VZCZCXYZ0004
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0074/01 0221346
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221346Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2840
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6520
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4300
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2910
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7475
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1524
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4865
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1083
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7207

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000074 
 
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/PLO, Syria/Iran, Syria/Libya, Syria/Belgium, Iraq, 
Lebanon (1/22) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on Jan. 22 reported President Asad's and 
VP Shara's meetings with Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Iranian 
Supreme National Security Council, on Jan 21.  Talks focused on 
current regional developments.  Larijani conveyed a message from 
President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad about the situation in the region and 
issues of common concern. 
 
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' visit continued to be a major 
topic in the Syrian press.  Papers reported Abbas' meeting with Vice 
President Shara on Jan. 21, which tackled ways to overcome the 
current tension in the Palestinian territories, and efforts to form 
a national unity government, strengthen Palestinian national unity, 
fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, and 
end the unjust siege on them.  Al-Shar'a stressed Syria's readiness 
to offer anything that would consolidate Palestinian unity and help 
realize this objective. Papers also reported President Abbas' talks 
with Khaled Meshaal, Chairman of the HAMAS Politburo, on Jan. 21 on 
formation of a Palestinian national unity government. 
 
On Syrian-Libyan relations, papers reported that President Asad 
received a message from Colonel Mu'ammar al-Qadhafi on the situation 
in the region and North Africa and relations between Syria and 
Libya. The message was delivered by Ahmad Qadhaf-al-Dam, Colonel 
Al-Qadhafi's envoy, when President Asad received him on Jan. 21. 
 
Papers also reported the visit to Damascus on Jan. 21 by Anne-Marie 
Lizin, President of the Belgian Senate, and her meeting with 
Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Abrash.  Headlines featured a press 
statement by Lizin upon her arrival in Damascus, in which she 
reiterated the importance of Syria's role at this critical stage, 
saying "there would be no good future for the region's peoples 
without Syria."  Lizin called for continuing European communication 
with Syria;  the best way for that, according to Lizin, "is to come 
to Syria and hold talks with her officials."  "The visit aims at 
hearing Syrian officials and conveying the Syrian position to 
European states," she said, stressing that "the Belgian Senate can 
influence the European Parliament to build positive relations with 
Syria." 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad receives two letters, from Libyan Leader al-Qadhafi 
and Iranian President Ahmedinejad, on latest developments in the 
region.  Larijani:  circumstances require continuing consultations 
among friends" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/22) 
 
"Vice-President Shara and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas 
discuss steps for forming a Palestinian national unity government" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/22) 
 
"Palestinian President Abbas and Chairman of HAMAS Politburo Khaled 
Meshaal agree on banning civil strife, completing dialogue and 
re-building the Palestinian Liberation Organization" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/22) 
 
"Iraq President Talabani:  President Asad seeks a stable and secure 
Iraq" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/22) 
 
"President of Belgian Senate Anne-Marie Lizin:  No good future for 
peoples of the region without Syria" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
1/22) 
 
"A general strike in Beirut tomorrow.  Opposition leaders:  A 
necessary option to save Lebanon" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/22) 
 
"A Russian move in the region:  Reviving the peace process and 
correcting work of the international investigation committee" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/22) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
----------------------- 
 
"Do not Lose Direction" 
 
 
----------------------- 
 
Abd-al-Fattah al-Awad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Thawra, 
said (1/22):  "Syria does not favor one Palestinian faction over 
another and does not interfere in details of the relationships among 
the factions, because it is convinced that every intra-Palestinian 
dispute serves Israel....  Every effort to prevent, ward off, and 
close doors of Palestinian differences prevents Israel from 
exploiting these differences for its own interest.... 
 
"Israel has repeatedly failed in its effort to create 
intra-Palestinian strife.  But some mistakes here and there gave the 
impression that Israel was about to realize part of its desired 
objective.  Reliance on Palestinian awareness of this fact, however, 
yielded good results.  Sincere people were eager to preserve 
Palestinian blood too sacred to be shed in a domestic strife.... 
 
"The establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its 
capital and the return of the refugees are the objectives on which 
all Palestinians agree, although there might be different views on 
how to achieve these objectives.... 
 
"While receiving Mahmud Abbas, Syria strongly believes that what 
Palestinians agree upon is what everyone supports.  Syria trusts 
Palestinians' wisdom, awareness, and realization of what is being 
plotted against them secretly and publicly.  Syria's message has 
something of advice and something of hope: Palestinians, do not lose 
direction." 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
"Dialogue is A Palestinian Option" 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
Ibrahim Shuqayr, a commentator in government-owned Al-Ba'th, wrote 
(1/22):  "The continued deterioration in the domestic Palestinian 
situation, obstructing national dialogue, and deepening the 
Palestinian rift, represents gratuitous services to Israel, which is 
exploiting the existing Palestinian situation to buy time, continue 
its known practices, entrench occupation, and tighten the noose 
around the Palestinian people.... 
 
"US Secretary of State Condaleeza Rice visited the Palestinian 
territories to serve Israel's interest of accelerating and stoking 
domestic strife among Palestinians and foiling efforts to achieve 
national accord and dialogue. 
 
"Therefore, we must warn against relying on foreign guarantees and 
activating the peace process based on American criteria and Israeli 
conditions." 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
"The Strangest Logic in History" 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
Ali Nasrallah, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(1/22):  "The US Administration in previous years was reluctant to 
listen to the voices warning it that fabricating crises and wars is 
an inappropriate escalatory step that jeopardizes international 
peace.... 
 
"The US Administration was very stubborn with regard to the Iraq 
war, despite all domestic and foreign opposition to its foreign 
policy....  The White House's criticism of Congress' attempt to pass 
resolutions to protect the United States from the evils of Bush's 
miserable adventures comes within this context.... 
 
"If Congress has ever taken a step in the right direction in its 
history, it is its demand that the President obtain approval for 
increasing the number of troops in Iraq and for attacking Iran. 
Such a step can in no way be seen as an effort to tie his hands, 
because it has its reasons and justifications.... 
 
 
"When Democratic and Republican Congressional leaders who are 
leading this effort say 'we will not let the current administration 
make the same mistake twice,' this is a strong indication that they 
are convinced that Iran does not pose a threat, and that Iraq was 
never a threat." 
 
Corbin