VZCZCXYZ0030
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0257/01 0721533
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131533Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3138
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6639
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4399
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3014
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7560
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1620
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4958
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1169
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7297

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000257 
 
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/EU, Syria/Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestinian 
Territories (3/13) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on Mar. 13 reported Deputy Foreign 
Minister Faisal Miqdad's meeting on Mar. 12 with Ellen Sauerbrey, US 
Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and 
Migration.  Talks focused on developments in Iraq and the suffering 
of Iraqis at home and abroad as a result of the situation in their 
country.  Dr. Miqdad stressed that the problem of the Iraqi refugees 
is a result of the war on Iraq.  Therefore, he said, the 
international 
community must turn full attention to the suffering of 
Iraqis who were forced to leave their homes and country to escape 
from the instability and lack of security that Iraq has experienced 
in recent years.  He said the Iraqi government and Americans must 
shoulder their responsibility and enable Iraqis to return to their 
homes in a stable and secure climate.  A SANA (official SARG news 
agency) release reported that the US Assistant Secretary of State 
praised Syria's efforts regarding the issue of Iraqi citizens who 
have taken refuge in Syria, that she stressed the need for the 
international community to assist Syria as it bears the burden of 
fulfilling the refugees' basic needs, and that she stressed the need 
to create a climate of safety and stability in Iraq to help the 
Iraqi refugees return to their country. 
 
Papers also featured a statement in Beirut on Mar. 12 by Javier 
Solana, The European Union's High Representative for the Common 
Foreign and Security Policy, reiterating the importance of Syria's 
role in the Middle East and referring to the EU countries' desire to 
cooperate with Syria.  "We want our relations with Syria to be 
positive and fruitful," Solana said, expressing hope that former and 
future meetings "will give new mechanisms in this regard." 
He added he will visit Syria "with great amity because the EU 
believes that Syria is an important country in the region and one of 
the Mediterranean countries that has common interests and programs 
with the EU".  Solana stressed the need to achieve a comprehensive 
peace in the region on all tracks, including the Syrian and Lebanese 
ones. 
 
On Syrian/Iranian relations, papers reported a final session of 
talks on Mar. 12 between Deputy Commander General of the Army and 
Armed Forces and Minister of Defense Lt. Gen. Hassan Tourkmani and 
his Iranian Counterpart, Gen. Moustafa Mohammed Najjar.  During the 
final session, the two sides stressed the need for further deepening 
and boosting of relations between their armies. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad discusses sufferings of Iraqi 
refugees with Ellen Sauerbrey, US Assistant Secretary of State for 
Population, Refugees and Migration.  Miqdad:  Problem of Iraqi 
refugees is caused by occupation... Issues of the region are 
intertwined... Permanent solutions come through comprehensive 
dialogue" (Government-owned Tishreen, 3/13) 
 
"European Union's High Representative for the Common Foreign and 
Security Policy Javier Solana:  We seek positive and fruitful 
relations with Syria" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 3/13) 
 
"France considers the Arab peace initiative as best peace formula. 
Paris:  Solana will head to Damascus equipped with a collective 
Roadmap" (Independent Al-Watan, 3/13) 
 
"Minister of Defense Hassan Tourkmani and Iranian Defense Minister 
Gen. Moustafa Mohammed Najjar concluded talks by signing a memo of 
understanding. Turkmani and Najjar stress the need for further 
deepening and boosting of relations between the armies of the two 
friendly countries." (Government-owned Tishreen, 3/13) 
 
"Killing of five US soldiers in Iraq.  The Pentagon prepares a plan 
for withdrawal.  Scores of bodies scattered in Baghdad and Mosul" 
(Independent Al-Watan, 3/13) 
 
"Secret Palestinian-Israeli contacts to resume negotiations" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 3/13) 
 
"Al-Saniora confers with his ministers today to discuss formation of 
a second delegation to the Arab summit" (Government-owned Tishreen, 
 
3/13) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
-------------------- 
 
"Towards a New Iraq" 
------------------- 
 
Muhammad Khayr al-Jammali, an editorialist in government-owned 
Al-Thawrah, wrote (3/13):  "In its statement to the Iraq conference, 
Syria explained how Iraqis can be saved and how a new Iraq can be 
built.... 
 
"The main problem in Iraq is the American occupation and its 
misguided policies.  The drafters of these policies do not 
understand the nature and culture of the Iraqi people, which are 
based on rejection of foreign occupation no matter what pretexts it 
uses to justify its invasion of their country.... 
 
"Out of its deep understanding of Iraq's current situation and the 
reasons for the crisis, Syria, in its statement, explained the way 
out of the crisis clearly and transparently:  First, scheduling the 
withdrawal of the foreign forces to end the occupation because it is 
the main reason behind the deterioration in Iraq.  Second:  Working 
to build a new Arab and Islamic Iraq that can only be achieved 
through national reconciliation foiling the policy of sedition that 
the occupation has pursued to sow strife among the one people...." 
 
----------------- 
 
"Open Occupation" 
 
----------------- 
 
Umar Jaftali, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(3/13):  "The announcement that 4,400 additional American troops 
will be sent to Iraq shows that President Bush does not intend to 
discuss or schedule a withdrawal from Iraq, and that he is 
determined, apparently until the end of his term, to perpetuate the 
occupation of Iraq and steal the last barrel of oil in the 
country.... 
 
"The American announcement also means that the Bush administration, 
although it attended the Baghdad conference, is not in the business 
of rendering the political process in Iraq successful.  It will 
torpedo every national accord based on liberating Iraq and 
safeguarding it as a united and stable country within its Arab 
family...." 
 
---------------------------- 
 
"The Backyard Garden's Lesson" 
 
---------------------------- 
 
Abd-al-Fattah al-Awad, Chief Editor of government Al-Thawra, wrote 
(3/13):  "Change by the Bush administration is compulsory, dictated 
by the results it achieved from its intransigent policy.... 
 
"Here we see the Bush administration, which rejected the part that 
called for dialogue with Syria and Iran in the Baker-Hamilton 
report, backtracking and accepting the report.... 
 
"But it is important for the United States to realize that sitting 
at the dialogue table is not a concession it is making;  rather, it 
is a requirement to satisfy the needs of the other side.... Syria 
believes that the problems of the region are inseparable. 
 
"Visits to Damascus by world officials constitute a kind of public 
admission that the Syrian vision was largely correct.  This 
necessarily means that the proposed Syrian solution is the one with 
the greatest chance to succeed.... 
 
"If we notice the amount of Israeli anger at Solana's visit, as 
 
expressed by the Israeli foreign minister, we realize the extent to 
which Syrian diplomacy has succeeded.  It has forced everyone to 
recognize the Syrian role and Syrian wisdom.  In other words, 
correcting the mistakes that were made against Syria requires 
serious and tangible work that takes into consideration the Syrian 
formula for a solution.  This formula, clearly, calls for peace. 
Those who do not listen to it continue making mistakes...." 
----------------------- 
 
"Psychological Warfare" 
 
----------------------- 
 
Dr. Buthaina Sha'ban, Expatriate Affairs Minister, commented in 
government-owned Tishrin (3/13):  "No one in the 'civilized' or 
'democratic' world dares to raise his voice on international women's 
day to condemn the brutal crimes against female prisoners and 
bereaved and displaced mothers in Palestine and Iraq.... Israeli 
massacres against Arabs are nothing new, and they have included 
burying prisoners alive and trading in the organs of dead 
prisoners.... The revelation about the killing of Egyptian prisoners 
did not anger the 'free' international media.... 
 
"The world remains silent against such crimes because the Bush 
administration practices psychological terrorism against the 
world.... 
 
"The psychological terrorism that the administration of the world's 
sole superpower is practicing against leaders, peoples, countries, 
governments, and international organizations that are supposed to be 
free and independent is worse, in its tragic results, than the 
physical terrorism that the Bush administration claims to be 
fighting, but which it is also practicing...." 
 
Corbin