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UNCLAS DAMASCUS 004635 
 
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: UNGA session, UNSC Session on 
Middle East Peace, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Iraq (9-22- 
24) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Papers continued to report meetings held by FM 
Walid al-Mouallem on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly 
meetings in New York, citing his meetings with Iraqi President 
Jalal Talbani, Costa Rica's Foreign Minister Bruno Ugharti, 
Iranian FM Manouchehr Mottaki, German Foreign Minister Frank- 
Walter Steinmeier, Guatemalan Minister for External Relations 
Gert Rosenthal Koenigsberger, and an Italian parliamentary 
delegation headed by Chairman of the Italian Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee Lamberto Dini. 
 
On Lebanon, papers reported an address by Hassan Nasrallah, 
SecGeneral of Hizbollah, at the "Festival of Victory" held on 
Friday in Beirut.  Nassrallah said that "the steadfastness of the 
Lebanese Resistance foiled the New Middle East project about 
which US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has spoken." 
Nassrallah underlined that "a new era is beginning in which the 
Resistance can dictate its conditions to the enemy." 
 
Papers also reported an address by Ibrahim Othman, Director 
General of the Syrian Atomic Energy Commission, to the 50th 
session of the International Atomic Energy Agency Conference, 
emphasizing the role of the IAEA in investing in atomic energy 
for development, and in promoting international peace and 
security.  In his address, Othman expressed the disappointment 
of the countries of the region in the failure of the IAEA to 
apply comprehensive safeguards early enough to all countries in 
the region.  He said that the exclusive possession of nuclear 
arms in the region by Israel without any international 
supervision will serve as a catalyst for an arms race in the 
region, foreboding an environmental catastrophe.  He expressed 
Syria's support of Iran's right to the peaceful use of nuclear 
technology, demanding that the international community 
relinquish double standards and open the Israeli nuclear file. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
"Foreign Minister Mouallem's meetings in New York focus on the 
situation in the region, the peace process and on bilateral 
relations" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/23) 
"Foreign Minister al-Mouallem:  Peace opportunity may be lost due 
to American hegemony" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/24) 
"Foreign Minister al-Mouallem discusses Syrian-European relations 
with his Austrian Counterpart " (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
9/22) 
"In a statement from New York, Italian Premier Prodi reiterates: 
Syria is an important factor for the achievement of stability" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/22) 
 
"Lebanese circles and figures call for changing the government 
and stopping UNIFIL violations" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/24) 
"The UN Security Council convenes a special session to discuss 
the Middle East Peace Process.  Lebanese President addresses the 
UN General Assembly:  We will sue Israel for its crimes in 
Lebanon" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/22) 
"Hizbollah finalizes preparations for the festival of victory. 
Hasan Fadlulah, Member of al-Wafa Bloc for Resistance, to Al- 
Thawra newspaper:  Forces of March 14th bet on defeating the 
Resistance" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/22) 
"Hassan Nasrallah, Hizbollah SecGen:  Lebanese national 
Resistance takes pride in its relationship and friendship with 
Syria's people and leadership.... No force in the world can 
disarm Hizbollah as long as the people have belief in the 
national Resistance.  The ruling team in Lebanon cannot remain in 
authority.... Our current government is impotent to protect and 
rebuild Lebanon" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/23) 
"Washington aggravates Palestinian disputes.  Palestinian 
President Abbas announces new talks to form a national unity 
government" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/24) 
"The Palestinian resistance wounds 7 Israeli troops near Nablus. 
Israel rejects a 10-year truce with the Palestinians" (Government- 
owned Tishreen, 9/23) 
"Over 34 Iraqis killed in al-Sader city explosion.  8 American 
and Danish soldiers killed or injured in Iraq" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 9/24) 
 
 
 
"International Atomic Energy Agency debates today a resolution 
condemning Israel nuclear activity" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
9/22) 
"A German intelligence report:  Israeli Mossad was involved in 
9/11 attacks" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/24) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
"The Security Council Debates the Peace Process" 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
Hanan Hamad, an op-ed writer in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (9/23):  "Arabs were overly optimistic when they 
thought they could revive the peace process and get the Security 
Council to adopt the Arab peace initiative....  The Arab effort 
collided with American-Israeli conditions, and Arabs returned 
empty-handed from the Security Council session.... 
 
--------------------- 
 
"Peace is not a Luxury" 
 
--------------------- 
 
Muhammad Ali Buzah, an editorialist in government-owned Al- 
Thawra, wrote (9/22):  "A just and comprehensive peace based on 
international legitimacy and Security Council resolutions is not 
a luxury.  It is a need for everyone.  It is a need for the 
region.  It is a need for the United States itself and the rest 
of the world, which has various and numerous vital interests in 
the region.  And it is a vital need for Israel, which has 
deluded itself into thinking that it can survive through the 
logic of force and intimidation and impose itself as part of the 
region's equation.  Events have proven the futility of this 
thinking .... 
 
"The experience of the past 15 years has been discouraging 
because the United States has monopolized the political process 
and changed its role from a broker to a supporter and protector 
of the occupation and a partner to its aggressions and wars 
against the Arabs.  It is therefore inconceivable to rely and 
count on mere statements and promises about peace that ... 
collide with the performance of the Bush administration and 
neoconservatives, a performance that blocks any endeavor to 
resume the political process and legitimizes the acts of piracy 
of Tel Aviv's rulers.... 
 
"Israel and its American ally might be able to continue to play 
with fire and lead the region away from peace and stability, but 
not indefinitely and through defiance of the international 
community and its laws and through bullying of and disregard for 
millions of Arabs who realize full well that they are paying a 
dearer price for these policies and for submissiveness than the 
price they would pay if they took the option of opposition and 
resistance, an option that guarantees victory and upsets the 
calculations of the neo-Nazis and forces them to accept peace." 
 
---------------- 
 
"Is There Hope?" 
 
---------------- 
 
Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned 
Tishreen, wrote (9/22):  "The American position hinders efforts 
to achieve a just peace in the Middle East. 
 
"We do not expect the current UN General Assembly session or the 
Security Council session which will be held upon an Arab request 
 
 
later this month to produce results so long as the American 
position remains unchanged and Arab positions continue to be in 
this miserable situation, which is more than shameful, and which 
tempts hostile forces to attack the Arabs, loot their resources, 
or at least treat them with no respect. 
 
"Israel occupies Arab lands by force and launches aggressions on 
Arabs.  It has killed tens of thousands of Arabs and is 
threatening to kill more every day.  The current US 
Administration, which is under the influence of the Zionist 
neoconservatives, blesses all these hostile Israeli practices 
and publicly participates in some of them. 
 
"The reason for all this is that Arabs surrendered and made no 
effort to defend their rights and sovereignty.  They accepted 
this shameful situation and they even went further, when some of 
them rushed to cajole the United States and woo Israel under the 
pretext of rationalism, political realism, and civility." 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
"The World Would BE Better Without Bush" 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
Ahmad Burghul, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawrah, 
wrote (9/22):  "The way of thinking, the distorted mind, and the 
unmatched arrogance of Bush and his Administration will make 
Americans a permanent target of terrorism in every country 
because of the hostile and haughty US policy.... 
 
"The Bush Administration created a climate for reproduction of 
the terrorism about which it is complaining today.... Americans 
destroyed Iraq, killed its women and children, and displaced its 
inhabitants.  Yet they do not want the suppressed people of Iraq 
to resist occupation and remove injustice.  What logic governs 
this foolish administration? 
 
"The image of the United States in the Arab and Muslim world has 
never been worse.... The United States has become today the 
biggest threat to world peace and security.  The mistakes it is 
constantly making will definitely lead to a disaster if it keeps 
its leadership in the hands of an arrogant group that believes 
it has the right and duty to violate international human rights 
laws." 
 
Corbin