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DE RUEHDM #4584/01 2631206
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O 201206Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1647
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
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RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7028

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 004584 
 
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, UNGA Session, 
Middle East Peace, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories (9/20) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers today led with reports on Syrian- 
Lebanese relations, featuring the visit to Damascus by Fathi 
Yakan, Chairman of the Islamic Action Front in Lebanon, who met 
with President Asad and reviewed with him developments in the 
region, particularly in Lebanon in the wake of the Israeli 
aggression, and issues of Arab and Islamic concern.  Yagan also 
met Grand Mufti Badreddin Hassoun, who reiterated Syria's support 
for the Lebanese people in recovering from the recent Israeli 
aggression against Lebanon.  The Mufti referred to pressure on 
Syria, stressing Syria's rejection of attempts to control Arab 
and Islamic nations.  Dr. Yakan praised Syria's support of the 
Lebanese people and warned against attempts to sow sedition in 
Arab and Islamic nations to further Zionist plots. 
Papers also reported the visit to Damascus of Nasri al-Khouri, 
Secretary General of the Syrian-Lebanese Higher Council, who met 
 
SIPDIS 
with VP Shara.  Talks dealt with the repercussions of the Israeli 
aggression against Lebanon and international efforts to rebuild 
what the Israeli war machine destroyed in Lebanon. 
Papers also cited Information Minister Bilal's interview with 
Egyptian Al-Ahram Al-Arabi Magazine in which he said that the 
road to Damascus is open to the Lebanese people, emphasizing 
Syria's strategic choice to achieve peace in accordance with 
international resolutions, and the land-for-peace principle.  Dr. 
Bilal confirmed Syria's efforts to help the Lebanese rebuild 
their infrastructure after the destruction caused by the brutal 
Israeli aggression.  He added that Arab media face big challenges 
and must take significant steps to counter international media, 
in order to convey an accurate image of Arabs. 
Another topic in the press today was the 61st session of the 
United Nations General Assembly and Syria's participation 
therein, with a delegation composed of FM Walid al-Mouallem and 
Deputy FM Faisal Miqdad.  Papers also reported the opening speech 
of UN SecGen Kofi Annan, who called for peace in the Middle East. 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad reviews repercussions of the Israeli aggression 
against Lebanon and victory of the Lebanese Resistance with Fathi 
Yakan, Chairman of the Islamic Action Front in Lebanon" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 9/20) 
 
"Vice President Farouk al-Shara discusses with Nassri al-Khouri, 
Chairman of the Syrian-Lebanese Higher Council, consequences of 
the brutal Israeli aggression against Lebanon" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 9/20) 
 
"A Syrian delegation inspects three Lebanese villages destroyed 
by recent Israeli aggression, to prepare for their 
reconstruction.  The UN:  Israel has left behind 350,000 cluster 
bombs in Lebanon" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/20) 
 
"Foreign Minister Walid al-Mouallem participates in the 61st 
session of the UN General Assembly.  UN Secretary General Kofi 
Annan paints a dark image of the world.  Al-Mouallem confers with 
foreign ministers of some participating states in the UNGA 
Conference" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/20) 
 
"In an interview with Egyptian Magazine Al-Ahram Al-Arabi, 
Information Minister Mohsen Bilal underscores the importance of a 
unified Arab discourse toward the world.... Syrian media is 
witnessing true reforms.... 32 newspapers have been licensed" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 9/20) 
 
"Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Shinataro Ito confirms that 
Syria is a basic partner for achieving peace in the region" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/20) 
 
"Israel steals water of al-Wazzani River in Lebanon.  Israeli 
cluster bombs increase suffering of the Lebanese in south 
Lebanon.  Lebanese Mufti Qabbani warns against presenting the 
idea of federalism.  New TV questions fate of aid funds to 
Lebanon" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/20) 
 
"700,000 Palestinians have been arrested since Israel's 
occupation of West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1967.  Two Palestinians 
martyred in Nablus.  Israel prepares new invasion of Gaza" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 9/20) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
"From Sponsor of Peace, to Obstacle to Peace" 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (9/20):   "Implementation of UN resolutions, not the use 
of force, is the way to peace and stability in the Middle 
East.... News circulated from Washington and Tel Aviv indicates 
that the United States promised Israel to prevent the UN 
Security Council from discussing an Arab League peace plan to 
resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict.... 
 
"The international community, particularly the non-aligned 
countries, must act swiftly and effectively to stop 
deterioration in the region and support peace efforts that will 
lead to restoration of the Golan, Shab'a Farms, and the West 
 
Bank.... The world must confront the hegemony of the unilateral 
power, which has turned from a sponsor of the peace process to a 
sponsor and protector of Israel's aggression, racist policy, 
abortion of the peace process, and rejection of the peace 
requirements as mentioned in Security Council Resolutions 242 
and 338 and Resolution 497, which rejects Israel's decision to 
annex the occupied Syrian Golan and considers it null and 
void.... 
 
"Arabs must reject the status quo that Israel and its supporter 
want to impose, must engage in effective political work at the 
Security Council, must stick to the Arab peace plan without 
amendments, must understand the spirit of challenge that the 
Lebanese national Resistance offered, and must push the 
international community to abandon double standards and return 
to the principles of justice and law...." 
 
------------------------- 
 
"Another Card of Defeat" 
 
------------------------- 
 
Ali Qasim, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(9/20):  "The formation of an Israeli investigation commission 
into Israeli performance during the Lebanon war is an 
acknowledgement of clear failure and a sense of defeat that is 
growing deeper and deeper among Israelis.... 
 
"Israeli sources have said that the establishment of the 
commission also constitutes an acknowledgement that all Israeli 
attempts to play down the defeat or beautify its face have 
failed.... This means, according to the sources, that all the 
pressure that Americans applied to prevent the defeat, minimize 
its impact, or achieve through politics what was impossible to 
achieve by war, has also failed.  It is for this reason that 
attempts are being made to inflate Resolution 1701 and alter 
UNIFIL's mission to include things that are not mentioned in the 
international resolution.... 
 
"What is more surprising is to see the international forces draw 
a new border line different from the Blue Line that the United 
Nations drew.  The new line slices off pieces of Lebanese 
territory.  This is another departure from the mission of these 
forces.  Add to this a series of infringements by these forces, 
which are playing no role in stopping the continuous Israeli 
violations of the international resolution. 
 
"There are Israeli attempts to alter the UNIFIL mission as 
'another card of defeat' and a last chance to compensate for 
Israel's political and military failure." 
 
 
 
"Iraq Faces Schemes of Partition" 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
Salim Abboud, an op-ed writer in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (9/20):  "There are feverish efforts to divide Iraq.... 
These secessionist attempts under the slogan of federalism are 
the work of the occupation;  they are not in the nature of the 
Iraqi people. 
 
"The division of Iraq serves the interests of Israel and the 
United States as it removes a strong Iraq from the equation of 
the Arab-Israeli conflict and turns the country into a base for 
the creation of the new Middle East, the American empire, and 
the Torah state from the Nile to the Euphrates...." 
 
Corbin