VZCZCXYZ0010
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0412/01 1201341
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 301341Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3401
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6767
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4497
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3118
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7642
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1715
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5051
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1258
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7383

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000412 
 
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/EU, Syria/South Africa, Syria/Germany, 
Lebanon, Palestinian Territories (4/30) 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on Apr. 30 reported President Asad's 
meeting on Apr. 29 with Louis Michel, European Commissioner for 
Development and Humanitarian Aid.  Talks focused on the situation of 
Iraqi refugees in Syria, and Michel praised Syria's role in 
accommodating and supporting them.  President Asad reiterated the 
importance of increasing coordination among Syria, the Iraqi 
government and the European Commission to improve the situation of 
Iraqi refugees and ensure them the necessary services, particularly 
in education and health.  Michel stressed the European Commission's 
readiness to offer expertise and technical and financial aid, in 
coordination with the Syrian government, to support Iraqi refugees. 
 
Papers also reported VP Shara's and FM Mouallem's meetings on April 
29 with South African Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad.  Talks 
focused on current regional and international developments. 
Viewpoints were identical on the necessity of boosting bilateral 
ties between the two countries and continuing consultation and 
coordination between them. 
Minister Mouallem stressed the importance of South Africa's role, 
through its non-permanent membership on the UN Security Council, in 
achieving security and stability in the region.  Mr. Pahad hailed 
Syria's role in the Middle East, pointing out the importance of 
achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region based on 
international resolutions. 
 
Papers also reported VP Shara's meeting on Apr. 29 with a German 
parliamentary delegation, headed by MP Joachim Hoerster.  Talks 
focused on the latest developments in the region, the peace process 
and obstacles facing it.  Shara confirmed Syria's commitment to 
cooperate in efforts to achieve stability in the region based on UN 
resolutions.  Mr. Hoerster confirmed the important role that Syria 
could play in treating issues of the region, showing readiness to 
develop bilateral relations between Syria and Germany.  "My visit to 
Syria aims at inspecting the conditions of Palestinian and Iraqi 
refugees in Syria," Hoerster added. 
 
Independent Al-Watan quoted informed sources as saying that US 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to the region aims at 
 
SIPDIS 
besieging the Palestinian resistance.  The sources criticized the 
Arab designation of Jordan and Egypt to talk to Israel about 
accepting the Arab peace initiative. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad reviews the status of Iraqi refugees in Syria with 
EU Commissioner Louis Michel.  President Asad confirms continuing 
coordination among Syria, Iraq and the EU Commission.  The European 
Commissioner:  Humanitarian action is a prelude for political 
dialogue.  Syria is unique in its generosity" (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 4/30) 
 
"VP Shara and FM Mouallem discuss current developments and means of 
boosting bilateral cooperation on all levels, with South African 
Deputy FM Aziz Pahad" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 4/30) 
 
"VP Shara discusses the peace process with a German parliamentary 
delegation" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/30) 
 
"FM Mouallem denies allegations of arms smuggling and says that 
Syria supports consensus among the Lebanese" (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 4/30) 
 
"Iran announces its participation in the Sharm 
al-Sheikh Conference;  Larijani in Baghdad" (Independent al-Watan, 
4/30) 
 
"Olmert unleashes threats against the Palestinian resistance. 
Israel confiscates more Palestinian land" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 4/30) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
--------------------- 
 
"The Mission Is Over" 
 
--------------------- 
 
Ali Nasrallah, a columnist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(4/30):  "Four years ago US President Bush announced the end of 
military operations in Iraq with a banner in the background saying 
mission 
 accomplished.... The US president appears to be one of 
history's strangest and rarest coincidences;  he stands today to 
threaten the Congress with a veto against a bill linking the funding 
of the still-continuing war to a withdrawal timetable.... 
 
"The Congressional bill is logical and realistic.... It provides a 
genuine opportunity to change the course of the war and find a way 
out of the stalemate and the quagmire in which the Bush 
administration sank after it wasted other opportunities, the latest 
being the recommendations of the Baker-Hamilton Committee...." 
 
 
--------------------------- 
 
"Syria Harbors Pan-Arabism" 
 
--------------------------- 
 
Sa'dallah Barakat, a columnist in government-owned Al-Ba'th, said 
(4/30):  "Damascus' hosting of the Arab and Islamic Media Conference 
for Supporting the Palestinian People is yet further proof that 
Syria continues to play its pan-Arab role and to support the 
Palestinian people against the Israeli occupation.... 
 
"Those who have applied pressure on Syria to isolate it and force it 
to deviate from its pan-Arab positions and principles are once again 
disappointed.... 
 
"Syria is sure that its approach and positions are correct.  Those 
who organized the campaigns of distortion and pressure against Syria 
came out empty handed, and here they return to hold dialogue with it 
and to listen to its wise advice for the good of the peoples of the 
region and world peace...." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
"Rice's visit to the Region Is Aimed at Besieging 
the Palestinian Resistance" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
An unsigned article in independent Al-Watan on (4/30) reads: 
"Informed sources have stressed that the US Secretary of State's 
visit to the region, and her meeting with the foreign ministers of 
Arab countries that believe in peace and normalization with Israel, 
was a workshop to draft new political initiatives aimed at curbing 
Palestinian resistance lead by HAMAS .... 
 
"The sources said Rice stressed to those who met with her that the 
United States was unable to apply pressure on the current Israeli 
government and that she knew the real solution lay in withdrawal to 
a modified 1967 border.  But she claimed that many obstacles still 
stood in the way and that Arabs needed to encourage the activity of 
the peace forces in Israel and save the current government from 
collapse. 
 
"The sources said that the decision to designate Egypt and Jordan to 
make moves toward Israel and persuade it to accept the Arab 
initiative reflected Arab despair regarding their ability to impose 
Arab rights on the Israeli side.  They said the decision renders a 
service to Egypt and Jordan, which have established normal relations 
with Israel and support Arab normalization with it, but it is 
drawing wide criticism from local popular circles and elites.... 
 
"The sources expressed their belief that assigning them this mission 
serves the interest of the Israeli side, which considers the two 
countries the leaders of the moderate Arab forces in the approach to 
the Palestinian cause.  The sources ruled out any tangible results 
from these moves, which do not rise to the level of obtaining 
 
Palestinian rights.  They noted that Egypt and Jordan failed to 
attain their own rights in full and were forced to make painful 
concessions from their rights of sovereignty, land, and otherwise to 
sign the peace agreements. 
 
 
"The sources warned that the two countries will at best work to 
persuade the Palestinian side to follow their example, and that the 
other Arab countries that are enthusiasti 
Israel will use this as an excuse to legitimize the normalization, 
which they seek and which some of them are secretly practicing these 
days. 
 
"At the same time, the sources praised the experience of the 
Lebanese and Palestinian resistance, which proves that there is 
another, more effective option that can be adopted collectively to 
realize Arab objectives, instead of wasting time and trusting the 
biased mediator that has a strategic alliance with Israel." 
 
Corbin