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FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2468
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
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UNCLAS DAMASCUS 005314 
 
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/Palestinians, Syria/Iran, 
Syria/Senegal, Lebanon, MEPP, Olmert/Bush (11/15) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers today (Nov. 15) reported that Vice 
President Shar'a met separately with Faruq Qaddumi, Chief of the PLO 
Political Department, and Dr. Mustafa al-Barghuthi, Secretary of the 
Palestinian National Initiative.  Talks focused on the situation in 
the occupied territories and the results that have been achieved 
regarding the formation of a national unity government.  Al-Shar'a 
renewed Syria's call to lift the siege on the Palestinian people and 
to strengthen Palestinian unity.  Al-Barghuthi met in Damascus 
yesterday (Nov. 14) with Khalid Mish'al, Chief of the HAMAS 
Political Bureau, and other members of the Political Bureau to 
review the agreement that has been reached among Palestinian 
factions to form a national unity government. 
 
Papers also reported the remarks of Parliament Speaker Mahmoud 
al-Abrash's in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr 
Mottaki in Tehran on Nov. 14 stressing that Damascus considers 
consultations and cooperation with Iran a major principle of its 
foreign policy and confirming Syria's resolve to develop ties with 
Iran.  Mottaki said that developing relations with Syria is 
logically necessary and that interaction between the countries 
serves regional policies. 
 
On Lebanese issues, papers reported a statement by Hassan 
Nassrallah, SecGen of Hizbollah, on Tuesday (11/14) that the party 
has nothing to do with the current Lebanese government after the 
resignation of five ministers.  Nasrallah made the statement in 
remarks to seven thousand Lebanese citizens from Beirut's southern 
suburb whose houses were destroyed during the latest Israeli 
aggression on Lebanon, promising them that an honest Lebanese 
government will appear very soon to repair all the damage caused by 
the Israeli aggression.  Papers also featured a statement by Salim 
al-Hoss, Head of the Lebanese National Unity Platform, confirming 
that lawyers in Lebanon consider the latest cabinet session, without 
six resigning ministers, illegal.  "We condemn all opinion 
monopolists and the dangerous situation into which they have led the 
country," he said, pointing out that this situation threatens 
Lebanon's national destiny.  Al-Hoss clarified that in such a case 
the government should be reconstituted, to include all Lebanese 
factions. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"Receiving a message from President Asad, Sultan Qabbous Bin Said of 
Oman:  We appreciate Syria's positions and consultations with Arab 
brothers" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/15) 
 
"Meeting with al-Qaddumi, Chairman of the Political Bureau of the 
Palestinian Liberation Organization, and al-Barghouti, Secretary 
General of the Palestinian National Initiative, Vice President 
Shar'a:  Unifying Palestinian ranks guarantees achievement of 
Palestinian aspirations.  Al-Barghouti:  The meeting with Chairman 
of the Hamas Political Bureau Meshal was positive and constructive" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/15) 
 
"Speaker of the People's Assembly al-Abrash continues his 
discussions in Tehran; Iranian Foreign Minister Motakki:  Our joint 
positions are sound... Our enemies are passing through difficult 
circumstances" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/15) 
 
"Nasrallah, Hizbollah SecGen, calls for formation of a clean 
government soon.  Lebanese President Lahoud to UN Chief Annan: 
Decisions adopted by the al-Saniora government are not binding on 
Lebanon" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/15) 
 
"Former Lebanese Prime Ministers discuss today dangers of the 
governing team's position, after resignation of the Hizbollah and 
Amal Movement ministers" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/15) 
 
"Spain is to announce a new peace initiative for the Middle East" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 11/15) 
 
"Palestinian factions agree on distribution of ministerial 
portfolios.  Israel criticizes the Palestinian national unity 
government prior to its inauguration, rejects a peace conference, 
 
and threatens to reoccupy the Gaza Strip" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 11/15) 
 
"Over one hundred employees kidnapped from the Iraqi Ministry of 
Higher Education.  Over 41 Iraqis killed in two American raids 
against Baghdad and al-Ramadi.  Australia joins the group of 
Washington's allies turning against Bush's policy in Iraq" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 11/15) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
---------------------------- 
"In Order to Regain the 'Honest Broker' Status" 
---------------------------- 
Umar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (11/15):  "The successive statements that have been made 
over the past few days on the need to hold dialogue with Syria and 
embark on solutions to all the issues of the region, especially the 
unjustifiably stalled peace process, are interesting.... 
"US Pastor Rick Warren, who yesterday met with President Asad and 
Foreign Minister Al-Mouallem, said:  Washington is wrong not to hold 
dialogue with Syria, which seeks peace.  I call on Americans to 
visit Syria and meet its beautiful people.  I will tell Americans 
that their idea about Syria does not reflect the truth.... 
"The question amid reports about American political developments and 
willingness to revise positions toward the issues of the region 
after the Congressional elections is:  Is there a positive change in 
the US position, one that corrects the accumulated mistakes that 
have harmed the United States and its image in the world, or is this 
just an attempt to throw dust in the eyes and keep the situation in 
the region on hold for at least two more years? 
"Those who heard Condoleezza Rice's statement, justifying the veto 
against a Security Council draft resolution condemning Israel for 
the Bait Hanoun massacre, did not sense an intention to change 
positions.  Rice described the draft resolution as emotional and the 
American veto as a service for peace!  This does not give hope that 
there will be a constructive and objective position toward the 
issues of the region. 
"The facts are clear.  The United States does not need anyone to 
reformulate its convictions if it just looks back a little, when all 
parties, in the region and beyond, were working for peace and Israel 
alone was saying no to peace, thwarting even the constructive 
American efforts at that time, efforts that were based on the 
exchange of land for peace in accordance with international 
resolutions and the terms of reference of the Madrid conference. 
"Syria, which renewed its constructive position through Minister 
Al-Mu'allim yesterday when he said in Cairo that Syria is ready for 
dialogue with the United States to achieve security and stability in 
the region, seeks a just and comprehensive peace, and extends its 
hand sincerely, as it has in every position it has adopted, awaiting 
the reactions of the others, as the ball is now in their court. 
---------------------------- 
"Bush's Preemptive Presents" 
---------------------------- 
Ghazi al-Dada, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(11/15):  "Olmert is visiting the United States to assure himself 
that nothing has changed in the unlimited American support for 
Israel after the Democrats took control of Congress.... 
"The Bush administration gave Israel a preemptive present on the eve 
of the visit when it used its veto against a Security Council draft 
resolution condemning Israel....  Condoleezza Rice's statements 
trying to justify the use of the veto were nothing more than hollow 
words that have no meaning other than following the bloody Israeli 
path.... 
"Between the United States and Israel there is more than 
coordination of positions.  There are unified strategic policies and 
joint plans that do not augur any good for the region." 
--------------- 
"What Is Next?" 
--------------- 
Bassam Raswan, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(11/15):  "For a long time we haven't witnessed such a unified, 
strong Arab decision as the one that materialized in Cairo from Arab 
Foreign Ministers who adopted a decision to break the siege on 
Palestinians.... 
"We hope that the decision will mark the beginning of other Arab 
 
steps to bridge the gaps between the positions of the Arab 
governments toward many Arab and regional issues that, undoubtedly, 
highly affect pan-Arab security.... 
"Arabs can take advantage of the miserable defeat that the 
Republicans sustained in the US midterm elections.... The American 
plan in the region is retreating.... We wonder if Arabs will fill 
the vacuum before others do...." 
-------------------- 
"The Bitter Harvest" 
-------------------- 
Isam Dari, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(11/15):  "The neoconservatives in the United States are to be 
blamed for the defeat of the Republican Party in the midterm 
elections, as they were the ones who devised theories, drew up 
policies, and launched aggressions.... 
"The extremist wing in the Republican Party brought defeat upon the 
party, disgrace upon the nation, and disasters upon the world.... 
"If Republicans want to win the presidential election in two years, 
they must do a major job to clear the reputation of the Party, which 
has sunk very low, and perhaps abandon the neoconservative trend and 
offer conservatives as scapegoats.... 
"The Republican Party is paying today the price of neoconservative 
policies....  What is more important is that the world might witness 
less extremist and less hostile US policies in the near future." 
 
Corbin