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FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2437
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
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UNCLAS DAMASCUS 005295 
 
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/US, US Veto of Gaza 
Resolution, Lebanon, Rumsfeld resignation, Olmert Trip to Washington 
(11/11-13) 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on November 13 reported President Asad's 
meeting with a US Protestant delegation, headed by Pastor Rick 
 
Warren, a prominent Protestant cleric.  They discussed 
Syrian-American relations.  The American delegation said that the US 
administration was mistaken in not starting a dialogue with Syria. 
Talks covered the importance of interfaith dialogue and the peace 
process in the region.  Pastor Warren expressed his appreciation for 
Syrian coexistence, religious tolerance, and stability in Syria, 
asserting that he will convey a true picture of Syria to the 
American people.  He offered to President Asad a memorial drawing as 
a gift to the Syrian people for the hospitality and efforts they are 
exerting to achieve peace and stability. 
 
On November 11 Syrian Vice-President for Cultural Affairs Najah 
Attar discussed with American religious leaders and peace advocates 
the necessity for boosting dialogue among religions and cultures in 
the service of peoples and all humanity.  Members of the American 
delegation said that they came to Syria carrying a message of peace 
aimed at consolidating dialogue and rapprochement with Syrian clergy 
and officials.  The American delegation said it opposed the policy 
of the US administration and the war on Iraq, expressing hope that 
US policy will change, particularly following the winning by 
Democrats of majorities in the Senate and the House of 
Representatives. 
 
Newspapers on November 12 condemned the US veto of a proposed UN 
Security Council resolution on Israel's massacre in Bait Hanoun and 
called on Arabs to take effective action to protect Palestinians. 
Papers also featured a statement by Dr. Bashar al-Ja'fari, Syria's 
Representative to the UN, condemning the Israeli massacre and 
criticizing exempting Israel from UN resolutions. 
In their reports on the Lebanese political crisis, Syrian newspapers 
blamed the February 14 powers for the collapse of negotiations to 
form a national unity government and suggested that the opposition 
is left with no choice but to take its case to the street.  Papers 
also reported the resignation of ministers of Hizbollah and the Amal 
movement from the Al-Saniora government. 
End of summary. 
 
¶2. Selected Headlines: 
"A US delegation to President Asad:  The Bush administration is 
mistaken not to hold dialogue with Syria" (Government-owned 
Al-Thawra, 11/13) 
"Foreign Minister Mouallem:  We are ready for dialogue with 
Washington to achieve stability" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/13) 
 
"Syrian Speaker of People's Assembly al-Abrash before the conference 
of Asian Parliaments:  Dividing the world into axes shows bankruptcy 
of US policy" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/13) 
"President Lahoud to PM Al-Saniora:  The government has no 
legitimacy.  Hizbollah:  Changes are inevitable.  Move continues 
towards restoring national decision-making.  Aoun:  The February 14 
groups have turned against national consultation after receiving 
signal from outside" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/13) 
"Democrats seek to withdraw from Iraq within 6 months.  A US report: 
 Cleansing the US administration of neo-conservatives will reflect 
positively on relations with Syria" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
11/13) 
"Reacting to the US veto, Arab Foreign Ministers decide to break the 
siege imposed on the Palestinian people immediately" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/13) 
"Two Palestinian martyrs join the victims of the Israeli occupation 
in Gaza.  Hamas nominates Shubair for the post of prime minister" 
(government-owned Tishreen, 11/12) 
"A message from President Asad carried by Deputy Foreign Minister 
Miqdad to Yemeni President Saleh on Palestinian developments and 
coordination of Arab positions" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/12) 
 
"During a meeting with American religious delegation Vice President 
for Cultural Affairs al-Attar says:  Syria is always open to 
dialogue" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/12) 
 
"Foreign Minister Mouallem receives a phone call from EU Foreign 
Policy and Security Chief Solana.  Talks focus on regional 
developments and Syrian-EU relations" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
11/12) 
 
 
"Syria chairs the Committee of Asian Parliamentary Policy. 
Speaker of the People's Assembly al-Abrash and Speaker of the 
Iranian Shoura Council, Haddad Adel, discuss developments in 
Syrian-Iranian relations" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/12) 
 
"Urgent meeting of Organization of Islamic Conference's Foreign 
Ministers to discuss the Israeli massacres in Palestinian 
territories.  The US veto is an insult to the blood of the Bait 
Hanoun victims" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/12) 
 
"Ministers representing Lebanese Amal Movement and Hizbollah resign 
from Al-Saniora government" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/12) 
 
"British daily 'The Guardian':  British PM Blair will urge 
Washington to hold dialogue with Syria and Iran" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 11/12) 
 
"US President Bush:  War against Iraq defeated us in the 
Congressional elections" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/12) 
"Syria before the UN Security Council session on Bait Hanoun 
massacre:  Israeli crimes are engraved in the UN memory" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 11/11) 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
--------------------------- 
 
"A Veto Protecting Killers" 
 
--------------------------- 
 
An unsigned editorial in government-owned Al-Ba'th, said: (11/12): 
"The US veto is a new blow to the international community's effort 
to call things by their real names:  an Israeli aggressor and a 
Palestinian victim.... 
"Through the use of the veto, Washington did not abandon its 
traditional position alongside Israeli aggression and against Arab 
rights.... If the Security Council does not intervene in a massacre 
of the caliber of Bait Hanoun's and does not call a spade a spade, 
then when will it intervene...? 
"President Bush's administration, which is facing a crisis in Iraq, 
has apparently not realized the gravity of its new decision to 
protect the Israeli killer.... The Security Council's failure to 
adopt the proposed resolution sends a message to Israel that it can 
continue with its crimes and massacres, and another to the 
Palestinians that the international community has abandoned them. 
This miserable situation dictates that Arabs rise to the 
challenge.... Arabs can do much if they want, from breaking the 
siege on the Palestinians, which is imposed through Israeli-American 
will, to bringing their cause back to its Arab incubator." 
-------------------------------- 
"Will Gates Save US Policy?" 
-------------------------------- 
Hanan Hamad, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, commented 
(11/12):  "Rumsfeld was the first victim of the Republican loss, 
although President Bush had insisted on keeping him until the end of 
his term.... Despite the satisfaction that the news of his 
resignation or dismissal left among Americans and the world at 
large, the damage that the engineer of American wars caused through 
his reckless policy cannot be fixed at the push of a button.... 
"Abandoning Rumsfeld is obviously Bush's last card in the search for 
a face-saving policy allowing an exit from Iraq while still claiming 
that the mission has been accomplished and the victory achieved.... 
 
We doubt that there will be a change in US policy.... Rumsfeld was 
the ugly face of American policy in Iraq, which sums up US policy 
 
toward the entire world.  Will Robert Gates be a new mask on the 
policy's face?  Will Rumsfeld's dismissal be a disguise and just a 
revision of the way the war in Iraq is being conducted, not a 
reversal of the grave mistake that was made when the war was 
launched?  We are used to seeing a change in Washington, whether at 
the White House or at the Capitol, as only a change in form and 
methods, rarely affecting the essence of US policy, which is always 
biased toward the Israeli enemy." 
------------------------------------ 
"What Follows Rumsfeld's Collapse?" 
------------------------------------ 
Adham al-Tawil, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(11/12):  "A change of faces in the US Administration will not lead 
to a significant change in US policy.... The departure of Rumsfeld, 
and perhaps of John Bolton and Paul Wolfowitz later, will not drive 
the Bush administration to announce the withdrawal of US occupation 
forces from Iraq.... 
"There is no difference between Republicans and Democrats when it 
comes to Middle East policy and support for Israel.... The most 
dramatic thing that could happen with regard to US policy in Iraq 
and perhaps in Afghanistan is some tactical maneuvers by the 
Democrats to show that they control part of American decision-making 
prior to their attempt to control the whole decision-making process 
in the next presidential election.  The tactic here does not at all 
mean that the Democrats are interested in stopping or reducing Iraqi 
bloodshed.  It is just an attempt to save the lives of American 
soldiers, whom the Democrats want to stay in Iraq for several more 
years...." 
---------------------------- 
"Olmert Heads to Washington" 
---------------------------- 
Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (11/12):  "After committing the horrible Bait Hanoun 
massacre...Ehud Olmert travels to Washington today to conduct a 
final examination of White House policy and to be one hundred 
percent sure that there is no change in American positions, which 
unreservedly support Israel. 
"Olmert certainly knows that there is no difference between the 
American Republicans and Democrats in terms of the support they 
offer Israel.  But he wants to see this firsthand and through direct 
contact with the old and new decision-makers in Washington.... 
"At any rate, Olmert will meet with Bush in the White House.  There 
is nothing to indicate that the latter wishes to re-launch the peace 
process based on the terms of reference of the Madrid conference, 
which was sponsored by the administration of Bush Senior.  On the 
contrary, some people stress that since its invasion of Iraq in 
2003, the current US Administration has kept the pressure on Israel 
not to resume the peace talks on any negotiating track, not only on 
the Syrian track. 
"It is not clear now, in light of the defeat that the Republicans 
and their policies and plans in the region have suffered, if there 
will be a change in the White House policy toward the peace 
process. 
"But if the matter is left to Bush and the remainder of his 
conservative team, he will not work for peace.  Indeed, he might 
push things in the opposite direction, despite the moral and 
material damage he has inflicted on the United States, especially in 
the Arab and Islamic worlds, where Washington's reputation is in the 
abyss...." 
---------------------- 
"Syria and the US Now" 
 
---------------------- 
Abd-al-Fattah al-Awad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (11/12):  "The result of the US election may not be 
surprising....  Maybe there will be an end to the foolish American 
plan that the neoconservatives devised for the region.... 
"US accusations against Syria and attempts to pressure and isolate 
it have failed to produce any results.... The failure of the US plan 
in the region is also a failure for those who went along with it and 
wagered on the American tank.... The failure of the US plan is also 
a success for those who resisted, opposed, and remained steadfast in 
the face of this plan.... 
"Those who took advantage of the American pressure on Syria to 
encroach upon Damascus now need to reconsider their positions.... 
Policies of pressure, isolation, hostility, and the forming of axes 
are doomed to failure.... Success begins with dialogue, yes dialogue 
and not diktat.... The road to Damascus is paved with honesty, 
frankness, and clarity...." 
 
 
Corbin