VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0394/01 1151238
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251238Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3374
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6755
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4487
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3106
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7633
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1705
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5041
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1248
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7373

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000394 
 
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: Ban Ki-Moon's Visit, Syria/Qatar, Syria/France, Pelosi, 
Iraq, Palestinian Territories, Lebanon (4/24-25) 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on Apr. 25 reported President Asad's 
meeting on Apr. 24 with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, which 
focused on Syria's relations with the UN and the necessity of 
building confidence and mutual respect between the two sides.  Talks 
also dealt with the peace process and the situation in Iraq, 
Palestine and Lebanon.   Ki-Moon also held talks with Vice President 
Farouk Shara, FM Mouallem, and Deputy FM Miqdad.  In a press 
conference before leaving Damascus, Ki-Moon stated:  "Syria is a 
very important country, and I expect it to play a constructive role 
to achieve peace and security in the region."  He said he is looking 
forward to continuing contacts and joint efforts on the basis of 
confidence and friendship to achieve a just and comprehensive peace 
in the region and implement Security Council Resolutions 242 and 
¶338.  Ki-Moon said that he was encouraged by the commitment that 
Syrian President Asad expressed to cooperate fully with the United 
Nations on all the issues of the region.  He expressed optimism 
about Arab leaders' decision to activate the Arab peace plan, saying 
this step will help bring about peace in the region. 
 
On Apr. 24 papers reported FM Mouallem's visit to Doha to convey an 
oral message from President Asad to Emir Hamad Ben Khalifa Al Thani 
of Qatar on Apr. 23 on bilateral relations and latest regional 
developments, particularly in Iraq and Palestine.  FM Mouallem 
reiterated the importance of continuing consultation, cooperation 
and coordination on all issues of common concern. 
 
All papers on Apr. 24 featured an interview by 
al-Jazeera TV of former French Foreign Minister Roland Dumas, in 
which he said that "French President Jacques Chirac had dealt with 
the assassination of former Lebanese Premier Hariri in a personal 
manner, taking a hasty position towards Syria."  "He rushed to 
accuse Syria without going deeply into details and without any 
study," Dumas added.  He called for Syrian-French reconciliation on 
the situation in Lebanon, adding, "my position comes from the 
conclusions I reached during my work in the French Foreign 
Ministry." 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad discusses relations between Syria and the UN with UN 
Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.  Asad and Ki-Moon reiterate the 
 
SIPDIS 
importance of confidence building and mutual respect between the two 
sides. 
Ki-Moon:  The meeting was excellent and Syria is a very important 
country.  Information Minister Bilal:  The visit is a wise step to 
get acquainted with regional issues" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
4/25) 
 
"A message from President Asad to Emir Hamad Ben Khalifa Al Thani of 
Qatar on bilateral relations and latest developments in the region 
conveyed by FM Mouallem" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 4/24) 
 
"US Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards calls on the US 
administration to hold dialogue with Iran and Syria" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/25) 
 
"Former French Foreign Minister Roland Dumas: President Jacques 
Chirac's positions towards Syria are personal, hasty and lacking 
depth" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 4/24) 
 
"Olmert threatens to reoccupy Gaza.  Israeli army gets ready for 
assault.  Palestinian Prime Minister Hanieh rejects the resignation 
of Minister of Interior pending Abbas' return from his European 
tour" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 4/24) 
 
"The 78th Conference for Boycotting Israel:  Practices of the 
Israeli occupation require intensifying the boycott of Israel" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/24) 
 
"The fiercest clashes in Iraq since Bush's announced success of the 
Baghdad security plan.  Scores of US soldiers killed and injured" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/24) 
 
"Iraqi city of al-Azameiyah rejects the wall of sectarianism" 
 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/24) 
 
"Lebanese opposition:  Those placing their wager on foreign 
interventions are losers" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 4/24) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
----------------- 
 
"Only a Reminder" 
 
----------------- 
 
Umar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(4/25):  "The UN Secretary General will see for himself that Syria 
supports international legitimacy and wants the United Nations to 
play its full role in resolving the issues of the region and 
implementing UN resolutions.... 
 
"Ban will find that Syria is eager to render the role of the United 
Nations successful as the international organization works to 
achieve security and stability in the region, and that Syria has 
never been an obstacle to solutions that seek peace and that are 
based on the logic of the law and legitimate international 
resolutions...." 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
"The Road to Damascus Is the Route to Peace" 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
Isa al-Shammas, a columnist in government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, wrote (4/24):  "US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy 
Pelosi's remark that the road to peace passes through Damascus 
demonstrates Syria's high standing and advanced position in the 
region and its basic role in drawing up the political and economic 
present and future of this region within a world built on justice 
and equality among the various societies.... 
 
"Syria is the important positive factor in the regional arena.... 
For more than 4 decades, Syria has built its strategy on the basis 
of achieving security and stability and establishing a just and 
comprehensive peace in the region.... Syria has always adhered to 
this strategy despite the pressure....  The US Administration made a 
big mistake, indeed a grave mistake that negatively affected the 
credibility of its international policy, when it enacted the Syria 
Accountability Act, accused Damascus of sponsoring terrorism, and 
tried to isolate Syria from its regional environment.... 
 
"When it did that, the US Administration ignored the fact that Syria 
is not only the living heart of Arabism, but also the heart of the 
region and the center of its security and stability, especially with 
regard to the Arab triangle 'Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon' -- the 
countries whose strong geographic and human bonds with Syria no one 
can deny.... Washington isolated itself as a result of that policy, 
which the Democrats are now confronting.... 
 
---------------------- 
 
"The Wall of Illusion" 
 
---------------------- 
 
Dr. Sa'id Musallam, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
said (4/24):  "The concrete wall that Americans are building in 
Baghdad to divide the Iraqis will not help bring the security that 
the tanks, warships, and smart bombs failed to bring.... 
 
"American planners and advisers are obviously unaware of the fact 
that the awareness of the peoples of the region and their love for 
their countries and lands are bigger and higher than all the walls 
in the universe.  This new invention by the occupier is nothing but 
an attempt to push an elephant through the eye of a needle...." 
 
-------------------- 
 
 
"Backwards Progress" 
 
-------------------- 
 
Ghazi al-Dada, a commentator in government-owed Tishrin, wrote 
(4/24):  "President Bush is talking about progress in Iraq.... The 
US president is an optimism addict.... 
 
"If Bush and his war generals insist on talking about progress even 
if they see all of Iraq on fire, the facts on the ground in Iraq 
prove that the progress they are talking about is nothing but 
progress backward.  This, too, is one of Bush's many wonders.  If 
the land of Mesopotamia boasts of the wonder of the Hanging Gardens 
of Babylon, Americans can boast of the wonders of their 
president...." 
 
------------------------------------------ 
 
"What New Chapter They Are Talking About?" 
 
------------------------------------------ 
 
Umar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishrin, said 
(4/24):  "Nothing has changed on the ground to make anyone think 
that it is possible to open a new chapter with Israel, one that 
begins with normalization initiatives.... Israel continues to stick 
to its extremist positions and terrorist policy against the 
Palestinian people.... 
 
"Israel killed nine Palestinians in the past few days.... This 
proves beyond any doubt that Israel is not thinking of peace at 
all.... Israel suggests to the world that it is ready for 
discussions on the Arab peace plan while in fact it is stalling for 
time and working to complete its hostile Judaization plan.... 
 
"What happened in the past few days is another lesson to those who 
wager on the possibility of a peaceful solution with this Israeli 
government, which is led by Olmert and a group of terrorist 
extremists who join him in implementing plans of killing, expansion, 
settlement, and Judaization of Jerusalem.  What is needed more than 
ever, therefore, is an effort to expose the continuing Israeli 
aggression and a search for ways to respond to the crimes that 
Olmert's government commits against women and children who are 
killed in cold blood in their houses...." 
 
Corbin