VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #5338/01 3311004
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 271004Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2510
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6393
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4191
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2785
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7372
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1403
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4756
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0971
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7106

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 005338 
 
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/Russia, Lebanon, Iraq, 
Palestinian Territories (11/22-26) 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers reported that Deputy Foreign Minister 
Dr. Faisal Miqdad received Russian Deputy FM Alexander Sultanov on 
Saturday (Nov. 25).  Talks focused on developments in Palestine, 
Lebanon and Iraq.  The two sides stressed the importance of 
continuous consultations between the two friendly countries as part 
of their efforts to help establish stability in the region.  The 
Russian official pointed out that he is carrying a message to the 
Syrian leadership expressing Russia's willingness to boost bilateral 
relations and deepen political dialogue. 
 
On developments in Lebanon, papers reported the assassination of 
Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre al-Jumayyil, featuring an official 
Syrian statement denouncing the crime and citing Information 
Minister Bilal's interview with the Spanish newspaper' El Periodico 
de Catalunya,' describing those who committed the crime as "enemies 
of Syria and Lebanese national unity."   Al-Thawrah on November 24 
published pictures of four anti-Syria Lebanese leaders -- Samir 
Ja'ja, Walid Junblatt, Sa'd al-Hariri, and Marwan Hamadah -- under 
the headline:  "The killers participate in the funeral."  The paper 
says leaders of the February 14 forces in Lebanon took advantage of 
Al-Jumayyil's blood to advance their political agenda.  It says 
their speeches and slogans in the funeral "were identical to the 
slogans of the Israeli Mossad," and it accuses Ja'ja, Junblatt, and 
Al-Hariri of stoking the fire of sedition and continuing their 
"hallucinations." 
 
On Syrian-Iraqi relations, papers reported FM Mouallem's visit to 
Iraq and his meeting with Iraqi FM Hoshyar Zebari, crowned by the 
resumption of diplomatic relations between Syria and Iraq after 25 
years. 
 
On Palestinian developments, papers reported the visit to Damascus 
of Palestinian FM Mahmoud al-Zahaar and his meeting with VP Shara, 
who reiterated the importance of taking practical measures to lift 
the siege on the Palestinian people".  For his part, Zahaar said in 
statements after the meeting that "the national Palestinian 
resistance movement Hamas agrees with the formation of a national 
unity government according to the national concordance program that 
has been agreed upon among all the Palestinian factions inside the 
legislative council and outside it." 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sultanov:  Russia is determined to 
deepen political dialogue with Syria" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
11/26) 
 
"Arab media:  Jummayyil's assassination is a US-Israeli scheme 
carried out by Ja'ja and Junblatt.  The Lebanese government is fully 
responsible" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/26) 
 
"An American analyst:  Israel stands behind the assassination of 
Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Jummayyil" (Government-owned 
Al-Thawra, 11/26) 
 
"Information Minister Bilal:  The assassination of Pierre Jummayyil 
targets Lebanon's national accord.  President Lahoud calls for 
maintaining national unity.  Senior Lebanese officials condemn the 
crime.  Syria strongly condemns the crime and reiterates concern for 
Lebanon's security" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/22) 
 
"The February 14 team invests assassination of Jummayyil to foil the 
opposition move.  Former Lebanese PM al-Hoss:  'Where are they 
driving Lebanon to?'  Lebanese MP Aoun calls for unveiling the 
Mossad network.... Resigned Lebanese ministers:  'Al-Saniora 
government accumulates faults and its session today is 
unconstitutional" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/25) 
 
"President Mubarak calls for not making accusations randomly; Arab 
press holds Israel responsible for the Jummayyil assassination.... 
Egyptian 'al-Akhbar':  It is a Mossad action to confuse the 
opposition and stir up sectarian sedition" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 11/25) 
 
"The killers of Pierre Jummayyil attend his funeral, while there is 
investment in the event and no investigation.  Former Lebanese PM 
al-Hoss rejects turning the Jummayyil funeral into a political event 
to create sectarian sedition.  Egyptian daily al-Ahram:  The Mossad 
is behind the Jummayyil assassination.  Morning Star warns against 
unleashing accusations.  The Guardian:  Syria and the opposition are 
the losers" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/24) 
"French foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy calls on Israel to 
support Lebanese government of al-Saniora" (Government-owned 
Al-Thawra, 11/23) 
 
"Urgent American military aid to al-Saniora government" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/23) 
 
"Khalid Mishaal, Chief of Hamas Political Bureau, warns of a third 
Intifada and calls on Arab and Islamic countries to carry out their 
decision to break out from the siege against Palestinians" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 11/26) 
 
"After Olmert's visit to Washington, Israel decides to liquidate 
Hamas leaders" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/23) 
 
"Vice-President Shara calls on the Palestinian factions to reach 
national accord.  Palestinian FM al-Zahar:  a new Palestinian 
technocrat government is a retreat from a previous agreement on a 
national unity government" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/22) 
 
"Syria and Iraq resume diplomatic relations after 25 years" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/22) 
 
"Major European countries support dialogue with Syria.  Germany: 
there is no solution without Damascus.  Italy:  not having dialogue 
is not a solution.  Spain:  We are carrying on dialogue.  UK:  No to 
the unleashing of accusations" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/24) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
-------------------- 
 
"Accusing Questions" 
 
-------------------- 
 
Abd-al-Fattah al-Awad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (11/24):  "Pierre al-Jumayyil's assassination took place only 
hours before the UN Security Council session on the international 
tribunal that will try suspects in the assassination of former 
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri.... 
 
"The assassination took place in broad daylight and just before the 
opposition was to take to the streets to topple Al-Saniora's 
government.... 
 
"Who is the killer then?  The killer is the one who benefited from 
all this.  Before Pierre al-Jumayyil was buried, part of the price 
of his blood was already credited to the killers' account and the 
account of those who predicted that assassinations would take place. 
 We are amazed:  How can they repeatedly talk about assassination 
orders without saying who carries out the assassinations?  The 
answer, simply, is that they are the ones who carry them out.  They 
have done it before.  These people include a former killer-prisoner 
[referring to Samir Ja'ja] who is now working as an ambassador for 
Israeli interests in Beirut.  He and his team are responsible for 
this heinous crime.... 
 
"Creating civil strife among Christians, applying pressure on the 
Free Patriotic Movement [led by Michel Aoun] to diminish its 
popularity, and pressuring the ministers of Amal and Hizbollah to 
reverse their resignation, were also among the motives behind 
Al-Jumayyil's assassination. 
 
"The objectives of this assassination are clear, and the 
perpetrators, consequently, are known.  It is a desperate attempt to 
return to the gains that were made after the Al-Hariri 
assassination.  It is also an attempt to harm Syria after all the 
successes it has scored in the world, where the Syrian vision has 
proven to be correct.... 
 
"Just as they previously failed to achieve their objectives, so now 
they are even more frustrated.  It is a dead-end for Israel's 
friend, as the Israeli press calls him, and for the ambassador of 
the Israeli interests, as he really is." 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
"In order for the Truth not to Be Victimized" 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
Isam Dari, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, commented on 
(11/25):  "The February 14 team in Lebanon is the primary 
beneficiary of the latest assassination and from all previous 
terrorist assassinations and bombings in Lebanon. 
 
"The short-term objective of Al-Jumayyil's assassination is to 
thwart the opposition's efforts to bring down the government, while 
the longer-term objective is to ignite sectarian strife and 
undermine the opposition coalition by inciting one group against 
another or against the others.... 
 
"It is ironic that the February 14 team is accusing others of 
responsibility for the crimes that have been committed in Lebanon 
while the government and its agencies are unable to obtain any lead 
to the truth, which has become the first victim of the ruling team 
in Beirut, a team that draws strength from foreigners and that is 
managed by foreign ambassadors." 
 
"The tragic reality is that the lives of Pierre al-Jumayyil and 
those who were assassinated before him were the price of an American 
plan and of the lust for power of a group of novices and old hands. 
But the truth will inevitably come out.  Then, this group will fall 
into the trap that it tried to set for others.  And then it will be 
too late to regret, and history will have no mercy...." 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
"A Crime Serving US-Zionist Plan" 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
Walid al-Buz, a commentator in government-owned Al-Ba'th, wrote 
(11/23:  "The assassination of Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre 
al-Jumayyil, like all the recent assassinations in the country, is 
part of the American-Zionist plan in the region, which is based on 
destabilizing the region and stirring sectarian, denominational, and 
ethnic instincts and chauvinism to divide and fragment the 
region.... 
 
"The assassination will embarrass the opposition and its effort to 
topple the American-backed government and form a national unity 
government.... 
 
"Committing a crime of this caliber in Lebanon helps the United 
States speed up a UN Security Council decision on the establishment 
of the international tribunal, where there are concerns about 
politicization and implementation of suspicious plans.  The logic of 
things says that the assassination of Minister Pierre al-Jumayyil, 
may God have mercy on his soul, was a crime committed to help the 
government stay in power so that it can implement the scheme it is 
required to implement as part of the American-Israeli plan in 
Lebanon and the region...." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
"Why You Are Shouting Loudly If You Are Innocent? 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
Dr. Turki Saqr, an op-ed writer in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (11/23):  "The governing powers in Lebanon, who claim to 
be the majority, have recently raised their voices because they 
failed to hide their set role in selling Lebanon out in the cheap 
American-Israeli market and were unable to belittle the major 
victory that Hizbollah achieved for the Lebanese people.... 
 
"If these forces were really a majority, they would not fear an 
early election or a national unity government.... These forces want 
to continue excluding others and maintain a monopoly on power in 
furtherance of the orders they receive from foreign embassies.... 
 
"The bankrupt government forces wanted to cover their popular 
bankruptcy and their turning into pawns in the hands of the American 
ambassador in Beirut by shouting loudly, playing the tune of 
sectarianism and denominationalism, and inciting against Hizbollah 
and harming its sacrifices and its leaders in an unethical and 
unpatriotic manner to serve the Zionist-American plan in Lebanon and 
the region...." 
 
Corbin