VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #3019/01 1721411
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211411Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9862
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6045
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3904
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2431
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7102
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1091
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4477
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0700
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6839

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 03019 
 
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: OIC Ministerial, Syria/Serbia, 
Lebanon, Iraq, Palestinian Territories (6/21) 
 
 
¶1. Summary: Syrian papers reported that FM Walid al-Moallem 
discussed with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul regional 
topics of joint concern and issues on the agenda of the 33rd 
session of OIC Foreign Ministers meeting held in Baku. During a 
meeting held on the margin of the OIC Ministerial, both 
ministers concentrated on bilateral relations between Syria and 
Turkey. FM Gul expressed his country's satisfaction with the 
current progress of Syrian-Turkish relations. In a meeting with 
Bahraini FM Khaled bin Mohammed al-Khaleifa, FM al-Moalem 
reviewed topics that were discussed during a meeting between 
President Asad and Bahraini King Hamad bin Issa al-Khaleifa 
recently in Damascus. The Foreign Minister also discussed with 
Iranian FM Manouchehr Mottaki issues on the agenda of the OIC 
Ministerial and issues that will be touched upon in the Iraq 
neighboring countries' meeting to be held in Tehran on July 8th. 
Al-Moallem also reviewed with Jordanian FM Abdulilah al-Khatib 
bilateral relations between Syria and Jordan in light of current 
preparations for the Syrian-Jordanian Joint Higher Committee in 
Damascus. 
 
 In an address before the Ministerial Conference of the OIC, Mr. 
al-Moallem said that since the events of September 11, the world 
has been witnessing a clear exploitation of these events in the 
service of U.S. interests and its policy of hegemony, under the 
pretext of fighting terrorism by linking it to Islam, without 
distinguishing between terrorism and the right of resisting 
occupation, as well as not tackling the true reasons of 
terrorism, which are poverty, negligence and occupation. He 
added that the U.S. wars on Iraq and Afghanistan and their 
repercussions on the Middle East have led to more tension and 
chaos in the region and deadlock in the peace process. He also 
reiterated Syria's support for the Iraqi people's aspirations to 
achieve national reconciliation through the conference of accord 
and reconciliation scheduled to be held in Baghdad soon, with 
the participation of all Iraqi political parties. He criticized 
international pressures on Iran due to its peaceful nuclear 
program, adding that "such pressure reiterates once again the 
unjust approach and double-standard policy pursued by Western 
circles, which dominate international resolutions on the issues 
of our region and are deliberately indifferent to the real 
dangers of the Israeli nuclear arsenal for the security and 
stability in the region."  Mr. al-Moallem expressed Syria's 
support of Iran's right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, 
and the right of the states of the region to guarantees in this 
regard, renewing Syria's demand to make the Middle East a region 
free of WMD. 
 
Papers also reported that Abdullah al-Ahmar, Assistant Secretary 
General of the al-Baath Arab Party, met with a delegation from 
the Serbian Radical party headed by its First Deputy leader, 
Tomslav Nicolic. Talks focused on the latest developments in the 
Middle East and the Balkans, pressures against Syria and 
policies of hegemony and intervention in the internal affairs of 
other countries. The two sides expressed identical points of 
view about these developments, stressing that a just and 
comprehensive peace cannot be established in the Middle East 
without total Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Arab 
territories, including the Syrian Golan, the Palestinian 
territories and Lebanese Shebaa Farms. Both sides also stressed 
that the war on Iraq and the occupation of the country have 
resulted in a state of chaos, insecurity and more suffering for 
the Iraqi people, stressing that ending the occupation and the 
success of the political process will help Iraqis build their 
own future and unity without foreign intervention. Mr. Nicolic 
stressed his Party's and people's solidarity with the struggle 
led by Syria to restore its land and rights in the Golan and to 
establish a just and comprehensive peace based on legitimate 
international resolutions. He also asserted his rejection of 
pressure on Syria, pointing out that this would not force Syria 
to abandon its main role in the region or its national rights 
and stances. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
 
"Al-Moallem addresses the OIC Conference: Syria is targeted 
because of its resistance of hegemony and foreign intervention. 
Moallem meets with Turkish FM Gul, Bahraini FM Khaled bin 
Mohammed al-Khaleifa, Iranian FM Mottaki and Jordanian FM Al- 
 
Khatib" (Government-owned Tishreen, 6/21) 
"Three Palestinian children victimized, 14 injured by a new 
Israeli aggression against Gaza. Israel plays down the Olmert- 
Abbas meeting in Jordan" (Government-owned Tishreen, 6/21) 
 
"Lebanese circles: The Mossad network, eradicated in Lebanon, is 
linked to all explosions in Lebanon" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
6/21) 
 
"Japan announces withdrawal of its forces from Iraq. Two plans by 
Democrats in the US Senate to reduce forces in Iraq" (Government- 
owned Al-Thawra, 6/21) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
---------------------------- 
 
"'Slanderers' Point of View" 
 
---------------------------- 
 
Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (6/21): "The discovery in Lebanon of a network linked 
to the Israeli Mossad is a very big and important achievement, 
as it has opened the eyes of the Lebanese to the conspiracy 
against their country.... 
 
"The majority of Lebanese have immediately determined, following 
the arrest of the Mossad agents, that Israel is Lebanon's number 
one enemy.... The majority of Lebanese realize quite well that 
Lebanon is targeted by direct aggression. Those who are trying 
to neutralize Lebanon in the conflict with the Israeli enemy 
adopt a logic that conflicts with the facts of history and 
geography and ignores the expansionist Zionist-American danger 
in the region." 
 
"A sincere national will and a defense strategy must be 
formulated on the basis of cooperation between the Lebanese Army 
and the resistance...." 
 
------------------------------------------ 
 
"Between the Gaza and Al-Haditha Massacres" 
 
------------------------------------------ 
 
Abd-al-Fattah al-Awad, chief editor of government-owned Al- 
Thawra, commented (6/21): "Israeli massacres in Gaza are 
paralleled by US massacres in Iraq.... 
 
"There is a competition between Israel and the United States for 
the more brutal role.... Israel commits its crimes with cover 
from other crimes committed by the United States in a nearby 
country.... The United States, which is used to making others 
wage wars on its behalf, has found itself now waging wars on 
behalf of others and for their sake, and, what is worse, against 
its own interests.... 
 
"Arabs are doing nothing because rejecting Israeli actions means 
rejecting US actions.... And few can reject US action these 
days....! 
 
"It cannot be claimed that Syria was intimidated by US threats. 
It was able to read the facts correctly, without fear, deception 
or recklessness.  At a time when Syria is being advised to 
change its principles due to new developments in the region and 
to read the new facts, Syria can now tell others to reconsider 
the new developments.... Syria takes pride in its positions and 
its correct reading of the situation." 
 
-------------------------- 
 
 
"When Mistakes Accumulate" 
 
-------------------------- 
 
Ali Qasim, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(6/21): "The European mechanism to deliver aid to the 
Palestinians stems not from a desire to alleviate the 
Palestinian suffering, but from recognition of the mistake, 
which has reached the level of sin, made when Europeans decided 
to punish the Palestinians because of their democratic 
choice.... 
 
"The EU mechanism, which was approved by the international 
quartet, does not necessarily mean Europeans and Americans have 
found solutions to the problem they created for themselves. It 
is, rather, an acknowledgement that the punitive position 
against Palestinians has cast its negative shadow on available 
options. 
 
"The entire European exercise is part of the frenzied effort to 
pressure the Palestinians and to use aid and mechanisms for its 
delivery as part of that pressure, through the creation of a 
rift in the Palestinian social reality.... Europeans and 
Americans will finally be forced to submit to the Palestinian 
people's choices and accept what they have accepted and 
chosen...." 
 
------------------------------------------- 
 
"The Pentagon and the Culture of Massacres" 
 
------------------------------------------- 
 
Salim Abbud, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(6/21): "Arrivals from Iraq stress that the criminal acts that 
the Marines have committed against Iraqis are actually more 
appalling than what the media outlets report from time to time. 
The occupation authorities impose a blackout on the media to 
hide these American crimes, which have become recurrent American 
conduct. All Iraqi cities, from Hadithah to Al-Fallujah, Al- 
Qa'im, Tall Afar, Al-Najaf, Samarra, Al-Ramadi, Basra, Kirkuk, 
and Mosul are scenes of crimes of killing and destruction that 
Rumsfeld's soldiers are committing. These repeated crimes leave 
victims among children, women, men, old people, and houses. They 
have surpassed all the crimes that Iraq has witnessed throughout 
its history and in all ages.... 
 
"The American military establishment embraces the culture of 
massacres, which is an old culture officially adopted by the 
Pentagon.... The majority of bombings against civilians in Iraq 
are the product of US intelligence and the Israeli Mossad...." 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
"Language of Force and Language of Dialogue" 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
Isam Dari, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(6/21): "Four years of US wars on terrorism have proved that 
force alone, no matter how mighty, cannot eliminate terror and 
achieve security and stability in the world. 
 
"The Bush administration could have used the sympathy of 
countries and peoples of the world after the 9/11 events to 
create an appropriate international climate to uproot 
terrorism.... 
 
"Dialogue could have produced positive results that the language 
of force cannot possibly produce.... But this is the only logic 
that the Bush administration adopts. The only language that this 
administration masters is the language of military force, 
intransigence, and arrogance. As a result, it is paying dearly 
with the United States' reputation and status...." 
 
----------------------------- 
 
"What Will Wash off US Sins?" 
----------------------------- 
Samir Abd-al-Rahman, a columnist in government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
wrote (6/21): "The American story about the suicide of three 
Guantanamo inmates appears closer to a big lie than to the 
truth. The aim of this lie is to cover up the violation of all 
international laws and conventions by U.S. prison authorities, 
who invent the worst and filthiest investigation methods, 
leading to the death of detainees under torture.... 
 
"US authorities might close down the Guantanamo prison, but what 
will wash off US sins and human rights violations in US 
detention camps at a time when the scandal of the CIA secret 
prisons is reverberating throughout Europe and in other parts of 
the world, and the scandals of Abu Ghurayb are revived every day 
by new images of American soldiers abusing inmates...?" 
 
 Seche