VZCZCXYZ0039
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #5346/01 3331502
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291502Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2530
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6405
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4203
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2798
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7384
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1416
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4768
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0983
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7118

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 005346 
 
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/Canada, Syria/Lebanon, 
EU-Med Conference, Syria/South Africa (11/29) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on November 29 reported that the Foreign 
Ministry summoned the Canadian ambassador to Damascus, Mark Belli, 
to protest Canada's vote against the two resolutions adopted by the 
UN Human Rights Council regarding Israeli violations in the occupied 
Syrian Golan and the Palestinian territories.  "This negative voting 
obviously contradicts all claims of human rights protection and will 
encourage Israel to commit more crimes in the occupied Arab lands," 
a Ministry statement said. 
 
Papers also reported that on November 28 the military commander of 
the takfiri Tawhid and Jihad Organization, Umar Abdallah, alias Umar 
Hamra, a Syrian national about 28 years old, tried to cross from 
Syria to Lebanon at the Judaydat Yabus border post using a fake ID. 
When confronted, he opened fire on members of the Syrian Public 
Security with a pistol and tried to escape.  While being chased, he 
detonated an explosive belt he was wearing, killing himself and 
wounding two Public Security personnel.  Authorities immediately 
rushed to the scene and launched an investigation.  Abdallah had 
nine fake identity cards in his possession. 
 
Papers continued to feature more Arab and foreign condemnations of 
the assaults against Syrian workers in Lebanon and cited a statement 
by resigned Lebanese Minister of Labor Trad Hamadeh, who said that 
"such acts and behavior are condemned and unacceptable to the 
Lebanese;  we must punish all those who committed these hostile 
acts."  Hamadeh called upon all Lebanese media to expose everyone 
who tries to harm Syrian workers in Lebanon, in order to protect 
their security, lives and interests in Lebanon. 
 
A surprising statement in government-owned Tishreen blames the 
plight of Syrian workers in Lebanon on the failure of the Syrian 
Ministry of Labor to provide jobs for them in Syria (See "Syrian 
Workers in Lebanon, a Trick Used Another Time!", below). 
 
 
Government-owned Tishreen reported the meeting of Deputy Foreign 
Minister Faisal al-Meqdad with South African Intelligence Minister 
Ronnie Kasrils on Nov. 28.  Kasrils described Syria as a regional 
power whose role is active and important in establishing security 
and stability in the region, saying that all world powers can 
benefit from Syria's role because Syria can be of great assistance. 
"We are happy that the USA, Europe and Britain have begun to realize 
Syria's significant role in the region," Kasrils stated to SANA, 
noting that his country rejects every policy that aims to isolate 
states and peoples instead of enhancing dialogue among them. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"The Foreign Ministry summons the Canadian ambassador to Damascus, 
Mark Belli, to protest the negative position adopted by his country 
at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva" (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 11/29) 
 
"Foreign Minister Walid al-Mouallem meets Spanish FM Miguel Angel 
Moratinos and takes part in the EU-Med Conference discussions. 
Al-Mouallem:  The absence of serious peace initiatives in the region 
undermines genuine efforts to cement stability and prosperity in it" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 11/29) 
 
"International Trade Unions Federation condemns assaults against 
Syrian workers in Lebanon" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/29) 
 
"Syria announces that Umar Hamra, the terrorist and military 
official of the takfiri Tawhid and Jihad organization blew himself 
up at the Syrian-Lebanese border when he was intercepted by Syrian 
security forces" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/29) 
 
"Kofi Annan and Jimmy Carter call for openness towards Syria and 
Iran" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/29) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
------------------ 
 
"Raising Sedition" 
 
------------------ 
 
Ali Qasim, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(11/27):  "There are indications that the actual objective of 
Minister Al-Jumayyil's assassination was to create domestic strife 
and drag Lebanon into a civil war, allowing some people to regain 
their old glory as warlords and enabling others to maintain their 
status as warlords after the breakdown of their popular base and the 
disintegration of the state of mobilization, which was exploited in 
the worst possible way to serve personal objectives, with the 
Lebanese people as the real losers.... 
 
"Government forces are pushing the Lebanese situation toward further 
tension to cover their growing bankruptcy.... The Lebanese people 
must be cautious and must block the efforts of those who try to 
tamper with civil peace.... 
 
"The governing team in Lebanon is being used to realize Israeli 
objectives and save American plans from the failure they are 
facing." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
"Ja'ja Predicts, and the Lebanese Government Lets Pass" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
Isam Dari, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(11/29):  "Shortly before Al-Jumayyil's assassination, Samir Ja'ja, 
leader of the Lebanese Forces Party, predicted that assassinations 
against ministers and parliament members would take place, saying 
that he got his information from government sources.... 
 
"The government deliberately ignored Ja'ja's predictions because it 
needed a scapegoat for what was happening at the Security 
Council.... 
 
"Those who planned and implemented the crime are logically known but 
they are still unknown to the February 14 groups, which wanted to 
use the crime to continue releasing their venom and hatred toward 
Syria and to break the back of the opposition by fracturing it and 
preventing it from organizing popular moves to bring down the 
Feltman-Al-Saniora government...." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
"Syrian Workers in Lebanon, a Trick Used Another Time!" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
As'ad Abbud, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(11/29):  "Those who attack Syrian workers in Lebanon are tools 
charged by the political novices in Lebanon, from the dirty trio of 
Sa'd al-Hariri, Walid Junblatt, and Samir Ja'ja, to the media 
outlets, to the 'tea' group" [REFERENCE to acting Interior Minister 
Ahmad Fatfat and his security agencies, the security men who were 
stationed in Marj Uyun barracks during the recent Israeli invasion 
of south Lebanon and who reportedly offered tea to the Israeli 
soldiers when they entered the barracks.] 
 
"What prevents those who offer tea to the invading occupation forces 
while their country is bleeding on all sides and its children are 
dying under the rubble, from hurting Syrian workers...? 
 
"What justifies the presence of Syrian workers in Lebanon...?  The 
Syrian Ministry of Labor is to blame for its failure to secure jobs 
for these Syrian workers who endanger their lives by seeking jobs in 
Lebanon...." 
 
Corbin