VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #3899/01 2210744
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 090744Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0854
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6164
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4008
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2559
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7202
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1194
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4577
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0796
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6935

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 003899 
 
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/Lebanon, Syria/Greece, 
Syria/China, Israeli Operation in Lebanon, Palestinian 
Territories (8/8) 
 
¶1.  Summary: Syrian papers reported that President Asad called 
Lebanese President Lahoud on August 8 to discuss the French- 
American draft UNSC resolution and the international positions 
on it. Both presidents stressed that any formula must have 
unanimous Lebanese support. During the conversation, President 
Asad pointed out that some powers are seeking to create 
circumstances that will allow Israel to achieve politically what 
it has failed to achieve militarily. 
 
President Asad also received a phone call from the President of 
the Greek Socialist Party, George Papandreou. They discussed the 
latest developments in the Israeli aggression against Lebanon 
and the role Europe can play to end it. President Asad renewed 
Syria's full support to all that the Lebanese agree upon. 
 
Papers reported that President Asad received a delegation from 
the Egyptian Popular Movement. The president gave a detailed 
1explanation of current political developments, the dimensions of 
the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, and the plans that threaten 
the existence and identity of the Arab nation. He stressed that 
Syria has always been eager to safeguard the Arab nation, and 
that it proceeds, in its policies and positions, from its belief 
in the common fate of the one Arab nation. He stressed the 
importance of entrenching pan-Arab thought among all sectors of 
Arab society and confronting the false representations about the 
nation. President Asad said the current situation has proven 
that resistance is the only way to regain rights. 
 
Papers also reported that VP Shara received Sun Bigan, Special 
Chinese Envoy to the Middle East, with whom he discussed the 
tense situation in the region as well as the ongoing 
consultations at the UN Security Council. VP Shara stressed the 
importance of China's role as a permanent member of the Security 
Council and urged it not to allow some powers to impose their 
will on the Council in the service of their policies of 
domination of the Middle East at the expense of the interests of 
the region's countries and peoples. For his part, the Chinese 
envoy emphasized his country's support for just Arab causes, 
stressing that establishing a just and comprehensive peace is 
the only means to achieve stability in the Middle East. Bigan 
stated in a press conference in Damascus that his government 
"has a special vision comprising a number of points, most 
importantly the immediate cessation of all military operations 
to achieve an immediate ceasefire." He stressed the importance 
of outlining a political framework to settle the Lebanese- 
Israeli conflict and achieve stability in the region, saying 
"the UN Security Council should listen to the Arab countries' 
stances and visions during its debates." He underlined the 
necessity of reviving the peace process in the region soon, 
referring to his country's keenness to achieve a just and 
comprehensive peace in the region based on relevant 
international resolutions and the Land-for-Peace formula. Mr. 
Bigan called on the international community to exert greater 
 
efforts to establish a fair international system, stressing his 
country's rejection of the policy of hegemony and power in 
international relations. 
 
Papers also reported that FM Mouallem hailed the Lebanese 
national resistance, and reiterated the importance of Arab 
support for it after 28 days of crushing war and continuous 
Israeli aggression on Lebanon. In remarks at the extraordinary 
Arab foreign ministers' meeting in Beirut, Mouallem addressed 
Lebanese PM al-Saniora saying: "You are strong as head of the 
Lebanese Government, thanks to the Lebanese national resistance, 
its steadfastness, and the military defeat it has inflicted on 
Israel. Do not fear that the Security Council will impose a 
resolution on Lebanon that the Lebanese do not accept. He warned 
against the danger of the Security Council imposing a resolution 
on Lebanon and holding it responsible for the negative 
repercussions of such a resolution without taking Lebanon's 
demands into consideration. He stressed that Israel must not be 
allowed to make political gains in the name of the Security 
Council at the expense of Lebanon, when the Israeli aggression 
failed to achieve such gains militarily." 
 
 
Papers also reported that the Syrian People's Assembly condemned 
Israel's abduction of Aziz Duwaik, Speaker of the Palestinian 
Legislative Council, describing it as an Israeli act of piracy 
and state terrorism against the Palestinian people. 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad discuses developments of the Israeli aggression 
against Lebanon in phone calls with President Lahoud and 
President of the Greek Socialist Party Papandreou. The President 
receives an Egyptian delegation: Resistance is the only way to 
restore rights, any formula for solution must represent Lebanese 
consensus. VP Shara discusses the tense situation in the region 
with the Special Chinese Envoy, reiterating the importance of not 
allowing some powers to impose their will on the UN Security 
Council" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 8/8) 
 
"In Beirut, FM Mouallem praises the brave Lebanese resistance. An 
Arab delegation to New York to explain Lebanon's demands" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 8/8) 
 
"25 Israeli soldiers and settlers killed or injured, three 
vehicles and two tanks demolished, by the Lebanese national 
resistance" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 8/8) 
 
"The People's Assembly condemns Israel's abduction of Aziz 
Duwaik, Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 8/8) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
"Responsibility for International Impotence" 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
Muhammad Khair al-Jammali, an editorialist in government-owned 
Al-Thawra, wrote (8/8): "The United Nations has never shown 
flagrant impotence toward a regional or international crisis 
similar to what it is showing now toward the Israeli aggression 
against Lebanon. 
 
"For over 24 days the Security Council has failed to adopt a 
just resolution putting an end to the explosive crisis, 
identifying the party responsible for it, and opening an 
international investigation into the crimes that Israel has 
committed against the Lebanese people during its aggression. 
 
"The United States is to blame for this failure.... Washington 
is adopting Israeli conditions and working to deploy an 
international force in south Lebanon for two reasons:  to 
provide international protection for Israel, although it is the 
aggressor state, and to internationalize the conflict in the 
region.... 
 
"The United States would not have been able to play this role 
had it not been for the naked collusion with the aggression by 
some Arabs, who agreed to serve as Washington's agents and 
partners in the implementation of the new Middle East plan. But 
what matters is the certain victory that the resistance has 
achieved.... This victory will be the decisive factor in 
rejecting any Security Council resolution that fails to ensure 
the rights of the Lebanese people, primarily the liberation of 
the Shebaa Farms, a swap of prisoners, and an investigation into 
the Israeli war crimes...." 
 
---------------------------- 
 
"What Is Really Regrettable" 
 
---------------------------- 
 
 
Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned 
Tishreen, said (8/8) "The United States and France worked 
together at the UN Security Council to serve Israel's interests 
without heeding Lebanon's interests.... 
"The international community was ultimately conquered by the 
French-American will, which is an Israeli will par excellence, 
as Lebanese sources announced.... It is regrettable that the 
official Arab order, or some of its parties, is closer to 
Israeli positions than to Lebanese positions.... 
 
"The US support and cover for Israel is nothing new.  The French 
have come noticeably closer to Israel in an unprecedented way, 
despite their claim that they care about Lebanon.... As for the 
Lebanese national resistance, it has proven correct, as it has 
always relied on itself, the battlefield, and sacrifice.... 
 
"The American draft resolution seeks, among other things, to 
confiscate the field victory that the Lebanese resistance has 
scored and reward Israel for the war crimes it has committed in 
Lebanon...." 
 
 
 
"Lebanese Politicians Serving the CIA and the Mosad" 
------------------------------------------ 
 
An unsigned editorial in government-owned Al-Ba'th on (8/8) 
reads: "Some Lebanese politicians do not want to rise to the 
level of the difficult situation their country is facing.... 
Those politicians, who recently presented an award to John 
Bolton and found in the corridors of the CIA and the Pentagon 
open ears and plans, are today searching for roles in line with 
the positions they accepted for themselves when they placed 
themselves at the service of the American-Israeli plan against 
the region, including Lebanon. 
 
"These politicians who, in harmony with the Israelis, leveled 
accusations against Syria, saying that Damascus is trying to 
return to Lebanon, still prefer to target Syria and the 
resistance whenever they receive signals or clear instructions 
from the embassies that sponsore them, and they have embraced 
their plan, which is facing complete failure as the resistance 
shines and scores major victories in south Lebanon despite 
Israel's targeting of its civilians and its infrastructure.... 
"Those politicians have begun to revise their malicious plans, 
alarmed by the legendary steadfastness of the resistance, 
supported by the forces of opposition and steadfastness, 
represented by Syria.... 
 
"Syria, which has paid dearly for the sake of Lebanon, will 
continue to support Lebanon with everything in its power, 
despite pressures and threats.... 
 
"There are reports that Samir Ja'ja, leader of the Lebanese 
Forces party, is now receiving direct support from the Mosad and 
the CIA to incite violence and unrest among the displaced 
Lebanese, as part of a plan to create civil strife in Lebanese 
society.... The plan also provides for spreading this unrest to 
Syria to give Israel and the United States a pretext to take 
measures against Syria.... 
 
"Some analysts believe that the CIA and the Mosad are depending 
on Ja'ja, Junblatt, and other figures to implement this plan and 
others.... 
"Yesterday, these people, insolently and with all the hatred 
they harbor, attacked the Syrian Foreign Minister's visit to 
Lebanon and incited dozens of their followers and other agents 
to demonstrate against the visit. That reflected their 
persistence and constant willingness to harm and sabotage 
relations between the two fraternal countries and peoples. They 
thus send a message of loyalty to Condoleezza Rice and her 
 
 
policy, which has brought upon Lebanon and the region nothing 
but death and destruction.... 
"Syrians and Lebanese will remain one people in two countries no 
matter how hard the United States, Israel, and their local 
agents try to harm this historical relationship...." 
 
----------------------------- 
 
"Impotence of Different Kind" 
 
----------------------------- 
 
Ahmad Dawa, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(8/8): "Are certain Arab regimes aware of their state of 
impotence to accomplish what they are expected or obliged to do 
for their homelands and peoples? 
 
"The Israeli aggression against Lebanon and the position adopted 
by those Arabs who have remained bystanders to the daily events 
in Lebanon after providing this aggression with the needed 
cover, have left no doubt that the impotence of Arab regimes has 
increased immensely, and that some of these regimes are playing 
a role that is limited to carrying out instructions received 
from outside or that fall within the framework of rescue work 
they were given permission to carry out, that is, if the Israeli 
planes allow them to assume this role. Is it not true that some 
of these Arab regimes asked Washington's permission to allow 
their planes to land at Beirut International Airport?  Perhaps, 
in return, these regimes offered Washington certain 
facilitations that affect their sovereignty and the interests of 
their people. 
 
"It is a great tragedy that portends great danger for the 
geopolitical situation in the region. An Arab state, in which 
massacres are being committed and in which the basic 
fundamentals of life are being targeted, is being shelled and 
destroyed while Arab regimes wrangle over issues that are never 
an object of disagreement among rational people. 
 
"Is it conceivable for France and the United States to be 
involved in a dispute over a resolution that calls for a 
ceasefire in an Arab state under attack, as if the Arabs do not 
exist in this world?  How is it possible for two states to 
negotiate over an issue that involves a third party, which has 
no role or voice whatsoever in this dispute?  We do not know how 
these Arabs would have reacted if this situation had posed a 
danger to their own states, homelands, and thrones. 
 
"It is not unlikely that these Arab regimes will soon fail in 
assuming their rescue role. US hegemony might compel them to pay 
money to US relief organizations as well as to other 
institutions in order for them to assume this role, under the 
pretext of guaranteeing the delivery of this aid to those who 
need it.... 
 
"Reality suggests that these regimes can do nothing but carry 
out the actions dictated to them or whatever else they are asked 
to do. These regimes have become part of the problem in the 
region and there is no hope that they can get back on the right 
track." 
 
Corbin