VZCZCXYZ0011
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #5452/01 3621708
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 281708Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2712
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6466
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4250
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2855
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7427
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1474
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4809
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1036
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7159

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 005452 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ARN, INR/IC/CD, INR/R/MR:STHIBEAULT AND 
JMCCARTER, VOA NEWS CA, NEA/PPD:CBOURGEOIS, AZAIBACK, AND 
AFERNANDEZ, IIP/G/NEA-SA MDAVIDSON 
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC 
CENTCOM FOR CCPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR PREL KPAO OPRC SY
SUBJECT: Syria/US, Syria/Russia, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestinian 
Territories (12/21) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers reported the Dec. 19-20 visit to 
Damascus by US Senators Christopher Dodd and John Kerry and their 
meetings with President Asad and FM Mouallem.  Talks focused on the 
level of relations between Syria and the United States and ways to 
activate the comprehensive peace process in the Middle East.  The 
Baker-Hamilton report recommendations were also reviewed. President 
Al-Asad renewed Syria's firm position toward the peace process and 
its permanent readiness to achieve peace under fair international 
sponsorship.  The situation in Iraq was also reviewed. Support for 
the ongoing political process in Iraq was stressed with a view 
toward setting a timetable for withdrawing foreign troops from Iraq, 
maintaining Iraq's unity and stability, and ending acts of violence 
in Iraq.  The two sides reviewed the deteriorating situation in the 
occupied Palestinian territories and stressed the need to achieve 
national unity among Palestinians.  The two senators briefed 
President Asad on the results of their tour of the region. 
President Asad renewed Syria's support for everything the Lebanese 
agree upon without any foreign intervention. 
 
Papers also reported that Senators Dodd and Kerry met with Foreign 
Minister Mouallem who called upon the United States to assume its 
role as an honest sponsor of the Middle East peace process. 
Mouallem emphasized Syria's concern about cementing security and 
stability in the region and underscored the need for the 
international community to shoulder its responsibility to achieve a 
just and comprehensive peace in the region based on the UNSC 
resolutions and Madrid conference as well as the land for peace 
formula.  Talks during the meeting included the exchange of views on 
the latest international and regional developments, mainly 
developments in Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq. 
 
On Syrian-Russian relations, papers reported Russian Foreign 
Minister Serge Lavrov's December 20 statement calling for an 
international conference in order to resume the peace process in the 
Middle East. The Russian Minister stressed the necessity of working 
hard to solve the region's pending issues through dialogue and 
negotiations and with the participation of all concerned parties. 
Papers also reported that on December 20 Russian President Vladimir 
Putin issued a decree appointing Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander 
Sultanov as special envoy of the Russian President to the Middle 
East. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad briefs US Senators Kerry and Dodd on Syria's 
positions regarding peace under honest international sponsorship, 
setting a timetable for withdrawal of troops from Iraq, maintaining 
Iraq's unity, and supporting everything the Lebanese parties agree 
upon without foreign intervention" (Government-owned Tishreen, 
12/21) 
 
"Russian daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta: The Summit between President Asad 
and President Putin confirms deep-rooted cooperation between the two 
countries. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov reiterates his country's 
desire to tackle all aspects of the peace process" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 12/21) 
 
"Putin assigns Sultanov as a special envoy to the Russian President 
to the Middle East.  Russia emphasizes its desire to hold an 
international conference, with the participation of all parties in 
the region, in order to solve all pending issues " (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 12/21) 
 
"President Lahoud receives AL Secretary General Moussa: A national 
unity government is the key to solving the crisis. Lebanese 
political figures and MPs:  The governing team is a tool for the US 
project in the region" (Government-owned Tishreen, 12/21) 
 
"A new scandal for the al-Siniora government:  A warplane from 
Israel landed illegally in Beirut on the same day Pierre Jumayyel 
was assassinated" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 12/21) 
 
"Two US soldiers killed, six injured in attacks in Baghdad. 
President Bush admits his defeat in Iraq and his new Defense 
 
Secretary makes a sudden visit to Iraq" (Government-owned Tishreen, 
 
SIPDIS 
12/21) 
 
" Islamic mediation among Palestinian parties reinstates debate on a 
national unity government at the negotiating table.  Washington and 
Israel pretend neutrality" (Government-owned Tishreen, 12/21) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
------------------ 
 
"The Russian Role" 
 
------------------ 
 
Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, commented 
(12/21):  "Perhaps the decision-makers in Washington believed they 
would be able to neutralize the roles of big countries with 
political, economic, and military weight in the world, chief of 
which is the Russian Federation, the heir of the Soviet Union, the 
country with major interests in the region and the world, and the 
co-sponsor of the peace process that the US Administration and the 
leaders of Tel Aviv have buried. 
 
"The results of the efforts of the American hawks, who wanted to 
unilaterally make the world's policies and decisions, came to shock 
this American team, which has yet to admit that the new world order 
is a dream of the past, and the New Middle East is following 
suit.... 
 
"If the United States is playing a major role in today's world, a 
role dictated by its political, economic, and military power, the 
Russian role is no less important than the American role if we are 
talking about the world's security, stability, and peace. 
 
"... Syria wagers on a Russian role, in addition to a European and a 
UN role, so that this region will not remain a hostage to Americans, 
who are biased toward Israeli aggression and terrorism." 
 
------------------------ 
 
"Chaos to Achieve Goals" 
 
------------------------ 
 
Ziyad al-Munajjid, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote from Baghdad on (12/21):  "The occupation forces are promoting 
chaos in Iraq as a prelude to a sectarian war threatening to divide 
the country as part of a plan to fragment and rearrange the Middle 
East.... Hence the idea of death squads in Iraq, which were formed 
under the full supervision of the occupation and which used the 
Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defense as a cover. 
 
"Former American officer James Steel was assigned to supervise these 
squads in the Interior Ministry, and their aim is to kill Sunnis. 
While Officer Stephen Castle was assigned to form these squads in 
the Defense Ministry, and their aim is to kill Shiites. Former US 
Ambassador to Iraq John Negroponte, who is specialized in guerrilla 
warfare, directly supervised the formation of these squads.... 
 
"There are 66 death squads in Iraq, with its members wearing the 
uniform of the Interior Ministry and the Defense Ministry.  They are 
led by two Iraqi officers, one in the Defense Ministry and one in 
the Interior Ministry.  These officers coordinate directly with the 
national security agency. Most of the killings and terror operations 
in Iraq are committed by these squads with cover from the occupation 
forces...." 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
"How Could a Military Defeated Behave Like a Winner? Changing Goals, 
not Means Is What Counts" 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
Mahdi Dakhlallah, former Information Minister in Tishreen, commented 
 
(12/21):  "The Baker-Hamilton report proposes a change in the US 
tactics and methods but not in the strategies and objectives of the 
United States. The American objective remains the same: to control 
the region and its potential.  The report is certainly important, 
especially when it criticizes military solutions and calls for 
diplomacy and dialogue. But, is it really possible to change the 
tactics without changing the objectives in the complicated world of 
international relations? Is it possible to use peaceful and 
dialogue-based methods to achieve aggressive and hegemonic 
objectives...? 
 
"What kind of dialogue can be opened with Syria if the objective is 
to facilitate American hegemony on the region?  How can people 
accept the logic that what Israel failed to achieve in the 
aggression on Lebanon it can achieve by political means, and what 
the United States failed to achieve through its military operations 
in Iraq it can achieve through diplomacy and dialogue? 
 
"We hope that the United States will amend its objectives so that a 
dialogue can be useful...." 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
"Democracy and Double Standards" 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
Ahmad Dawwa, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(12/21):  "President Bush and Prime Minister Blair pursue double 
standards when they support the call for early elections in 
Palestine and reject it in Lebanon. Through such policies the United 
States and Britain jeopardize the security and stability of the 
region and cause further tension and serious trouble that would 
ultimately harm American and British interests in the region.... 
 
"The call for early elections in Palestine deserves support because 
the results of the previous election were not to the liking of 
Israel, the United States, and Britain.  This is why the Palestinian 
government was besieged.... 
 
"But the call for early election in Lebanon is rejected as a coup 
d'etat against legitimacy because its expected results will exclude 
the ruling team and, consequently, the sedition plan that the 
American and Israeli circles are preparing for Lebanon.... 
 
"Those who believe that the Bush administration, in its current 
makeup where a small group of neoconservatives controls the 
decision-making centers, will adopt the Baker-Hamilton report are 
mistaken. This administration is a hostage to a destructive plan 
threatening world peace and security.  Its retreat from this plan is 
linked only to the ability of the peoples of the region to confront 
the sedition schemes that this administration manages through local 
tools that turned themselves into fuel for this plan." 
 
ROEBUCK