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O 161211Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0995
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
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INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6957

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 004023 
 
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: Asad's Speech, Syria/Germany, 
Syria/OIC, Israel/Lebanon (8/16) 
 
 
¶1.   Summary: Syrian papers today reported President Asad's 
address at the Fourth General Conference of the Syrian 
Journalists Union.  President Asad delivered what the media 
described as his strongest attack ever on the Lebanese anti- 
 
 
Syrian parliamentary majority, Arab governments, Israel and the 
United States.  He leveled sharp criticism at Israel, saying 
that peace in the Middle East would remain elusive for the 
foreseeable future.  "Their 'New Middle East', based on 
subjugation and humiliation, and denial of rights and identity, 
has turned into an illusion," Asad said, in reference to 
Washington's goal of helping to shape what it calls a new, 
democratic Middle East.  "It is evident after six years of this 
(US) administration that there is no peace and there will be 
none in the foreseeable future," he said.  Asad added that 
Israel must return the Arab land it has occupied since 1967, or 
face more insecurity, delegating the final confrontation with 
Israel to coming generations.  "The Israeli leadership ... is at 
an historic crossroads.  Either it moves toward peace and gives 
back rights, or faces constant instability until an (Arab) 
generation comes and puts an end to the issue". The Syrian 
President said that Lebanon's anti-Syrian parliamentary majority 
is responsible for Israel's war on Lebanon and accused it of 
inciting strife in the country by asking Hizbollah to lay down 
its arms.  "Saving the present Israeli government is among the 
tasks of these (March 14) forces.  After the failure of this 
war, these forces want...to provoke strife in Lebanon by trying 
to disarm the resistance," Asad added.  He said that the March 
14 forces "barely waited for the blood to dry before they 
started speaking of removing the arms of the resistance.  But 
they have failed, and their fall is not far off."  "They are the 
ones who bear responsibility for the war and the destruction," 
Asad charged in his hard-hitting speech.  The Syrian leader, in 
his first major public address since Israel launched its 
offensive against Lebanon on July 12, said that America's plan 
for a "new Middle East" has collapsed after Hezbollah's 
successes in fighting against Israel.  He said the region had 
changed "because of the achievements of the resistance."  Asad 
also lashed out at Arab regimes, without naming them, who have 
criticized Hizbollah for kidnapping two Israeli soldiers and 
starting the war.  Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan--all allies of 
the United States--criticized Hezbollah's actions at the start 
of the conflict.  "We do not ask anyone to fight with us or for 
us;  but he should at least not adopt the enemy's views," Asad 
said.  He accused Israel of using Hezbollah's capture of two 
soldiers as a pretext for launching its massive assaults, adding 
that the Jewish state does not want peace.  "Peace would involve 
Israel returning occupied lands to their owners and restoring 
their rights," he said.  "The peace process has failed.  It has 
failed since its inception," he said. 
 
Papers also featured a statement by the Syrian Foreign Ministry 
that German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier's visit to 
Damascus, which was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, was 
canceled at his request because of divergent views between the 
two sides on the assessment of Security Council Resolution 1701 
and its repercussions on Lebanon, and on the current developments 
in the region, especially in Lebanon, as a result of the Israeli 
aggression on it. 
 
Papers also reported that President Asad reviewed the situation 
in the region with a delegation from the Organization of the 
Islamic Conference (OIC) headed by Malaysian Foreign Minister 
Hamed al-Bar.  Discussion also focused on UNSC Resolution 1701, 
regarding the cessation of aggressive actions in South Lebanon 
and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all Lebanese 
territories beyond the blue line.  Talks during the meeting also 
dealt with ramifications of the Israeli aggression on Lebanon 
and means of supporting Lebanon, as well as the OIC role in 
solving issues of the region. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad addresses the Fourth Conference of the 
Journalists Union:  We have to transform military victory of the 
 
resistance into political victory.  The May 17th team has failed 
to undermine the resistance.  The aggression was a defeat for 
Israel and its allies.  The US and Israel don't seek peace" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 8/16) 
"Information Minister Bilal:  President Asad represented the 
impulse of the Arab street and expressed the dignity of the Arab 
people" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 8/16) 
 
"President Asad reviews repercussions of the Israeli aggression 
against Lebanon and means of supporting Lebanon with an OIC 
delegation" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 8/16) 
 
"Foreign Ministry source:  Cancellation of the visit of German 
Foreign Minister Mr. Steinmeier was due to different points of 
view regarding the assessment of UNSC Resolution 1701.  Foreign 
Minister Mouallem discusses the situation in Lebanon and the 
necessity of establishing a just and comprehensive peace in the 
region with the Norwegian Foreign Minister." (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 8/16) 
 
"A US report unveils Israeli losses in the war against Lebanon: 
343 Israelis were killed, 617 injured and 164 Merkava tanks 
destroyed.  American pilots participated in the war" (Government- 
owned Al-Thawra, 8/16) 
 
"New US troops dispatched to Iraq.  Scores of fatalities and 
injuries during various attacks in Iraq" (Government-owned Al- 
Thawra, 8/16) 
 
"More than 8 Palestinians injured during an Israeli assault 
against Gaza" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 8/16) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
--------------------------- 
 
"Don't Try to Hide Victory" 
 
--------------------------- 
 
Umar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (8/16):  "Although the terrorist Israeli aggression 
against Lebanon has stopped, there is nothing on the ground to 
suggest that the occupation of Lebanese territories has ended or 
that the Israeli-American conspiracy against Lebanon has 
stopped.... 
 
"Lebanon offered many martyrs in the war;  the real compensation 
for these martyrs will be that the victory of the national 
resistance over the enemy of Lebanon and the nation not be 
wasted.... 
 
"The enemy was forced to stop the fight as a result of the heavy 
losses that its forces and settlements suffered.  It did not 
stop until an American-international effort to defeat Lebanon 
from within began, as it was impossible to defeat it militarily. 
Hence, it can be said that those who try to hide the glow of the 
Resistance victory help implement what suits Israel, especially 
since Resolution 1701 absolved it of the consequences of the 
aggression on Lebanon...." 
 
------------------------- 
 
"Post-Aggression Address" 
 
------------------------- 
 
Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(8/16): "Some Lebanese continue to adopt the same hostile 
approach toward Hizbollah, despite the party's steadfastness, 
confrontation, and heroism that inflicted a military and 
political defeat on Israel and the United States and established 
new facts in the region.... 
 
"What happened calls for a new Lebanese political discourse and 
 
a new Arab political and media address.  It is inconceivable and 
unfair to continue with the wretched old discourse that is based 
on ready and impotent arguments like 'the eye cannot resist the 
awl' and 'we must bow to the storm.'  And it is inconceivable 
that we today find a team seeking -- in order to serve its own 
interests and in implementation of the will of others -- to stab 
the Resistance in the back after it achieved victory for Lebanon 
and the Arabs.  Perhaps this is the first time in the history of 
wars and nations that the victor is asked to raise the white 
flag and lay down the weapon that protected Lebanon from 
treacherous aggression and from serious colonial plans...." 
 
------------------ 
 
"Last Minute Bets" 
 
------------------ 
 
Ali Qasim, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, said 
(8/16):  "The Israeli army suffered a military defeat that will 
leave its impact on the position of the Israeli government, as 
voices have begun to rise, demanding investigations into both 
the political and military performance.... 
 
"There is confusion and blunder in the Israeli positions and 
attempts to find excuses to cover the failure.... The frenzied 
political attempts that some international parties are making to 
turn the whole situation to Israel's favor will fail, just as 
the military action failed, despite the covert scenarios and 
plans to conclude a deal here and a semi-agreement there.... 
 
"Some people are playing roles that converge with the desire of 
known international parties to steal the victory that the 
Resistance achieved.  These people do not realize that the 
victory that the blood and heroism of the Resistance fighters 
achieved will remain too strong to be harmed." 
 
---------------- 
 
"Leave Us Alone" 
 
---------------- 
 
As'ad Abbud, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (8/16):  "Hizbollah's victory showed the Arab peoples the 
huge potential they have and their ability to defeat Israel and 
regain their rights.  But what prevents Arabs from doing this is 
the official Arab order, which is distancing our potential from 
the battle, and offering cover for the aggression.... 
 
"The Arab order deceived us for long years and showed us as 
backward peoples with limited resources, qualified only for 
bargaining and surrender, not for combat and confrontation.... 
 
"Arab peoples must unleash their potential in the long 
confrontation, where their first adversary will be the official 
Arab order itself...." 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
"A New Middle East in Arab Eyes" 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
Dr. Faysal Kulthum, Head of the Strategic Studies and Research 
Center, wrote in Al-Ba'th (8/16):  "The war against Lebanon was 
part of an Israeli-Western plan prepared in advance to create a 
new Middle East against the will of the peoples of the 
region.... 
 
There is a conflict between two visions:  The American-Western- 
Israeli vision and that of its allies and followers from among 
the Arab regimes, on the one hand, and the vision of the Arab 
and Islamic peoples, whose identity and future are targeted, 
including the resistance movements in Lebanon, Palestine, and 
Iraq and the countries that have chosen resistance, such as 
 
Syria, Iran, and some Arab countries, in addition to the free 
peoples of the world, on the other.... The Israeli campaign 
against Lebanon has failed.... A new Middle East is indeed being 
born, but it is the Middle East that the peoples of the region, 
not the Americans, wish to see...." 
Corbin