VZCZCXYZ0047
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0428/01 1281420
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081420Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3429
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6783
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4512
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3133
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7656
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1731
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5066
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1273
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7398

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000428 
 
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/Portugal, Syria/Oman, Syria/France, Sharm al-Sheikh 
Conference, Mouallem-Rice Meeting, Winograd Report, Iraq, 
Palestinian Territories (5/8) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on May 8 reported meetings on May 7 by 
President Asad and FM Mouallem with Portuguese FM Luis Filipe 
Marques Amado.  Talks dealt with Syrian/Portuguese relations, the 
latest developments in the Middle East, the importance of boosting 
the European Union's role in dealing with regional issues, and 
Syria's relations with the European Union and means of boosting them 
through mechanisms based on mutual confidence.  The Portuguese FM 
confirmed his country's intention, during its EU presidency next 
month, to work to boost its relations with regional states to enable 
it to play an active role in realizing security and stability in the 
region. 
 
On Syrian-Omani relations, papers reported President Asad's meeting 
on May 7 with Omani Minister of Information Hamad bin Mohammad bin 
Mohsen al-Rashedi.  Both sides reiterated the importance of 
intensifying Arab efforts, particularly in the media field, to 
confront anti-Arab media campaigns. 
 
Papers also reported President Asad's cable of congratulations to 
Nicolas Sarkozy on his election as President of France.  President 
Asad expressed hope for improved relations between Syria and France 
to serve the interests of the peoples of both countries. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad discusses Syrian-Portuguese relations and the EU 
role in the region with Portuguese ForeQn Minister Luis Filipe 
Marques Amado" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/8) 
 
"President Asad confers with Omani Minister of Information Hamad bin 
Mohammad bin Mohsen al-Rashedi. 
President Asad reiterates the importance of intensifying Arab 
efforts, particularly in the media field, to confront media which 
harm Arabs and their just causes" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 5/8) 
 
"President Asad congratulates Nicolas Sarkozy on his election as new 
President of France" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/8) 
 
"President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas calls on 
Israel to accept Washington's security suggestions" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 5/8) 
 
"Israeli FM Livni holds consultations on the possibility of resuming 
peace talks with Syria" (Independent al-Watan, 5/8) 
 
"Solana:  The Winograd Report might change the political situation 
in the region" (Independent     al-Watan, 5/8) 
 
"The EU:  We support participation of Iraq's neighboring countries 
in treating the situation in Iraq" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/8) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
"A Call for Settling of Accounts " 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (5/8):  "In view of its enthusiasm in calling for the 
Sharm al-Sheikh meetings, its participation in these meetings at a 
high level, and its mobilization for their success, the Bush 
Administration has presumably realized that the deteriorating and 
catastrophic situation in Iraq cannot be resolved without a 
comprehensive review of the foundations on which the occupation was 
based. After that, the US Administration must review its past 
stands, correct its mistakes, and make a connection among the issues 
and problems of the region in order to reach comprehensive and 
integrated solutions.... 
 
"At the same time, Syria believes that it is high time for the US 
Administration to realize that its policies in the region and its 
 
 
unlimited support for Israel exacerbates the situation and prevents 
the resolution of the issues and problems of the region.... 
 
"Therefore, Syria calls for balanced and constructive dialogue with 
the Americans and for US reasonableness in dealing with the 
region...." 
-------------------------------------- 
 
"Arab Reading of the Regional Scene" 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
Dr. Buthaynah Sha'ban, Expatriate Affairs Minister, commented in 
government-owned Tishreen (5/8):  "The United States, through the 
Sharm al-Sheikh conference, wanted the international community to 
bring it out of the bloody crisis in Iraq.... US officials talk 
about security, border, and other issues without mentioning the real 
reason behind the tragedies, namely, the US occupation of Iraq, 
which is the reason behind all these bloody tragedies, which are a 
real holocaust.  This tragedy will end only when occupation troops 
leave Iraq.  Terrorism is a result of the war, and it came with the 
occupation.... 
 
"The Sharm al-Sheikh conference represents an acknowledgement by the 
US Administration that it has failed  miserably to find an exit from 
Iraq.  But this acknowledgement has not reached the level of 
admitting military and political defeat and replacing the policy of 
arrogance, force, aggression, siege, and sanctions with a civilized 
policy based on dialogue.  Everything that has befallen Iraq is a 
result of Bush's reckless war on this Arab country, which was safe 
and stable before Bush's war brought the tribulations of occupation, 
terror, killing, and torture of Iraqi civilians.... 
 
"The peoples of Palestine and Iraq are being subjected to collective 
punishment that is in fact a major crime the Bush administration is 
committing against their humanity.  But the two Arab peoples will 
not rest before they regain their freedom and sovereignty over their 
land and resources...." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
"Significance of the Winograd Commission's Report" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
Muhammad Khair al-Jammali, an editorialist in government-owned 
Al-Thawra, wrote (5/8):  "The Winograd Commission's report is an 
explicit acknowledgement that Israel has failed to achieve its 
political and military objectives.... 
 
"The report is a condemnation not only of Israeli leaders, but also 
all those who played a secret or a public role in that war, from the 
US administration, which was the main party that decided the war, to 
the 14 February team in Lebanon, which took the side of the Israeli 
aggression...." 
 
Corbin