VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0482/01 1411307
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211307Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3507
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6814
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4536
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3163
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7680
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1759
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5092
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1298
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7423

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000482 
 
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/Lebanon, Golan, Asad/Referendum, Palestinian 
Territories, Iraq (5/21) 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on May 21 reported that clashes erupted 
on May 20 in the Lebanese city of Tripoli and in the nearby Nahr 
al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp between the Lebanese army and 
militants from the Palestinian group Fatah al-Islam.  All papers 
featured an official statement by the Syrian Interior Ministry that 
due to the security situation in northern Lebanon and in order to 
protect citizens on the Syrian and Lebanese sides of the border, the 
Interior Ministry has decided to close the border points at 
Al-Aridah and al-Dabbusiyah until the security situation in northern 
Lebanon has been stabilized. 
 
On Syrian-Lebanese relations, papers reported VP Shara's meetings on 
May 20 with Fathi Yakan, Chairman of the Islamic Action Front in 
Lebanon, with Eli al-Ferzli, former Deputy Chairman of the Lebanese 
Parliament, and with Abdelrahim Murad, Chairman of the Lebanese 
Unity Party and former Defense Minister.  Talks focused on the 
situation in Lebanon.  In a press statement, Dr. Yakan said, "In 
principle, we are with the international tribunal investigating the 
assassination of former Lebanese PM Rafiq al-Hariri, but we oppose 
any tribunal that adopts rules on political, aggressive or 
revengeful bases."  He said the investigation committee's reports 
until now lack any evidence identifying the perpetrators of the 
crime. 
 
Papers also reported the World Health Organization's resolution 
criticizing deteriorating health conditions in the occupied 
Palestinian territories and the occupied Syrian Golan due to Israeli 
practices. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"Armed militias financed by al-Hariri wage aggression against the 
state of Lebanon" (Independent al-Watan, 5/21) 
 
"Syrian Interior Ministry decides to close two border crossings, in 
al-Arida and al-Dabbousiya, until the situation in north Lebanon 
becomes secure.  Lebanese denunciations of Fatah al-Islam assaults 
in Tripoli" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/21) 
 
"Vice President Shara discusses the latest developments in Lebanon 
with Fathi Yakan, Chairman of Islamic Action Front in Lebanon, Eli 
al-Ferzli, former Deputy Chairman of the Lebanese Parliament, and 
Abdelrahim Murad, Chairman of the Lebanese Unity Party" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 5/21) 
 
"Foreign Ministry calls on all Syrian citizens abroad to participate 
in the referendum on President Asad" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
5/21) 
 
"The World Health Organization endorses resolution on deteriorating 
health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories and the 
Syrian Golan due to Israeli occupation practices" (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 5/21) 
 
"Israel gives the green light to intensify aggression against the 
Gaza Strip.  Eight Palestinians martyred in Gaza.  The resistance 
threatens to retaliate" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 5/21) 
 
"Seven US soldiers killed in Baghdad and Diwaniyah. First South 
Korean soldier killed in Iraq.  Several British soldiers injured in 
Basra" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 5/21) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
"Welch's Visit to Beirut Was Fruitful" 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
Waddah Abd-Rabbu, Chief Editor of independent       al-Watan, wrote 
(5/21):  "In his press conference in Beirut, David Welch received a 
question from a Lebanese journalist asking him:  What are you 
planning for Lebanon this time? After each of your visits to Lebanon 
 
a catastrophe takes place.  What is the new catastrophe? 
 
"The Lebanese journalist was right.  Yesterday we discovered what 
was planed for Lebanon.  The real goal of Welch's visit has become 
crystal clear to everybody.  Yesterday a member of the February 14 
team exposed features of the forthcoming stage in Lebanon which the 
Lebanese Opposition has already warned about, namely a security 
relapse leading to a Lebanese civil war to weaken Lebanon.... 
 
"Mobilization of armed extremist groups by Sa'ad al-Hariri and his 
allies aims to level more accusations against Hizbollah and Syria 
and all nationalist Lebanese factions.  The timing of this move was 
meant to endorse the International Tribunal at the Security Council 
as soon as possible....  This time the February 14 team has chosen 
confrontation with the Lebanese army instead of assassination, as 
the forthcoming stage requires domestic confrontations to weaken 
Hizbollah.... 
 
"Will Lebanese nationalists rush to deter those who seek to enflame 
sedition in implementation of a US-Israeli agenda...?" 
 
----------------------- 
 
"Loyalty to Principles" 
 
----------------------- 
 
Ali Nasrallah, an editorialist in government-owned  Al-Thawra, wrote 
(5/21):  "Syrians see the referendum on President Asad's nomination 
for a new term in office as an important national event in the 
history of the homeland, given al-Asad's loyalty to principles and 
his belief that protection of national interests is the top 
priority.... 
 
"Syria's steadfastness in the face of the pressures and campaigns of 
the past few years is attributed to President Asad's wise 
leadership, that expresses the sentiments of the entire Arab nation, 
not only Syria...." 
 
-------------- 
 
"Sound Vision" 
 
-------------- 
 
Ahmad Dawwa, a commentator in government-owned      Al-Thawra, wrote 
(5/21):  "Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his team, who were 
defeated in the Lebanon war, were expected to evade the calls for 
their resignation by perpetrating more massacres against the 
Palestinian people, because this bloody method satisfies the 
instincts of the Zionist society. 
 
"What was not expected, however, was the world community's silence 
on the escalating Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, which 
has left scores of martyrs and wounded people.... The Israeli 
escalation is a direct Israeli response to the Brussels meeting, 
which discussed the Arab peace plan, and a clear message to Europe, 
which is still not playing any effective role in the Middle East 
conflict.... 
 
"But it might be strange to blame the world for its silence on the 
new Israeli crimes against Palestinians while Arabs are asleep and 
doing nothing, except for some countries, including Syria, which 
have never failed to provide assistance to the Palestinian people to 
support their steadfastness in the face of attempts to harm their 
insistence on the liberation of their land and the restoration of 
their usurped rights.... 
 
"Arabs, who still hope the Israeli mentality will change, must 
reconsider many of their positions and must support Palestinians.... 
 
 
"Syria's support for the Palestinian resistance, as a right 
guaranteed by the UN Charter, is a result of the absence of other 
options, like Israel's acceptance of the logic of peace.  Events 
prove every day that Syria's vision and reading of events and 
 
developments is correct, primarily the continuation of support for 
the resisting Palestinian people, whom Israel left with no other 
alternative for survival." 
 
Corbin