VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0723/01 1961414
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 151414Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3871
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6951
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4645
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3294
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7777
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1873
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5197
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1409
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7518

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000723 
 
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/US, Syria/UAE, Syria/Guinea-Bissau Syria/France, 
Lebanon, Iraq, Palestinian Territories, Brammertz Report (7/13-15) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on July 13 reported President Asad's 
meeting on July 12 with Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Archbishop 
Emeritus of Washington, and Catholic Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of the 
Brooklyn Diocese, focusing on the tense situation in the Middle 
East.  President Asad reiterated the importance of coordinating 
efforts among countries of the region and the international 
community to solve the refugee issue 
, due to its importance for the 
region's stability.  Cardinal MacCrrick and Bishop DiMarzio hailed 
Syria's efforts to help Iraqi refugees in Syria.  President Asad 
asserted the need for continued communication, respect for different 
opinions, and activation of dialogue among religions and cultures. 
 
Papers on July 15 reported FM Mouallem's meeting on July 14 with 
Ousseni Elibouy Banao, the Special Envoy of the President of 
Guinea-Bissau, who carried a message to President Asad about 
bilateral relations and means to enhance them, and about recent 
developments in the Middle East and Africa. 
FM Mouallem stressed the importance of developing relations with 
African countries that share with Syria a history of struggle 
against foreign occupation, pointing out the necessity of working 
together to face the challenges of the new world order.  Mr. Banao 
expressed his country's concerns over the situation in the Middle 
East, stressing the importance of effective regional and 
international action to ease tension in the region and to push 
towards a just and comprehensive peace.  Mr. Banao also conveyed a 
message to Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Otri from Prime Minister of 
Guinea-Bissau Martinho Ndafa Kabi. 
 
Government-owned Al-Thawra on July 13 cited the progress report that 
Serge Brammertz, head of the international investigation commission 
into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq 
al-Hariri, submitted to the UN secretary general on July 12.  The 
paper also featured a statement by Syria's Permanent Representative 
to the United Nations, Dr. Bashar al-Ja'fari, that the Brammertz 
report clearly indicates that Syria's cooperation with the 
commission has been generally satisfactory.  He noted that the 
report says this in more than one paragraph.  Al-Ja'fari said that 
Paragraph 93 of the report states that the commission has made 11 
official requests to Syria to facilitate a number of interviews and 
obtain information and that the Syrian authorities have helped 
facilitate the work of four missions the commission sent to Syria. 
He said that Paragraph 94 of the report says that Syria continues to 
provide timely assistance to the commission and that the commission 
is grateful for the logistical and security arrangements that the 
Syrian authorities have provided.  He said the report is being 
studied carefully in order to arrive at a clear and accurate 
evaluation. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad receives a US clerical delegation:  Solving the 
problem of refugees is important for stability in the region" 
(Government-owned al-Thawra, 7/13) 
 
"President Asad receives a letter from President of Guinea-Bissau on 
bilateral relations and regional developments.  The Special Envoy of 
the President of Guinea-Bissau, Ousseni Elibouy Banao, hails Syria's 
pivotal role in achieving security and stability in the region" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 7/15) 
 
"President Asad congratulates Sarkozy on France's National Day" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 7/14) 
 
"Achieving Arab solidarity and defending the Arab nation's causes 
are common priority;  UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al 
Nahyan begins an official visit to Syria today" (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 7/15) 
 
"Koushner inaugurates the Lebanese dialogue in Paris.  The Lebanese 
army continues its assaults in Nahr al-Bared.  Fateh al-Islam 
missiles target Akkar" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 7/15) 
 
"Lebanese nationalist factions:  The US administration is blocking 
solutions" (Government-owned Tishreen, 7/15) 
 
 
"Brammertz presents his fifth report.... A return to the theory of 
the involvement of 'fundamental elements' in the assassination 
attempt.... Syrian UN Envoy notes Brammertz' reference to 
coo 
peration in the Al-Hariri probe" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
7/13) 
 
"Mosad involved in the assassination of former Lebanese MP Elie 
Hubaiqa.  Former leader of UNIFIL:  Al Mustaqbal trend is behind 
Fateh al-Islam fighters" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 7/15) 
 
"Lebanese President Lahoud:  The current government is a fuse that 
may inflame disagreements.  Fierce fighting in al-Bared and bombs on 
neighboring villages" (Government-owned Tishreen, 7/14) 
 
"Former Israeli Defense Minister Peretz admits that July war was a 
tragedy for Israel" (Government-owned Tishreen, 7/14) 
 
"Lebanese MP Haidar:  The July war was a big set-back for the US 
project" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 7/13) 
 
"From inside Roumieh prison, a Lebanese espionage network works for 
Israeli Mosad" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 7/13) 
 
"The Arab League criticizes the Quartet's performance" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 7/14) 
 
"Chairman of the Palestinian Authority Abbas nominates three 
ministers to the emergency government.  Israeli occupation troops 
curb Bel'in demonstration with gas and fire" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 7/14) 
 
"In spite of the opposition of two-thirds of Americans to Bush's 
policy in Iraq, the US President confirms he will stay in Iraq until 
victory is achieved" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 7/15) 
 
"Bush:  Withdrawal from Iraq without improvement in the security 
situation will be catastrophic.  Washington:  Al-Maliki government 
has failed to attain 8 of our goals" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
7/13) 
 
"Under the burden of Bush's Iraq policy, explosions in the green 
zone and assaults against US and British consulates in Basra" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 7/14) 
 
"Rice postpones her visit to the region without mentioning reasons" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 7/13) 
 
"Moscow, which is angry about the missile shield, carries out its 
threats:  Russian President Putin freezes Russia's participation in 
the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty" (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 5/17) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
--------------------------- 
 
"Obstinacy for How Long?" 
 
--------------------------- 
 
Muhammad Ali Buza, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (7/13):  "Amid growing local and international criticism of US 
policy in Iraq and the increasing losses among American troops in 
that country, people expected neoconservatives to reconsider their 
policy and draft a new strategy to spare the United States further 
losses, not to continue moving in the wrong direction.... 
 
"Sending a third aircraft carrier to the Gulf and rejecting the 
calls for withdrawal from Iraq threaten conflagrations whose 
consequences the world and the United States itself might not be 
able to bear.... 
 
"American and Israeli policies have caused much pain and anguish in 
the world and posed the most serious threat to humanity.... 
Washington must return to the language of reason and wisdom and 
 
acknowledge the failure and futility of its plans in Palestine, 
Lebanon, Iraq, and Afghanistan.... 
 
"This dictates that US officials must stop the episodes of killing 
and bloodshed and respond to the pressing wish of the American 
people, namely, withdrawing from Iraq, leaving the region to its 
people, and departing honorably and with the lowest cost before it 
is too late...." 
 
-------------------- 
 
"A Desperate Attempt" 
 
-------------------- 
 
Mundhir Khalil Id, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (7/13):  "The interim report on the progress of President 
Bush's strategy in Iraq is another step to buy time and prevent the 
erosion of support for the war on Iraq within the Republican 
Party.... 
 
"Bush, who is facing growing domestic pressure to announce a gradual 
troop withdrawal from Iraq because he lacks the vision and the means 
to achieve stability there, is teetering politically under the blows 
of failure and the human and material losses in Iraq...." 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
"Philosophy of Victory and Defeat" 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
Isam Dari, Chief Editor of government-owned Tishreen, wrote (7/14): 
"On the first anniversary of the Lebanon war, history alone will 
record the truth and say who stood fast and courageously defended 
the homeland and who betrayed the resistance and stabbed it in the 
back before, during, and after the aggression and allied himself 
with the enemies of the homeland and the traders in death, 
destruction, and war.... 
 
"For the second time in six years, the Lebanese resistance men 
defeated the so-called invincible Israeli army....  But what was 
more important than the military victory was the political defeat of 
the American New Middle East plan.... The victory was a source of 
pride for all Arabs.... But there are some Arabs who installed 
themselves as advocates of the devil and refused to acknowledge the 
victory of the resistance and the defeat of the aggression and the 
American-Zionist plan.... This team stabbed the resistance in the 
back and wagered on an easy Israeli victory that would annihilate 
the resistance and Hizbollah, and indeed the policy of opposition 
and steadfastness in the Arab region...." 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
"Half the Distance toward the End" 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
Hanan Hamad, a columnist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote (7/14): 
 "President Bush is lying to himself when he describes the status 
report on Iraq as satisfactory, saying that his strategy has made 
progress and that victory in Iraqi is still possible.... Analysts 
assess the report as a slap in the face of the president's 
strategy.... 
 
"Bush announced that he will send his Secretary of State and his 
Secretary of Defense to the region next month for talks with his 
 
SIPDIS 
allies.... The US president apparently counts on this mission to win 
the support and assistance of those whom he calls the moderate trend 
in the region.... 
 
"If we add to this Bush's warning that a precipitous withdrawal -- 
as he calls it -- would encourage Iran, Syria, and Hizbollah to 
persist in their anti-democratic activities against the background 
of what is happening in Palestine and Lebanon, we can see that the 
American president is determined to stick to the policy of sowing 
 
sedition and dividing ranks, especially since he also says that the 
United States continues to strengthen its military presence, improve 
its bilateral security relations, and support those who fight 
extremists in the Middle East...." 
 
Corbin