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UNCLAS DAMASCUS 004560 
 
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:  Pope Anti-Islam Remarks, 
Bilal, Syria/EU, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestinian Territories (9/19) 
 
 
¶1.   Summary:  Syrian papers today led with reports of Syrian 
Grand Mufti Badreddin Hassoun's meeting with the Papal Nuncio in 
Damascus, Giovanni Battista Morandini, in which Hassoun warned 
against inflaming a conflict between Islam and Christianity.  He 
accused some hegemonic powers of seeking to enslave peoples of 
all religions, and indicated that the Pope's expression of 
regret over his statements has had good effect in Moslem 
society.  The Mufti called upon the Pope to express in his next 
sermon what he really feels about Moslems, their belief and the 
Prophet.  The Nuncio delivered a letter to Dr. Hassoun that 
includes a statement by the Pope's Secretary about the Pope's 
lecture at the German University of Regensburg. 
 
All papers featured Information Minister Mohsen Bilal's interview 
with Lebanese weekly "Al-Shams" confirming Syria's pursuit of a 
just and comprehensive peace in the region.  Dr. Bilal called 
upon the international community to support all peace efforts 
that guarantee the restoration of all occupied Arab territories, 
including the Golan and the Palestinian territories.  The 
Minister praised the policies of Latin American countries which 
reject single-polar policy and US political, economical and 
cultural pressure.  Bilal also confirmed strong Syrian-Spanish 
relations.  He praised the Non-Allied Movement and the role that 
it can play as a representative of the interests of third world 
peoples. 
 
On EU-Syrian relations, papers reported the final communique of 
the visiting European Union Mission in Damascus.  The Vice- 
President of the European Parliament Socialist Group, Pasqualina 
Napoletano, said that her current visit to Syria came within the 
framework of resumption of relations between Syria and the 
European Parliament.  Ms. Napoletano said that "talks between the 
delegation and Syrian officials came at an ideal time, 
considering the imminent discussion at the European parliament on 
a proposed decision on Syria in October."   The statement said 
that the members of the EU delegation stressed their wish to 
accelerate signing of the EU-Syria Association Agreement. 
 
On Lebanon, papers continued to report that Israeli forces are 
moving the Blue Line toward the Lebanese border, in the presence 
of the UNIFIL forces.  Papers reported a statement by the Board 
of Arkoub and Sheba'a Farms Citizens condemning this act and 
demanding an immediate and serious Lebanese move to prevent these 
violations of Lebanon's sovereignty.  The Board demanded that UN 
SecGem Annan publish his report about Sheba'a Farms and Kfar 
Shouba Hills, in order to include the two areas in the UNIFIL 
mandate, as a prelude to demarcation of their borders and their 
restoration to Lebanese sovereignty. 
 
On Iraq, papers reported the Conference of Interior Ministers of 
Countries Neighboring Iraq, in Jeddah.  Syrian Interior Minister 
Major General Bassam Abdel-Majeed represented Syria at the 
meeting. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"Growing Lebanese anger at the Lebanese government's positions 
and calls to change the Lebanese government.  Lebanese figures 
and MPs:  We will not allow US custody.... UNSC Resolution 1701 
did not dictate UNIFIL deployment at airports and harbors" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 9/19) 
 
"Hassoun receives a message from the Vatican which includes the 
Pope's regret.  Hassoun:  Islam and Christianity are being 
exposed to a war by hegemonic powers seeking to enslave peoples 
of all religions" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/19) 
 
"Information Minister Bilal to Lebanese weekly 'Al-Shams':  Syria 
seeks a just and comprehensive peace" (Government-owned Tishreen, 
9/19) 
 
"The EU Parliamentarian delegation concludes visit to Damascus: 
We wish to accelerate signing of the EU-Syria Association 
Agreement" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/19) 
 
 
 
"Interior Ministers of Countries Neighboring Iraq sign a protocol 
for security cooperation.  Syrian Interior Minister Abdel-Majeed: 
Syria supports a unified Iraq and is exerting maximum efforts to 
achieve stability in Iraq" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/19) 
"New clashes hinder a session of the Palestinian Legislative 
Council.  Israel links the destiny of Dueik and his comrades to 
the destiny of Shalit and extends period of their arrest" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 9/19) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
-------------------- 
 
"Route to Stability" 
 
-------------------- 
 
Muhammad Khayr al-Jammali, an editorialist in government-owned 
Al-Thawra, wrote (9/19):  "There is a link between peace in the 
Middle East and the stability of the entire world.... Many world 
leaders have come to realize this fact and to call for a just 
and comprehensive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. 
 
"The lack of peace in the region is caused by Israel's hostile 
expansionist tendency and by American neoconservatives' desire 
to redraw the Middle East map in accordance with their narrow 
strategic interests.... 
 
"In the final analysis, this means that the road to a possible 
solution capable of ensuring the region's stability and world 
peace begins and ends with Israel abandoning its hostile role 
and occupation of Arab territories, which lie behind all the 
tensions and explosions.  It also means that the 
neoconservatives must abandon their imperial plan, which has led 
the region to a state of tension that threatens the gravest and 
most disastrous consequences.  There must also be a return to 
the implementation, in text and in spirit, of international 
resolutions relevant to the conflict, in a way that removes the 
causes of the conflict, namely, Israel's occupation of Arab 
territories, the Anglo-American occupation of Iraq, the US bias 
toward Israel, and the policy of unilateralism and double 
standards pursued by the neoconservatives...." 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
"Expanding the Cycle of Victory" 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
Dr. Khalaf al-Jarrad, Chief Editor of government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (9/19):  "Israel has utterly failed to achieve any of the 
declared objectives of its destructive barbaric war against 
Lebanon and its valiant resistance.  The United States, 
consequently, has failed to bring to life its New Middle East 
plan.  This, however, does not mean that the attempts to 
eliminate the Resistance as a policy, thought, ideology, and 
culture, will stop.... 
 
"Naturally, planners of the latest Israeli war against Lebanon, 
and those who encouraged Olmert's government and supplied it 
with highly destructive weapons, and those who stressed that the 
results of the war against Lebanon and its heroic Resistance 
would constitute a serious strategic leap toward the creation of 
the New Middle East, will not surrender to this major failure. 
They will not keep silent or lose hope.  They will continue to 
mobilize their forces and elaborately reread what happened to 
draw conclusions and learn the reasons of the setback and how to 
turn the defeat into success.  They will also benefit from some 
local parties that are working to turn the victory of the 
Lebanese people and their Resistance into a domestic defeat.... 
 
"To confront this situation, we expect not only the leadership 
of the Resistance and the entire nationalist movement in 
Lebanon, but also all forces that oppose the American-Zionist 
 
hegemonic  plans, to conduct an in-depth study of the 
proceedings, facts, lessons, and various aspects of the recent 
war in order to benefit from its achievements and positive 
results, on the one hand, and to draw up a strategy responding 
to the popular awakening that supports the Resistance and its 
policy, thought, and culture, on the other.  This way, the 
victory of the Resistance in Lebanon will turn into a strong 
lever, a firm foundation, and a historic introduction to other 
victories against modern, pro-Israel forces of international 
hegemony." 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
"Palestinian National Unity Government and Western Pressure" 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
Ibrahim Shuqayr, a columnist in government-owned in Al-Ba'th, 
wrote (9/19):  "Forming a Palestinian national unity government 
remains a pressing need to break the political and economic 
siege, end the suffering, release the ministers, MPs, and 
prisoners, and activate the Palestinian issue on the 
international level.... 
 
"Formation of this government faces European reservations, 
American rejection, and Israel obstruction.... The American 
position is identical to Israel's.... US officials have warned 
Fatah that it will be isolated if it joins a government that 
does not accept Western conditions.  Perhaps this was the reason 
behind suspension of consultations on forming this 
government...." 
 
---------- 
 
"The Hell" 
 
---------- 
 
As'ad Abbud, an op-ed writer in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (9/19):  "There is increasing intervention in politics by 
religious leaders worldwide after the collapse of the Soviet 
Union.... Religious influence received another boost from the 
current US Administration, in the form of religious 
fundamentalism in a secularist cloak or political fundamentalism 
in a religious cloak... 
 
"This resulted in a real conflict among religious ideologies, 
with people trying to ease the destructive impact of the 
conflict.... The US Administration placed the world between two 
extremisms:  Zionist extremism, represented by the Jews and 
their alliance with Christian fundamentalism in the United 
States, in particular, and the world, in general, and Islamic 
extremism, represented by takfiri and salafi organizations.... 
Some parties are fanning the flames of this conflict.... 
 
"Involvement of clergymen in politics, including the Vatican 
Pope and other Sheikhs, extremists, bishops, and cardinals, sets 
political work back and leads to burial of the struggles of 
humanity, struggles that were aimed at building free, secular, 
civil society.... 
 
"Responding to the Pope is not the duty of Muslims alone.  It is 
also the duty of Christians and secularists, regardless of their 
schools of thought.  It is also the duty of humanity, whose 
thinkers must offer a new vision of a world full of human 
culture, free of sects...." 
 
-------------------------- 
 
"Darfur, back to the Scene" 
 
-------------------------- 
 
Jamal al-Zu'bi, a commentator in government-owned Al-Ba'th, said 
(9/19):  "The United States seeks to control the huge resources 
of Sudan through international intervention in Darfur.... 
 
 
"Regardless of support for or opposition to the deployment of 
international forces in Darfur, these forces certainly remain 
one of Washington's instruments to pursue its policies and 
achieve its objectives in Sudan.  Their mission definitely does 
not include protecting the Sudanese, of whatever group...." 
 
Corbin