extensive Lebanese protest against L 
BC TV Program that mocked 
Leader of the Lebanese National Resistance, Hasan Nasrallah. A 
big mass rally in Tripoli commemorates the anniversary of Rashid 
Karami's martyrdom. Lebanese Ex-Premier al-Hoss: We will not give 
up Karami's blood. Former Lebanese Minister Franjieh: Why are 
killers to be pardoned? Former Lebanese Premier Omar Karami: We 
reject the use of Lebanon as fuel for the US-Israeli project" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 6/3) 
 
"A Russian diplomat killed, four others kidnapped in Baghdad. 
More than 100 Iraqis killed or injured in attacks in Basra and 
Baqouba" (Government-owned Tishreen, 6/4) 
 
"Israeli Occupation troops wound ten demonstrating against 
separation wall. Palestinian Prime Minister Hanieh: We will not 
retreat from our positions. Others will retreat. We have 
reservations on the prisoners document" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 6/3) 
 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
------------------------------- 
 
"The message has been received" 
 
------------------------------- 
 
Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(6/3): "This is not the first time terrorist groups have 
operated in Syria to destabilize our country and tamper with its 
security and safety. For many years there have been desperate 
attempts to realize this evil objective. Syria has witnessed 
terrorist activity that has harmed all groups of the society 
without exception. 
 
"And this is not the first time terrorism and its tools have 
been exported from neighboring countries that are supposed to 
support Syria in its confrontation of terrorism, first, and of 
the American and Zionist plans, second. 
 
"But this is perhaps the first time that American-made weapons 
have been seized. These weapons are not used in Syria, and it is 
the first time we have heard about them. It is as if the aim is 
to send an urgent message to the Syrian leadership and people 
telling them to realize the gravity of their continuing 
confrontation of the hostile plans against Syria and the Arab 
nation. 
 
"Some time ago we heard successive fiery statements from known 
figures in neighboring countries threatening to transfer suicide 
and terrorist operations [from Iraq] to Syria. Was yesterday's 
incident in the heart of Damascus a translation of those America- 
Israeli threats that were uttered in Arabic? 
 
"We will not be surprised by such terrorist operations. Nor will 
we ask about the reasons that drove superpowers to export terror 
to Syria through some of their followers in neighboring 
countries. The issue is crystal clear, and targeting Syria was, 
and still is, an official policy of the current US 
Administration, the leaders of Tel Aviv, and a few weak-willed 
people who have sold themselves to the devil in return for a 
handful of dollars and temporary posts.... 
 
"The message has been received. Syria has read it carefully. But 
the fact remains: such terrorist operations, pressures, 
resolutions, and laws that seek to bring Syria to its knees and 
force it to change its policies and positions will not succeed 
no matter how skilled the enemies of Syria and the Arabs may be 
at designing conspiracies and exporting terrorism. Our domestic 
front is solid -- this is how it was, and this is how it will 
always remain." 
 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
"The Magic Turns Against the Magician" 
-------------------------------------- 
 
Ahmad Hamadah, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
commented (6/2): "The new law proposed by British Prime Minister 
Tony Blair to sentence to life imprisonment those who refuse to 
participate in the war on Iraq, which, it has been revealed, is 
being debated by the British House of Commons, is generating 
much debate among British people of all persuasions and raising 
many questions and queries. 
 
"Blair's call for such a law came after the phenomenon of 
desertions from the British occupation forces in Iraq 
worsened.... 
 
"Perhaps the most important question that must be asked is: Why 
has the number of desertions from the British and American 
armies risen to such levels, which are alarming to the military 
commanders and even to the British and American administrations? 
 
"Does the reason not lie in the fact that these deserters are 
convinced that they were pushed, against their will, into an 
illegal war after Blair and Bush deluded them into thinking that 
the war was fair and legitimate? 
 
"Does the other reason not lie in the fact that these soldiers 
now realize that the American-British invasion of Iraq was not a 
picnic, as the leaders of the White House tried to portray it to 
them, that the losses that the two occupation forces suffer 
daily are clear before their own eyes, and that they are fully 
convinced that they are unable to confront the resistance they 
are facing? 
 
"Bush and Blair thought of oil and hegemony over the region. 
They did not know that they would be burned by the fires of the 
oil and lost in the entire region. They failed to subjugate the 
Iraqi people or break their will. Their tricks backfired, and 
here are the Army desertion figures exposing their failure and 
political crisis, which will get worse every day until the day 
of the major withdrawal comes." 
 
------------------------------------ 
 
"Ethical Measures for Unethical War" 
 
------------------------------------ 
 
Hanan Hamad, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(6/3): "The Hadithah massacre in Iraq is not the first scandal in 
the history of the American occupation of Iraq and will not be 
the last.... 
 
"Remarks have been made by US military commanders that orders 
were given to train soldiers on war values and the strict rules 
of engagement until these values become part of the character of 
the American fighter, who traveled thousands of miles to invade 
Iraq based on falsehoods and misleading justifications that have 
become publicly exposed.... 
 
"The massacres and the killing of civilians are expected to 
continue in what can be unreservedly described as war crimes.... 
Investigations of the Hadithah incidents must uncover the role of 
the higher leaders in covering up the crime...." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
"What Comes after Iran's Persistence in Enriching Uranium?" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
Ahmad Sawwan, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, said 
(6/3): "The American offer for direct talks with Iran is a new 
 
US trick aimed at taming or softening the Iranian position 
toward all the issues of the region.... 
 
"We believe that the US proposal is not a pure American policy 
but an Israeli arrangement that the administration of President 
Bush agreed to implement and declare to serve Israel and protect 
its occupation and security.... 
 
"Iran knows Washington's objectives quite well and this is why 
it rushed to reject the American offer...." 
 
Seche