VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #3805/01 2141340
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021340Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0741
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6153
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3997
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2539
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7193
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1182
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4568
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0787
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6926

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 003805 
 
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: Israel/Lebanon, Syria/Iran, 
Syria/China, Syria/Italy, Syria/Iraq (8/2) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers reported that President Asad and 
Chinese President Jintao exchanged letters of congratulation 
marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic 
relations between the two countries. President Asad expressed 
confidence that the relations of friendship and cooperation 
between Syria and China would improve consistently. The Chinese 
President praised the continuous development of bilateral 
relations between the two countries, which support their mutual 
interest in stability and development in the region and the 
world. 
 
Papers also reported the visit to Italy of Minister of 
Information Dr. Mohsen Bilal, who met a number of Italian 
dignitaries, to whom he explained Syria's points of view on 
solving the current crises in Lebanon and the Palestinian 
territories. Bilal reiterated the importance of rallying 
international efforts to revive the Middle East peace process on 
all tracks. Bilal met with Italian Senator and former Prime 
Minister Guilio Anderotti, Chairman of the Foreign Relations 
Committee in the Italian House Ranieri Umberto, and member of 
the Italian Parliament and Secretary General of the Italian 
Communist Party Oliviero Diliberto. The Italian figures 
denounced the Israeli massacre in Qana, and expressed worry over 
the prolongation of the war in Lebanon. They also confirmed that 
"Syria is playing a significant and pivotal role to establish 
just and comprehensive peace in the region."  Minister Bilal 
also met Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who pressed 
Italy's concern about developments in Lebanon and the region, as 
well as his country's efforts to find an urgent solution to end 
the current crisis. 
 
Papers also reported the visit to Syria by Mahmud Dawudal- 
Mashhadani, Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, who 
confirmed upon his arrival to Damascus that Iraq is an integral 
part of the Arab nation, interacting with it, sharing its 
concerns, defending its just causes, and always seeking to 
support it in crises and hardship and to confront the threats 
facing it. Al-Mashhadani said that he was visiting Syria because 
of the current situation in the region, especially the barbaric 
Israeli aggression on Lebanon and Israeli threats against Syria. 
He stressed that "Iraq's security is part of the region's 
security, which is an integrated whole. Iraq wants to remain in 
contact with its brothers and share common concerns."  "There is 
a hostile plan to tear Iraq apart and push it to the brink of 
civil war, in order to abort the accomplishments that the Iraqi 
resistance has made." Al-Mashhadani described the US presence in 
Iraq as temporary. He added: "We count on the Iraqi parliament to 
end the occupation and wrest back sovereignty, for the parliament 
represents the sentiments of the Iraqi people and must rise to 
the level of these sentiments so that Iraq and Syria will return 
to what they always were and restore the Arab nation's pride, 
strength, and intellectual, geographic, and security 
harmony. Iraq will not allow itself to serve as a base exporting 
harm to fraternal Syria."  Mahmud al-Abrash, Speaker of the 
People's Assembly, received Al-Mashhadani, saying that his visit 
to Syria "is a basic and important step in an expected historic 
transformation in the relations between the two sisterly 
countries." 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad reviews with Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki 
developments of the Israeli aggression and stresses solidarity 
with Lebanese steadfastness and the brave resistance" (Government- 
owned Tishreen, 8/2) 
 
"President Asad and Chinese President Jintao exchange letters of 
congratulation on the 50th anniversary of establishment of 
diplomatic relations between their countries, stressing 
continuing cooperation" (Government-owned Tishreen, 8/2) 
 
"Al-Mashhadani, Speaker of Iraqi Parliament, visits Damascus. Al- 
Abrash, Speaker of Syrian People's Assembly: Syria supports 
Iraq's territorial integrity." Al-Mashhadani: A plan to fragment 
 
Iraq and foil achievements of the resistance" (Government-owned 
Al-Thawra, 8/2) 
 
"Italian Prime Minister Prodi discusses with Information Minister 
Bilal means of tackling the crisis in Lebanon and the region. 
Prodi: Withdrawal from Sheba Farms is a prelude to withdrawal 
from the Golan" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 8/2) 
 
"Over 35 Israeli soldiers killed and wounded in clashes with the 
Lebanese resistance fighters in Aita al-Shaab. President Lahoud: 
Lebanon will not surrender. Foreign Minister Salloukh: We are 
coordinating with Syria." (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 8/2) 
 
"Qatar criticizes some Arab countries' support of the Israeli 
aggression against Lebanon" (Government-owned Tishreen, 8/2) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
--------------------------------------- 
 
"Yawning in front of Children's Bodies" 
 
--------------------------------------- 
 
Ali Qasim, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(8/2): "The grief the US secretary of State expressed over 
Israel's killing of civilians in the southern Lebanese village 
of Qana was nothing but evidence of US disdain for the 
sentiments of the peoples and countries of the world, as she 
could not bother to utter a word condemning the horrible Israeli 
crime after the American rejection of a cease-fire led to this 
new Israeli massacre.... 
 
"President Bush showed more disdain when he said that the 
Israeli crime was not a war crime.... The American position in 
the Security Council frustrated hopes for an immediate cease- 
fire.... 
 
"It is obvious that the American position, which conflicted with 
all international positions, without exception, is aimed at 
containing the effects that the Israeli crime has left on the 
world public and engaging in new efforts to use the aggression 
to achieve objectives that Israel failed to achieve 
militarily.... 
 
"The problem is that Arab inaction persists while Arab blood 
continues to flow and the United States continues to work for a 
new Middle East serving its own agenda...." 
 
------------------- 
 
"Dirty Conspiracy" 
 
------------------- 
 
Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owed Tishreen, wrote 
(8/2): "The international conspiracy against Lebanon and the 
Lebanese has been exposed.... Israel is given more time to score 
political achievements on the ground after it has failed to 
achieve anything militarily that could be used as a staging 
point for the New Middle East which Condoleezza Rice has 
promised.... 
 
"They want to crush Lebanon and set fire to what remains of its 
human and material components through a vicious civil war that 
will be followed by direct international intervention. The 
dispatch of international military forces will turn Lebanon into 
an occupied country robbed of its national will. It will turn 
Lebanon into a base for other attacks to extend hegemony in the 
region based on this new colonialist plan.... 
 
"One of the positive results of the war in Lebanon is that it 
has unified the Lebanese against the enemy of Lebanon and the 
nation.... Another positive result is that it has exposed the 
American policy and US claims about human rights, freedom, and 
democracy...." 
 
 
----------------------------- 
 
"A Massacre with US Cover" 
----------------------------- 
 
Bassam Radwan, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(8/2): "The whole world has seen the extent of American 
involvement in the Israeli aggression against Lebanon through 
the unlimited military, political, and material support for 
Israel.  But the war has not developed as Washington and Tel 
Aviv wanted.... The Lebanese national resistance, represented by 
Hizbollah, has demonstrated ability, resolve, courage, and 
discipline that exceed all the expectations of the 
aggressors.... 
 
"Israel's escape, thanks to US pressure, from punishment and 
international condemnation at the UN Security Council for its 
massacre in Qana is the most obvious image of US support for 
Israel and its full adoption of this war by reducing its cost 
for the Zionist entity.... 
 
".... Condoleezza Rice is returning to the region soon to bring 
the Israelis out of their crisis and the deadlock they have 
reached." 
 
Corbin