VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0341/01 1010436
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 110436Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3279
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6706
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4446
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3061
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7597
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1666
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5000
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1210
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7335

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000341 
 
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/Macedonia, Pelosi's Visit, Prisoner-swap, Iraq, 
Lebanon, Iran (4/10) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on Apr. 10 reported FM Mouallem's 
meeting on Apr. 9 with Macedonian FM Antonio Milososki.  Talks 
focused on the latest developments in the Middle East and the 
Balkans and prospects of bilateral cooperation.  During the meeting, 
FM Milososki expressed his country's desire to establish diplomatic 
relations between Macedonia and Syria "to boost communications 
between the two countries and peoples."  Minister Mouallem also 
expressed Syria's interest in enhancing ties with Macedonia in the 
interest of both countries.  "My visit to Syria aims at expanding 
economic and political cooperation between Syria and Macedonia," Mr. 
Milososki said in a press statement after the meeting.  "The meeting 
was very productive; my country has the desire to exchange 
viewpoints with Syria on the latest developments in the Middle East 
and the Balkans," he added. 
 
On the Lebanese issue, papers quoted a Jordanian daily as saying 
that a third group of Samir Geagea's and Walid Jumblatt's militia is 
receiving military training in Israel.  Papers also exposed the 
failure of an Israeli attempt on the life of Hizbollah leader Hasan 
Nasrallah. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"FM Mouallem reviews the latest developments in the Middle East and 
Syrian-Macedonian relations with Macedonian FM Antonio Milososki" 
Government-owned Tishreen, 4/10) 
 
"A US study Center:  All attempts to isolate Syria have the opposite 
result" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/10) 
 
"Anti-occupation demonstrations sweep Iraq on the anniversary of the 
fall of Baghdad.  Americans sustain more losses" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 4/10) 
 
"Iraqi refugees:  Syria has supported us" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 4/10) 
 
"Swap of Palestinian prisoners collides with Olmert's 
procrastination.  Families of prisoners look forward to finalizing 
the deal" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/10) 
 
"Jordanian daily:  Militias of Geagea and Jumblatt receive military 
training in Israel" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/10) 
 
"Militias of the governing team in Lebanon continue criminal 
assaults against nationalist figures.  The opposition warns against 
using Lebanon as a US bargaining card" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
4/10) 
 
"An attempt on the life of Hizbollah leader Nasrallah has been 
foiled" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/10) 
 
"Iran is the tenth state to enrich nuclear fuel.  Time has come to 
conclude an understanding on Iran's nuclear program.  Withdrawal 
from the NPT is possible if escalation against Iran continues" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 4/10) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
------------------------------ 
 
"Damascus, the Route to Peace" 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Ahmad Suwwan, a commentator in government-owned Tishrin, wrote 
(4/10):  "US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Syria was part of 
the American popular and political pressure on President Bush's 
administration to drive it to give the logic of reason, wisdom, and 
objectivity precedence over the policy of instability, wars, and 
sedition.... 
 
"The policy of isolation, siege, and accusations against Syria has 
resulted only in the isolation of the United States and the 
 
intensification of hatred for its adventurous and foolish 
policy.... 
 
"Syria adopts just peace as a strategic option and supports the 
unity and sovereignty of Iraq, the Palestinian people's rights, the 
unity of the Lebanese people, and the restoration of all occupied 
Arab territories.  This is the real reason why the Bush 
administration adopts hostile positions toward Syria...." 
 
------------- 
 
"Double Loss" 
 
------------- 
 
Muhammad Khayr al-Jammali, an editorialist in government-owned 
Al-Thawrah, wrote (4/10):  "President Bush's new strategy in Iraq, 
100 days after the start of its implementation, has failed to 
achieve any of its objectives.... 
 
"The security situation is deteriorating in Iraq, US human losses 
are increasing, and the dispute between the Democrats and the 
administration is continuing.... 
 
"Bush is losing both on the domestic and Iraqi fronts.... Pelosi's 
visit to Syria and her call for dialogue with Damascus sends a 
strong message to Bush and his team that dialogue, not the policy of 
wars, arrogance, and aggression against nations and their cultures, 
is the way to maintain world peace and guarantee that every country 
will have stable interests in the Middle East, the world's most 
sensitive and most strategic region...." 
 
-------------------------- 
 
"Our Prisoners and Theirs" 
 
-------------------------- 
 
Dr. Buthaynah Sha'ban, Minister of Expatriate Affairs, commented in 
government-owned Tishrin (4/10):  "While everyone in the West is 
talking about the captured Israeli solider in Gaza, no one is 
talking about 11,000 Arab prisoners in Israeli jails and thousands 
others in public and secret American prisons.... 
 
"While Iran treated the British soldiers with respect, countries 
that call themselves civilized treat Arab prisoners in a brutal way 
that has no connection whatsoever with civilization.... 
 
"The Iranian treatment of the female British soldier was humane, 
entailing respect for her as a woman and a mother, unlike the 
American forces' treatment of Iraqi women, who are today writing 
about their suffering from rape, humiliation, and imprisonment, not 
to mention the suffering of female prisoners in Israeli jails.... 
 
"There must be collective Arab national action to highlight the 
tragedy of Arab prisoners and secure their release...." 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
"Who Does Justice to Prisoners?" 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
Umar Jaftali, a commentator in government-owned Tishrin, said 
(4/10):  "Israel is hindering efforts to swap prisoners with the 
Palestinians through its incursions and terrorist practices in the 
Palestinian territories.  Not only do these practices obstruct the 
exchange of prisoners, but they also prevent the achievement of 
peace.... 
 
"Israel is detaining Palestinian ministers and parliamentarians 
without any legal justification, and the failure to release them 
will remain a violation of international law and justice....  Israel 
is talking about its captured soldier as if he were the most crucial 
issue, and Western countries are colluding with it and forgetting 
that the entire Palestinian people are being held captive...." 
 
 
Corbin