VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0526/01 1511345
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 311345Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3586
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6842
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4558
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3197
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7701
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1782
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5117
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1320
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7444

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000526 
 
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: Asad Re-election, International Tribunal, Syria/UK, 
Syria/Brazil, Syria/Iran (5/31) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:   On May 31 Syrian papers featured a statement by a 
Syrian Foreign Ministry source commenting on the US State Department 
spokesman's reaction to the Syrian popular consensus on renewing 
President Asad's term as president of the Syrian Arab Republic.  The 
statement expressed surprise that the US State Department spokesman 
was unable to see what happened in Syria; namely, the national and 
popular consensus on the leadership of President Asad and the 
sincere expression of Syrian national unity showed by Syrians at 
home and abroad.  The source regretted that the political language 
of the US State Department has sunk low. "I advise these people to 
keep their comments to themselves, to refrain from interfering in 
the domestic affairs of others, and to turn their attention toward 
solutions to the problems that they created for their country, such 
as the wrong war in Iraq and elsewhere in the world," the source 
said. The source wondered if the democracy they accept is only the 
democracy that produces people they approve of or that leads to the 
adoption of positions and decisions that are far from the interests 
of their peoples. 
 
Papers also quoted a Syrian media source saying on May 30 that there 
is no change in Syria's position towards the International Tribunal 
for Lebanon.  The source told Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) that 
establishing this court under Chapter Seven of the UN Charter goes 
against Lebanon's sovereignty and might lead to more deterioration 
in the situation in Lebanon." 
 
Papers also reported President Asad's meeting on May 30 with a group 
of British MPs focusing on the latest developments in Iraq, the 
occupied Palestinian territories and Lebanon, in addition to 
terrorism and the fight against it.  Talks also dealt with the 
Arab-Israeli conflict and the necessity of achieving a just and 
comprehensive peace based on UN resolutions which guarantee the 
restoration of rights.  Members of the British Parliament group 
underlined Syria's pivotal role in the region, referring to the 
importance of continuing dialogue and contacts with Syria and the 
importance of stability in Syria and the region. 
 
On Syrian-Brazilian relations, papers reported President Asad's 
meeting on May 30 with Ricardo Berzoini, Chairman of the Brazilian 
Labor Party.  Talks dealt with bilateral relations and ways of 
boosting them, in addition to the ties between the Brazilian labor 
party and the Baath party. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad reviews regional developments and mutual cooperation 
with two British and Brazilian delegations.  Focus is on achieving 
peace, combating terrorism and continuing dialogue" Government-owned 
Tishreen, 5/31) 
 
"A Foreign Ministry source expresses surprise over the US 
spokesman's inability to see what happened in Syria [the national 
popular consensus on President Asad's leadership].  Syrian Foreign 
Minister advises America to keep its comments to itself and to mind 
its own business" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 5/31) 
 
"A UNSC resolution on the International Tribunal is endorsed at the 
UN in an unprecedented act in international law that violates 
Lebanon's sovereignty. Representatives of the Arab, Islamic and 
non-aligned countries, Russia and China abstain" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 5/31) 
 
"A Syrian media source:  No change in Syria's position on the 
International Tribunal" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 5/31) 
 
"Russian Foreign Minister:  The US destabilizes security in Lebanon. 
 The Lebanese Opposition supports President Lahoud's initiative on a 
national salvation government" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 5/31) 
 
"Ministry of Foreign Affairs feels sorry for the low level of US 
discourse (Independent al Watan, 5/31) 
 
"Iranian FM Manoushaher Motakki to arrive in Damascus today and is 
due to hold a number of meetings with Syrian officials including 
 
 
President Asad" (Independent al-Watan, 5/31) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
----------------------------- 
 
"Syria Congratulates Itself" 
----------------------------- 
 
Abdul-Fattah al-Awad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (5/31):  "The support that the Syrian people spontaneously and 
honestly expressed for President Asad sends a clear message to all 
those who wagered on their ability to harm the stability and 
impregnability of the beautiful Syrian homeland.  All those 
concerned are supposed to have received the message that the people 
believe in their president's   choices and trust his wisdom, and 
that they will always support him against anything that harms 
Syria's sovereignty and dignity, whether through international 
resolutions and tribunals or through any other form of pressure.... 
 
"Syrians now need to translate their 'yes' to President Asad into 
actions to develop the country.... In this new stage, reforms need 
to be given a new impetus.  If Syria is proud that it overcame a 
period of difficult foreign pressure, everybody realizes that this 
would not have been possible without the package of domestic reforms 
that helped strengthen and fortify the Syrian homeland.  Now the 
conviction remains the same: further foreign pressure can only be 
confronted through further reforms...." 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
"Seven Bad Years, Seven Good Years" 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
Dr. Mahdi Dakhlallah, former Information Minister, commented in 
government-owned Tishreen, on (5/31):  "While the past seven years 
were generally bad for Arabs, as they witnessed the occupation of 
Iraq, troubles in Lebanon and Palestine, and rifts among Arabs, they 
were also good in many aspects thanks to the positions and 
achievements of Syria and the Arab resistance, which are supported 
by millions of Arabs from the Gulf to the Ocean.... 
 
"Syria's position against hegemonic plans amid unprecedented 
conditions was astonishing.... Syria achieved qualitative changes in 
the development process despite siege, boycott, threats, and 
sanctions.... It also enhanced political vitality in the Syrian 
life, liberalized the economy, developed education, and consolidated 
independence of decision under tough regional and international 
political circumstances.... 
 
"In the past seven years, the Lebanese resistance achieved two 
unprecedented victories while the Palestinians achieved the first 
military victory in Gaza.... 
 
"The steadfastness and defiance shown by Syria, the resistance 
forces, and the Arab peoples, have made all of us feel that victory 
is possible.  The next seven years, therefore, must also be good 
years, with their victories topped by the liberation of the Golan, 
which has been in captivity for a long time...." 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
"A Political [Screen] for a Season of Aggressions" 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
Khalid al-Ashhab, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (5/31):  "The political activity in Israel following the 
report of the Winograd Commission does not suggest that Israel is 
interested in any peaceful political effort.... Rather, it is 
interested in ways to address the defeat of its military 
establishment and repair the damage caused to it by the national 
Lebanese resistance.  This opens the doors to a summer that might be 
hot if the international circumstances conform to Israel's 
 
premeditated hostile intentions...." 
 
Corbin