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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0275/01 0771510
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 181510Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3163
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
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RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4410
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RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7307

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000275 
 
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:  Solana's Visit, Syria/Iran, Syria/Lebanon, Iraq, 
Palestinian Territories (3/15-18) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers reported the visit to Damascus by 
European Union Higher Representative for Common Foreign Policy and 
Security, Javier Solana on March 14.  Ziyad Haydar, a journalist in 
independent Al-Watan said Solana and President Asad held a closed 
50-minute meeting during which the European envoy "explained the 
policy of the EU toward the entire region, focusing on Lebanon, 
while the Syrian side focused on security fears and concerns over 
the stability of 
the whole region." The report added: "Al-Watan 
learned that Al-Asad told Solana that Damascus 'cannot deal with 
Europe and the United States except through its interests, and when 
the interests converge, the cooperation will be complete.'" The 
report said Al-Asad also explained that "Syria is no longer 
interested in the association agreement with the EU and that its 
confidence in the EU has receded." On Lebanon, the paper said, "Asad 
stressed that Syria's positions toward Lebanon have not changed." 
 
On Saturday Syria welcomed the formation of the Palestinian national 
unity government which received the Palestinian Legislative 
Council's vote of confidence today. "Syria stresses support for the 
national unity government as it is the pillar that  guarantees 
Palestinian unity... it is very important to provide necessary 
environment to make the  deeds of this government a success," an 
official source told SANA. 
 
"Syria calls on the international community to offer full support to 
this government and deal with all of its members as it represents 
the Palestinian people's consensus," the official source added. It 
underlined that Syria calls for lifting the siege imposed on the 
Palestinian people who suffered during the last period from this 
unfair siege. 
 
On Syrian/Lebanese relations papers featured a statement by Syrian 
Interior Minister Abdul-Majeed criticizing a statement by Lebanese 
Interior Minister Al-Sab'a linking Fatah Islam, the group that he 
said was responsible for the bus bombings in 'Ein Alaq', to Syrian 
intelligence.  Abdul-Majeed described the story as "programmed 
fabrications." 
 
On March 16 government-owned Al-Thawra cited a statement by Dr. 
Bashar al-Ja'fari, Syria's permanent representative to the United 
Nations, describing international Judge Serge Brammertz's latest 
report on the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq 
al-Hariri as "professional, technical, and pragmatic."  Al-Ja'fari 
said that the report referred to Syria's satisfactory cooperation 
with the investigation committee. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad reviews current developments and regional issues 
with Solana.  Focus is on consultations with Europe and an efficient 
EU role.  International resolutions regulate the peace process" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 3/15) 
 
"Syrian Interior Minister Abdul-Majeed:  Lebanese Interior 
Minister's accusations against Syria, linking Fatah Islam with the 
Syrian intelligence, are programmed fabrications.  Fatah Islam is 
one branch of al-Qaeda organization and has planned terrorist acts 
in Syria" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 3/15) 
 
"Syria's UN Representative Jaafari:  Brammertz's report is 
professional, technical, and pragmatic.  The report praised Syria's 
cooperation" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 3/16) 
 
"Syrian Premier Otri briefs Iranian President Ahmedinejad on the 
outcome of the Higher Syrian-Iranian Committee meetings. 
Ahmedinejad:  We look forward to wider cooperation" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 3/17) 
 
"Prime Minister Mohammed Naji Ottri stresses to the Iraqi Minister 
of Electricity Kareem Wahid Hasan Syria's commitment to realize 
Iraq's stability and security. Ottri confirms Syria's readiness to 
contribute to rebuilding Iraq and meeting the demands of Iraqi 
brothers in all fields" (Government-owned Tisheen, 3/18" 
 
"Geagea is being tried on the charge of kidnapping Lebanese 
citizens.  Hizbollah Leader Nasrallah warns against procrastination 
by the governing team" (Government-owned Tishreen, 3/17) 
 
"Information Minister Dr. Mohsen Bilal confirms that Syria is 
working seriously to make the forthcoming Arab Summit in Riyadh a 
success.  Bilal:  There are new prospects with t 
he EU" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 3/18) 
 
"Syria welcomes and reiterates support for the Palestinian national 
unity government considering it as a basis to unify Palestinian 
ranks.  The Hanieh government takes the oath" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 3/18) 
 
"The first Palestinian national unity government will take oath 
tomorrow.  Washington postpones announcing its position towards the 
new Palestinian government and Israel endeavors to renew sedition" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 3/17) 
 
"11 US soldiers killed within two days.  US Defense Minister Gates: 
The war in Iraq was more difficult than expected" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 3/17) 
 
"The Pentagon:  American and British troops are being exposed to 
1000 attacks on a weekly basis in Iraq. Withdrawal from Iraq before 
September 2008" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 3/16) 
 
"Massive demonstrations sweep US cities protesting President Bush's 
policy in the world and demanding that he withdraw from Iraq" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 3/18) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
"The Carrot and the Stick in the European Position" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
Thana al-Imam, a commentator in independent Al-Watan, wrote (3/15): 
"Although Solana, in his joint news conference with Syrian Foreign 
Minister Walid al-Mouallem, did not mention the deployment of 
international forces on the Lebanese-Syrian border, it is very clear 
that Europe sticks to this demand.... 
 
"As Syria insists on its rejection of such deployment, the EU 
decided to adopt a stick-and-carrot policy toward Damascus.  Solana 
hinted that there is a chance now to make Syria part of the proposed 
initiatives.  He also stressed that the EU supports the peace 
process and Syria's right to regain the territories it lost in 1967. 
 Naturally, Syria welcomes this because it effectively breaks the 
isolation that the West in general and the United States in 
particular tried to impose on it in the past two years.... 
 
"Observers believe that the deployment of international forces on 
the border between Lebanon and Syria will close yet another window 
to the neighborhood for Damascus, as it would be surrounded by 
Israel on one side, the international forces on another side, and 
the American forces in Iraq on a third side, while the repercussions 
of the deployment of international forces on the Syrian-Lebanese 
border might [be a] 'promise' of a peace agreement between Lebanon 
and Israel." 
 
---------------------------- 
 
"'Ein Alaq' and Satan's Eye" 
 
---------------------------- 
 
Isam Dari, Chief Editor of government-owned Tishreen, wrote (3/17): 
"We are no longer surprised that Syria is accused of involvement in 
every crime committed in Lebanon.  But we are surprised at the weak 
political discourse of the February 14 team, which never succeeded 
when it directed accusations against Syria in the past.... 
 
"Lebanese Interior Minister Basim al-Sab'a linked Fatah Islam, the 
 
group that he said was responsible for the bus bombings in 'Ein 
Alaq', to Syrian intelligence.... 
 
"Al-Sab'a forgot that Syria is a secular state that does not deal 
with Salafi fundamentalist groups, especially the terrorist groups 
among them, which took up killings, bombings, and assassinations as 
a profession. He forgot that Syria waged a relentless war against 
such groups and that the Syrians suffered from their terr 
orism for 
long before the competent authorities managed to put an end to their 
terrorism and crimes.... 
 
"But Al-Sab'a had to play his designated role in order not to say 
that the same people, who are known for their hostility toward 
Syria, the resistance, and Arabism and their unconcealed love for 
Israel, are the ones who always jump to level accusations against 
Syria without any proof or evidence.... 
 
"A recent article by American journalist Seymour Hersh revealed that 
Al-Saniora's government opened channels with the group Fatah 
al-Islam as part of its efforts to confront Hizbollah.... 
 
"Reiterating accusations against Syria by the Lebanese government 
team coincided with the start of a kind of dialogue between Damascus 
and both the United States and Europe, and came on the eve of the 
report that Judge Serge Brammertz submitted to the Security Council 
on the investigations into the assassination of former Lebanese 
Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri.... 
 
"The Lebanese governing team thought that its new fabrications might 
close the European door and the American window and bring Syria back 
to the cycle of the American-European political isolation.... This 
team sank deeper in the swamp of exposed lies that no longer deceive 
anyone...." 
 
------------------------- 
 
"Palestinian Government" 
 
------------------------- 
 
Samir al-Shibani, a commentator in government-owned Tishrin wrote 
(3/17):  "All Palestinians, Arabs, and nations that love justice and 
peace in the world received the news on the formation of a 
Palestinian nation unity government with satisfaction. 
 
"The new government sums up an integrated national Palestinian 
program that no party has the right to relinquish any small part of 
it, as the Palestinian and Arab people offered millions of refugees 
and hundreds of thousands of martyrs, wounded, and detainees for its 
sake. 
 
"Israel's rejection of the new government did not come as a surprise 
to those who know the nature of the Israeli plan, which is based on 
the perpetuation of the occupation and the settlement activity and 
imposing them as a status quo, and on the creation of sectarian and 
denominational seditions among the peoples and countries of this 
region. 
 
"The next Arab summit in Riyadh can, through coordination and 
cooperation, accomplish great agreements to protect the Arab 
nation...." 
 
----------------------- 
 
"Facts Known by Solana" 
 
----------------------- 
 
Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (3/15): "Syria's position remains as it has always been. 
So there is no need for tests, examinations, and conditions.  EU 
Foreign Policy High Representative Javier Solana noticed this during 
his talks in Damascus. He heard clear Syrian words about the 
situation in the region and the need to address the region's issues 
and solve its problems so that security and stability can prevail 
and the potential for tension can disappear.... 
 
 
"Europeans know well that Syria is the victim of an Israeli 
occupation of part of its territory.  They also know that Syria is 
under immense political and economic pressure as a result of the 
United States' occupation of Iraq, interference in domestic Lebanese 
affairs, obstruction of a just and comprehensive peace, and flagrant 
support for the Israeli aggression.... 
"These are known and tangible facts.  So why are there these Western 
attempts to tarnish Syria's image and implicate it in everything 
bad?  And why are there these European conditions and tests if 
things are so clear; namely, that Syria is fully innocent of the 
charges leveled against it while Israel is practicing aggression and 
is responsible for the tension in the region? 
 
"The EU is supposed to answer the abovementioned questions.  The 
EU's return to Syria, though important, is supposed to be followed 
directly by a calm and serious dialogue on the affairs and issues of 
the region with a view toward reaching the just solution that 
returns the occupied Arab territories and uproots the causes of 
tension.  Continuing to level accusations to Syria and to apply 
pressure on it for Israeli and American reasons, on the other hand, 
would only complicate things further -- something that neither the 
EU nor Solana, we believe, wants." 
 
----------------------------- 
 
"Israel Has No Will for Peace" 
 
----------------------------- 
 
Muhammad Ali Buzah, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (3/15):  "The Israeli Foreign Minister's call on Arabs to 
normalize their relations with Israel before the achievement of 
peace shows that Israel, which is suffering from its defeat in 
Lebanon and its crisis in the Palestinian territories, has still not 
drawn the lessons from its old and new experiences.... 
 
"The Israeli Foreign Minister refuses to admit that the 
American-Israeli plan has failed.  She is trying to circumvent 
facts, raise moral, and delude people into thinking that the keys to 
war and peace are in Israel's hands.... 
 
"This is escalation, blackmail and an attempt to obstruct Europe's 
effort to bring about a just peace in the region.... But Israel and 
its backers forget that the time of belligerence and imposition of 
conditions through war and the brute force has gone.... 
 
"Israeli positions keep the region in a cycle of fire, violence, 
tension, and instability.... An explosion in the region would have 
disastrous and devastating consequences for Israel itself and the 
interests of the United States and the rest of the world...." 
 
Corbin