VZCZCXYZ0004
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #2669/01 1581422
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071422Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9467
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6009
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3869
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2392
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7075
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1060
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4448
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0671
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6812

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 002669 
 
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/Yemen, Syria/Cuba, 
Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Iraq, Iran (6/7) 
 
¶1.  Summary: Syrian papers reported Vice President Farouk al- 
Shara's two-day official visit to Yemen and his meeting with 
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah al-Saleh, conveying a message from 
President Asad on recent developments in the Arab and 
international arenas. Shara also met with Yemeni Vice President 
Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Shara told the press that his talks with 
Yemeni officials touched upon the situation in Iraq. He 
underlined that both sides stressed the importance of preserving 
Iraq's unity and sovereignty, pointing to the necessity of ending 
foreign occupation of its land. "We touched upon the Palestinian 
issue and expressed our hope that our Palestinian brothers will 
adopt dialogue as the principal basic for reaching an 
understanding," he said, calling upon Palestinians to unify ranks 
and end disagreements.  "All Arab and Islamic nations care about 
the Palestinian issue," he added. 
 
Papers also reported Deputy Foreign Minister Dr. Faysal Miqdad's 
tour of Latin America, starting from Havana, where he met with 
Marcos Rodriguez Costa, Cuban Foreign Minister. The ministers 
signed a Memorandum of Understanding on political 
consultation. Miqdad exchanged views with the Deputy Chairman of 
the National Association of Public Authority, and the Deputy 
Chairman of the International Relations Department at the 
Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party on issues of 
mutual interest and means of boosting the historical relations 
between the two countries. The Cuban side expressed appreciation 
for Syria's support of the Cuban people in the face of the 
American siege imposed on it for more than 40 years. They also 
expressed support for Syria's national stances regarding 
legitimate Arab issues. An official discussion session was held 
at the Cuban Foreign Ministry headquarters, headed by Dr. Miqdad 
and Rodriguez Costa, in which the Cuban side expressed support 
for Syria's right to restoration of the occupied Golan. The two 
sides expressed support for the Palestinian people in 
establishing their independent state, and asserted the necessity 
of maintaining Iraq's territorial integrity and sovereignty. 
They also discussed preparations for the Non-Aligned Movement 
summit in Cuba next September. 
 
Papers also reported the meeting of the Lebanese National 
Gathering in Beirut, which reiterated the importance of enhancing 
Syrian-Lebanese relations and activating prospects of cooperation 
by carrying out the agreements that have been signed between the 
two countries. In a statement to the press, the Lebanese 
Gathering asserted that the only way to make Syrian-Lebanese 
relations successful is by rejecting exploitation of Lebanon to 
accomplish American-Zionist schemes against the region. It said 
that "relations between the National Gathering and Syria are 
principled and based on fraternity, coordination and 
cooperation," rejecting foreign intervention in Lebanon's 
internal affairs. The statement reiterated support for the 
Lebanese national resistance in the face of Israeli aggression as 
the way to liberate the occupied Shabaa's Farms. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad sends a letter to Yemeni President on latest 
developments in the region and bilateral relations. 
Vice President Shara: Our talks with Yemeni senior officials were 
fruitful and useful. Speaker of Yemeni Parliament Sheikh Abdullah 
al-Ahmar lauds Syria's positions and expresses full solidarity 
with it in the face of foreign pressure" (Government-owned Al- 
Ba'th, 6/7) 
 
"Deputy FM Midad commences a tour of Latin America, starting in 
Havana, and signs a memorandum of understanding on political 
consultation between Syria and Cuba" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
6/7) 
 
"President Lahoud: The resistance is an honor to Lebanon and the 
source of its strength and stability" (Government-owned Syria 
Times, 6/7) 
 
"The Lebanese National Gathering reiterates the importance of 
 
fostering Syrian-Lebanese relations and calls for forming a 
national unity government and establishing a new election law" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 6/7) 
"Arab efforts to solve the Palestinian crisis. Abbas pushes 
towards a referendum. Hamas insists on dialogue" (Government- 
owned Al-Ba'th, 6/7) 
 
"A US soldier killed in Baghdad, a Danish soldier killed in 
Basra. Controversy over nominees for security portfolios 
continues" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 6/7) 
 
"Solana delivers Western proposals to end Iran's nuclear crisis: 
Iran needs time to consider proposals" (Government-owned 
Tisrheen, 6/7) 
 
"Beijing rejects US claims: Iran does not support terrorism" 
(Government-owned Terrorism" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 6/7) 
 
¶3. Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
------------------------------------------- 
 
"America: Syria is Trafficking in Humans?!" 
 
------------------------------------------- 
 
Asaad Abboud, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra 
stated (6/7): "The U.S. State Department report on human 
trafficking placed Syria in the third and lowest tier along with, 
of course, Iran. The same report listed Syria last year in the 
second tier. So the shift between last year and this year is an 
indicator of the development of American policy and the U.S. 
political stand towards Syria. 
 
"I don't think there is a visitor in the whole world, including 
Americans who have visited Syria and stayed for a few days or 
longer, who does not know the illogicality of what was stated in 
the Department of State report.  It is far removed from the 
truth, and I think that every American who has known Syria, 
including members of the diplomatic corps and American Embassy 
personnel, know that it is fabrication that is drenched in sin up 
to the neck.... 
 
"America is trying to strike all principles of human rights in 
the world by distorting the situations of human beings and states 
to subjugate them to political inclinations. Just recently the 
Pentagon dared to infringe the Geneva Convention on POWs, so it 
withdrew from a provision in the Geneva Convention to exempt US 
forces from their hideous acts. 
 
"As for us, let us be cautious; the issue is not a game. They are 
intending to hit us in our best preserved treasure: social and 
moral security." 
 
----------------------- 
 
"A US Lesson in Ethics" 
 
----------------------- 
 
Abd-al-Fattah al-Awad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al- 
Thawra, said (6/7): "The instruments that 'they' [the enemies] 
use to realize their objectives include: spreading instability, 
igniting endless wars, recruiting agents and collaborators, 
forming death squads, and imposing sanctions and punishments 
through the Security Council.... 
 
"These are their instruments, and they have frequently used and 
tested them. But what has the result been? One failure after 
another, and decisive proof that these instrument are not fit 
for use in Syria.... 
 
"Syria's instruments, on the other hand, are: adherence to 
rights, insistence on reforms, and devotion to strong national 
unity not influenced by a few individuals staying in London, 
 
Paris, and Washington hotels. 
 
"Our instruments have always been effective, while theirs have 
always failed. The current results show a decline of the 
American plan, and the use of worn-out political tools 
REFERENCE to Syrian opposition figures who met recently in 
London] shows a kind of bankruptcy." [Referring to a US 
announcement that Americans will give their soldiers in Iraq 
lessons in ethics and human values, Awad said]: "We think it is 
appropriate to get their tools who met in London to attend these 
lessons. Ethics will be of a high level when taught to the 
occupier and its cheap tools. Then we might achieve the 
difficult equation of 'ethical occupation' or the even more 
difficult equation of 'ethical traitor'." 
 
--------------------------- 
 
"Let's Beware a Conspiracy" 
 
--------------------------- 
 
Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (6/7): "Palestinians must be alert to the Israeli- 
American ploy that seeks to create internal strife in the 
Palestinian territories. It has become imperative that 
Palestinians consolidate their national unity and confront 
Israel's attempts to implement Judaization plans and impose new 
occupational facts on the ground under the pretext that there is 
no Palestinian partner in the peace process.... 
 
"The Israeli enemy, which has failed to subjugate the 
Palestinian people, is working, in collusion with the current US 
Administration, on two things: imposing a siege and creating 
sedition in the Palestinian territories. In this, it takes 
advantage of any tension among the Palestinians.... 
 
"The tragic situation, resulting from the siege and the cut of 
aid to the Palestinian people upon American orders and Israeli 
demands, is not the responsibility of the Palestinian government 
or any other Palestinian faction. 
 
"Israel has never been serious in the peace process with the 
Palestinians...." 
 
---------------------------- 
 
"No Alternative to Dialogue" 
 
---------------------------- 
 
Ibrahim Shuqayr, a commentator in government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
wrote (6/7): "We regret that the Palestinian national dialogue 
has shown deep differences among the factions at a time when 
Israel is imposing economic siege, starvation, and collective 
punishment against the Palestinian people to bring them to their 
knees and force them to abandon their national principles and 
historical rights. 
 
"The Palestinian prisoners' document was meant as a basis for 
dialogue, not as a tool to divide the Palestinians.... What is 
surprising is that the document, in and of itself, became an end 
before the conclusion of the dialogue sessions.... We have high 
respect for the prisoners' document, which contained positive 
points and won approval. There are issues [in the document] on 
which there is national unanimity, but there are other strategic 
issues, such as the refugees, the land, and international 
legitimacy, that must be discussed.... 
 
"The proposed referendum on the prisoners' document entails many 
risks.... For example, if the document is rejected in the 
referendum, what will be the fate of the PA Presidency if it 
holds negotiations with Israel? And if the document is approved, 
what will be the fate of the Palestinian democratic option and 
the resistance option, especially since Olmert threatens every 
day that he will implement the unilateral disengagement plan, 
complete the construction of the racial segregation wall, annex 
 
the major settlement blocks, draw Israel's final borders, and 
distance the Palestinian partner....? 
 
"Dialogue is the only option the Palestinians have...." 
 
Seche