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FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3275
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6702
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RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7331

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000340 
 
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: Issa Codel, Specter, Pelosi's Visit 
(4/6-9) 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on Apr. 6 reported President Asad's 
meeting on Apr. 5 with Darrell Issa, member of the US House of 
Representatives.  Talks dealt with developments in the region and 
means and mechanisms to start relations on a correct basis between 
Syria and the United States.  Issa also met with FM Mouallem, who 
emphasized Syria's commitment to dialogue with the US on all issues 
and asserted the importance of the recent visits paid by US 
Congressmen to Damascus for finding solutions to the problems of the 
region.  Issa reiterated the importance of continuing dialogue 
between Syria and the US, adding that "the latest visits by US 
Congressmen to Syria constitute a new start for joint action to 
solve pending issues between the two countries."  Issa said his 
meeting with President Asad was "very constructive."  In a press 
statement at the end of his talks in Damascus, Issa underscored that 
he joins his voice to the voice of Speaker of the US House of 
Representative Nancy Pelosi and supports recommendations of the 
Baker-Hamilton Committee regarding necessity of holding a dialogue 
with Syria.  "At some point we will have a new Ambassador," he said. 
 
 
Independent al-Watan on Apr. 9 reported that the US Administration 
is facing new calls for dialogue with Syria, citing an interview 
with CNN by Republican Senator Arlen Specter on Apr. 8 voicing 
support for Pelosi's trip to Syria.  Mr. Specter said, "We have to 
deal with President Asad," adding that "Asad can be negotiated 
with," and that "discussions with Syria are very, very important." 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad meets a new US delegation.  New mechanisms to 
initiate new US-Syrian relations.  Member of US House of 
Representatives, Issa:  The meetings were fruitful and dialogue will 
continue" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/6) 
 
"Syria, after Iraq, becomes a problem between the Congress and the 
US Administration" (al-Watan, 4/9) 
 
"British Magazine The Economist:  Syria overcame pressure through 
President Asad's intelligence and patience" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 4/9) 
 
"Moscow:  Pelosi visit to Syria was necessary and useful" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 4/7) 
 
"Hungarian Communist Party:  Syria is the guarantee of peace and 
stability of the region" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/7) 
 
"Ki-Moon:  Endorsement of the International Tribunal will be through 
constitutional channels" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/6) 
 
"Hizbollah SecGen Nasrallah:  Dialogue has failed;  the solution is 
in seeking the Lebanese people's judgment.  The International 
Tribunal system is based on pre-made judgments.  To the governing 
team:  For once, we did not lose" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/9) 
 
"Solutions are blocked.  Lebanese Parliament Speaker Berri:  The 
problem is the governing team's rejection of the principle of 
partnership" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/8) 
 
"Lebanese opposition accuses the February 14 team of treason: 
Sending memo about the International Tribunal to the UNSC is a 
surrender of sovereignty" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/7) 
 
"Six US soldiers killed in Diyala.  Intensive measures on the 4th 
anniversary of US occupation of Iraq. Confrontations extend in 
al-Diwaniyah.  Iraqi clergyman Moqtada al-Sadr warns against 
sedition planted by Iraq's enemies" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
4/9) 
 
"Iraqi FM Zebari announces that Ministerial Conference on Iraq will 
be held in Sharm al-Sheikh at the beginning of May" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 4/8) 
 
"With the  approach  of the 4th anniversary of Baghdad downfall, a 
 
Pentagon report refutes justifications of war" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 4/7) 
 
"Palestinian security steps as a prelude to forming the National 
Security Council.  The prisoner swap deal awaits Olmert's approval" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 4/9) 
 
"Palestinian assurances about Shalit.  Russia sends Ivanov to Israel 
and the Palestinian territories:  Justifications for siege have 
ended" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/7) 
 
"One Palestinian martyred in Jabalya.  Israel attempts to 
assassinate Zakaria al-Zobedi, Leader of Al-Aqsa Brigades. 
Palestinians demand 450 Palestinian captives in return for Shalit" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 4/8) 
 
"Tehran and Moscow resume Boshahr talks.  Iranian President is to 
announce good news on Iranian nukes" (Government-owned Tishreen, 
4/8) 
 
"The Russian Duma Council rejects NATO's advance to the East" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 4/9) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
------------------- 
 
"Focal Syrian Role" 
 
------------------- 
 
Muhammad Ali Buzah, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (4/6):  "The visits to Syria by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 
and other American congressmen represent an important turning point 
in US public policy for the American people, who have begun to feel 
the grave damage that the official neoconservative policy, which is 
organically linked to the Zionist project, has caused to the 
reputation, prestige, and interests of the United States, especially 
in this part of the world.... 
 
"There is no doubt that the diplomacy of dialogue and negotiations 
with Syria, and listening to Syria's views on the hot files and many 
issues relevant to the region and the conflict, reflect an 
acknowledgement of the importance and centrality of the Syrian role, 
the impossibility of ignoring or transcending this role, and the 
futility of the attempts to implement plans or solutions that 
Damascus does not approve and that do not meet Syria's national and 
pan-Arab principles of liberating land and regaining rights as the 
basis of a just and comprehensive peace.... 
 
"Events have proved that the logic of diktats and conditions and the 
language of blackmail, pressure, and siege have failed to force 
Damascus to change its positions.... 
 
"The Bush administration must not forget that Syria has occupied 
land that must be returned.  What is urgently needed today is a 
change in the policies and conduct of this administration.  It 
should possess, even if for one time only, a will for peace and must 
force Israel to accept the peace option and its requirements.  It 
should have the courage to admit that it made mistakes and to 
withdraw and leave the region for its people before asking others to 
do anything." 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
"Lying Is an Official Policy for a Superpower" 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
Isam Dari, chief editor of government-owned Tishreen, commented 
(4/7):  "The US Administration devoted a number of days of its time 
to monitoring and counting what it saw as fatal mistakes that House 
Speaker Nancy Pelosi made.... 
 
"Leaders of the US Administration, therefore, rushed to confront 
Pelosi's decision in advance.  They tried to prevent the visit 
 
before it took place, perhaps for fear that the American official 
 
would find facts that the neoconservative team was hiding from the 
American public and Congress, facts that would only aggravate the 
scandal of this team.... 
 
"And when they failed to prevent the visit despite all the pressure 
they applied, they wanted to provide Pelosi and her large delegation 
with false 'documents' validating their anti-Syria positions and 
policies and proving that Syria is a troublemaker in the Middle 
East, killing Americans in Iraq with terrorists it allows to cross 
the border.... 
 
"The US Administration was shocked that those 'documents' were 
unconvincing to Pelosi and most of her delegation members.  The 
shock was even more powerful when Pelosi announced from Damascus 
that Syria indeed wants peace.... 
 
"Pelosi must have lied and said that Syria does not want peace, 
contrary to the positions she heard and ascertained in Syria. 
 
"She should have adhered to the 'political doctrine' of the Bush 
administration, which says: 'keep lying until the others believe 
you....' 
 
"Had Pelosi done that, she would have won the blessings of Bush, the 
leaders of his administration, and the gang of neoconservatives that 
draws up American policies, and which we nominate for the Oscar for 
lying, deception, trickery, and the assassination of private and 
public freedoms and democracy. 
 
"What is the matter with this 'clique' that rules the United States 
and controls the world and humanity? While it brags about freedom 
and democracy and launches destructive wars against nations under 
the pretext of promoting democracy, it wants to muzzle anyone who 
speaks the truth, even if the speaker is the head of the US House of 
Representatives.... 
 
"The Bush administration has indeed proven to us that it is 
shameless.  And those who have no shame can do anything in broad 
daylight.  They try to twist facts, forge history, lie to the 
Americans and the world, and establish courts of inquisition to try 
even the highest ranking American officials if they dare to break 
the will of the neoconservatives, the merchants of wars and 
destruction and the enemies of rights, justice, and peace. 
 
"We know that Mrs. Pelosi is fully able to defend herself and her 
positions and convictions.  But we fear for her from the arrows of 
the White House and the State Department, and from new lies they 
might fabricate about her.  At the same time, we fear that the truth 
might be lost, since lying has become an official policy of a 
superpower.... 
 
"What is assuring, however, is that the representatives of the 
American people are today more aware of the facts and of the 
disasters that the Bush administration brings upon the US, 
Americans, and the rest of the world." 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
"Before It Is too Late for Apology" 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned Tishrin, 
commented (4/8):  "The American people are impatiently awaiting the 
departure of the current US Administration and the arrival of one 
more concerned about the interests, stature, and international 
reputation of the United States.... 
 
"Seventy-two percent of Americans said in the latest opinion poll 
that they are not satisfied with the performance of the Bush 
administration.... 
 
"The war on Iraq was the main reason behind this position by the 
American people.  Yet the Bush administration does not want to 
accept these facts.  It insists on swimming against the current.  It 
 
goes too far in provoking and deceiving Americans by forging facts 
about the war on Iraq and about foreign policy.  It does not want to 
learn from previous experiences and announce its mistakes publicly 
and apologize to the Americans and the Iraqis for them before it is 
too late...." 
 
Corbin