VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #3928/01 2230916
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 110916Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0888
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6172
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4015
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2569
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7209
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1202
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4584
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0803
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6942

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 003928 
 
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/Sudan, Syria/France, 
Israeli Operation in Lebanon, Palestinian Territories (8/10) 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers reported President Asad's meeting 
with Mostafa Othamn Ismael, Advisor to the Sudanese President, 
who reiterated the importance of working to stop Israel's 
 
aggression against Lebanon, and called for withdrawal of 
occupation forces from South Lebanon. Ismael expressed 
confidence that the Lebanese resistance and the solid internal 
front will force the Israeli occupation forces to pull out of 
Lebanon. "What is going on in Lebanon gives a clear message to 
western countries and Israel that resistance will be permanent 
so long as Lebanese land is occupied," Ismael said. 
 
The papers also reported Syrian Information Minister Bilal's 
surprise at President Chirac's statement that Syria had denied 
statements of Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos at 
the end of his visit to Damascus. "What we actually issued was a 
correction or denial of what was reported by AFP, which was the 
only one among all the news agencies that reported a fabricated 
report," Bilal said in a TV interview Wednesday. As for Chirac's 
statements about confidence in Syria, the Minister considered 
Chirac's lack of confidence in Syria as 'his own problem'. "Syria 
is a central and main country in the region and an active member 
of the international community, the Arab League, and the 
nonaligned group," the minister noted, stressing that Syria has 
full confidence in and respect and appreciation for many EU 
countries. Bilal indicated that Chirac's popularity has reached 
its lowest level recently, at less than 17 . "If late French 
President Charles de Gaulle were in such situation, he definitely 
would have resigned," the Minister said. Regarding Chirac's 
statements about the crime that claimed the life of former 
Lebanese Premier Rafik al-Hariri, the Minister clarified that the 
UN investigation committee is still working and its latest report 
expressed appreciation for Syria's cooperation. He questioned why 
the French President's is accusing Syria even before the 
committee completes its task. Bilal described Chirac's 
accusations as unobjective, saying "his accusations are an 
unacceptable attack against a sovereign state that enjoys respect 
and appreciation on the international and regional levels". 
 
Papers also cited a televised address by Hassan Nassrallah, 
Secretary General of Hizbollah, in which he emphasized the 
 
SIPDIS 
importance of unity of the Lebanese ranks on the popular and 
official levels, and asked that there be no political or media 
disputes among the Lebanese, in order to consolidate national 
unity and prevent the enemy from achieving its goals. Nassrallah 
said that the Americans are coordinating with the Israelis to 
instigate sedition and to weaken Lebanese national unity while 
the battle is raging, stressing that the US-French draft 
resolution seeks to offer to Israel what it has been unable to 
achieve in battle. He said that his party dealt with the Lebanese 
government's seven-point plan positively, pointing out that the 
deployment of the Lebanese army will be an honorable solution. 
Nassrallah added that "Americans are still hindering any project 
for the cessation of hostilities, in order to achieve Israeli 
interests by continued killing of civilians to pressure the 
Lebanese people. He warned Israelis against entering South 
Lebanon because the resistance will kick them out, describing the 
Israelis as cowards because they kill women and children while 
the resistance is killing Israeli soldiers and officers.  He 
exhorted the Lebanese political leadership and people to remain 
patient and steadfast. He said that replacement of the Israeli 
commander of the northern front is an important development and a 
sign that the enemy is faltering. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
"President Asad receives a letter from Sudanese President al- 
Bashir. Isma'el: What is taking place in Lebanon is an obvious 
message for the continuation of the resistance" (Government-owned 
Al-Thawra, 8/10) 
 
"Bilal denounces Chirac's latest statements about Syria: Syria is 
an active member of the international community and enjoys full 
respect and appreciation" (Government-owned Tishreen, 8/10) 
 
"Official Syrian source: Chirac must exert pressure on Israel" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 8/10) 
 
"A month of steadfastness by the Lebanese resistance. Nasrallah's 
Honest Promise: We will turn the south into a cemetery for 
invaders. Olmert's government decides to expand its ground 
offensive. The US administration exerts pressure on the Lebanese 
government. Resistance fighters kill 15 Israeli soldiers and 
destroy tanks and bulldozers" (Government-owned Tishreen, 8/10) 
 
"Al-Abrash, Speaker of the Syrian Parliament, reviews 
developments in the region and Syria's position on supporting 
Lebanon and its resistance, with a Turkish delegation" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 8/10) 
 
"Five martyrs fall during an Israeli shelling of the West Bank 
and Gaza Strip. Hanieh: The Israeli policy targets the 
Palestinian Authority's infrastructure" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 8/10) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
"The French-American Draft Resolution: A Reward for Israel" 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
Ibrahim Shuqyar, a commentator in government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
wrote (8/10):  "Three weeks of talks and consultations in the 
Security Council have resulted in an unbalanced Franco-American 
draft resolution and a flagrant bias toward Israel at the 
expense of Lebanon and its resistance.... 
 
"The French-American draft supports the criminal and blames the 
victim.... It appears that Washington, through political 
bullying, blackmail, pressure, and intimidation, wants to impose 
its draft resolution without consulting others, especially since 
it has managed to drag France toward its pro-Israel position, 
and because the Security Council has become a hostage of the 
United States and its unilateral hegemonic policy...." 
 
------------------ 
 
"Dirty Atmosphere" 
 
------------------ 
 
Khalid al-Ashhab, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (8/10): "Hizbollah's performance over the past four weeks 
has proven that it is possible to defeat military force no 
matter the extent of its despotism.... 
 
"Despite the active and malicious war diplomacy that the United 
States, in coordination with its allies France and Britain, is 
leading to contain the repercussions of the Israeli aggression, 
which the capitals of this diplomacy never expected, and to 
compensate Israel politically for what it has failed to achieve 
militarily, the fact remains that the resistance option, with 
the military performance and political creed it entails, will be 
able to withstand any Israeli or American aggression, and will 
be able to change and upset the equations and balances of power, 
and indeed their military, political, and ideological 
criteria...." 
 
---------------------------- 
 
"Take Arab Leaders for Free" 
 
---------------------------- 
 
As'ad Abbud, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(8/10): "The intention of the Arab leaders is to eliminate the 
resistance in Lebanon.... Americans must not repeat the Arab 
peoples' mistake of relying on Arab leaders.... We relied on 
them and they let us down.... 
 
"Our problem with them is that they have failed in everything. 
They are losers. Perhaps their failure is good for the tyrants 
and those who dominate the world or are trying to dominate it, 
but this is not sufficient reason for these forces to pay a 
single penny to buy them.  They can take them for free, as a 
gift from millions of Arabs.... 
 
"The fall of Hizbollah will mean the fall of the thought and 
culture of Arab resistance.... Arab leaders oppose the triumph 
of Hizbollah because Hizbollah is the organization that never 
fired a bullet to remove a political adversary. It never killed 
a civilian. It never bombed targets that were not accurately 
defined, except when it was forced to make the enemy understand 
that what it is doing can be done by others, and only to stop 
the barbarism of Israel's thought and destruction. Hizbollah, 
moreover, is a combat structure characterized by integrity, 
belief, ideology, ability, knowledge, and hard work...." 
 
Corbin