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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0727/01 1971345
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O 161345Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3878
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6956
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4649
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3299
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7782
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1877
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5202
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1413
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7522

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000727 
 
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/UAE, Syria/Netherlands, Syria/Sudan, 
Syria/Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestinian Territories (7/16) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on July 16 reported that President 
Sheikh Khaifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates 
arrived in Damascus July 15 on an official 2-day visit.  He made a 
statement upon arrival expressing satisfaction with cooperation in 
recent years in the economic, trade and investment fields and with 
the outcome of meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee.  He 
noted that this visit will be an important opportunity for 
consultations with President Asad on the latest developments in the 
Arab region and for discussions on regional and international 
issues. 
 
Papers also reported President Asad's meeting on July 15 with a 
delegation representing the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Dutch 
Parliament, headed by Henk Jan Ormel, Chairman of the committee. 
President Asad clarified to the delegation Syria's position 
regarding the situations in Iraq, the occupied Palestinian 
territories, Lebanon, the peace process and Syrian-European 
relations. 
 
 Members of the delegation reiterated the importance of dialogue 
with Syria because of its pivotal role in the region and highlighted 
Syria's efforts to achieve stability in the region. The delegation 
also conferred with FM Mouallem on July 15.  Talks focused on 
relations between Syria and the Netherlands and the role of the 
parliaments of both countries in enhancing these relations.  Talks 
also dealt with recent developments in the Middle East, particularly 
in Iraq and Palestine.  Members of the visiting delegation expressed 
their appreciation of Syria's efforts in hosting Iraqi refugees and 
its role in establishing security and stability in the region. 
 
 In a statement to SANA, Ormel described his talks with Syrian 
officials as "distinguished and very good," and praised Syria's role 
in regional issues.  He also pointed out Syria's stability, saying, 
"It would be a good thing if this state of stability would spread to 
the entire region." 
 
 Independent Al-Watan cited "Western diplomatic sources" as saying 
that some members of the Dutch parliamentary delegation met with 
HAMAS representatives in Damascus.  The sources said the meeting 
"was not welcomed by all the members of the delegation, especially 
in light of the European isolation of HAMAS, and specifically 
because some of those who participated in the meeting are affiliated 
with the ruling coalition." 
 
 Papers also reported the visit to Damascus of Kazakhstan's Minister 
of Industry and Trade, Galym Orazbakov, who met FM Mouallem on July 
¶15.  Talks dealt with bilateral relations and recent developments in 
the Middle East and Central Asia.  Following the meeting, Orazbakov 
told SANA reporters that his talks with FM Mouallem discussed means 
to strengthen relations between the two countries and to prepare for 
President Asad's visit to Kazakhstan later this year. 
 
 On Syrian/Sudanese relations, papers reported that the Assistant 
Secretary General of the Baath Party, Abdullah al-Ahmar, met on July 
 
SIPDIS 
15 with Sudanese National Congress Secretary for Foreign Relations, 
Kamal Obeid.  Talks dealt with regional developments and bilateral 
relations and means of enhancing them. Al-Ahmar confirmed Syria's 
support for its Sudanese brothers in confronting foreign pressures 
and interference in its internal affairs, and in seeking a solution 
to the Darfur crisis through dialogue among Sudanese parties. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Sheikh Khaifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab 
Emirates arrives in Damascus on an official 2-day visit to Syria. 
Sheikh Kalifa Bin Zayed:  This visit will be an important 
opportunity to consult with President Asad... We are satisfied with 
joint cooperation" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 7/16) 
 
"President Asad clarifies Syria's position on regional developments 
to a delegation representing the Foreign Affairs Committee of the 
Dutch Parliament.  The Dutch delegation:  Dialogue with Syria is 
very important since it has a pivotal role in the region" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 7/16) 
 
 
"Abdullah al-Ahmar, Assistant Secretary General of the Baath Party, 
discussed with Sudanese National Congress Secretary for Foreign 
Relations Kamal Obeid the situation and developments in the region 
and current relations between the two parties and means of enhancing 
them" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 7/16) 
 
"FM Mouallem discusses developments in the Middle East and Central 
Asia with Kazakhstan's Minister of Industry and Trade, Galym 
Orazbakov" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 7/16) 
 
"Crash of an F-16 warplane in Iraq.  The White House rejects 
Republicans' call for withdrawal" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
7/16) 
 
"US Democratic Presidential nominee John Edwards: America needs 
Syria and Iran to cement stability in Iraq" (Government-owned 
Al-Thawra, 7/16) 
 
"The Lebanese army tightens siege on strategic positions in Nahr 
al-Bared.  The Paris conference concludes deliberations without a 
final communique.  Kouchner heads to Beirut on July 28" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 7/16) 
 
"Abbas confers with Olmert today.  The Israeli occupation suspends 
pursuit of 180 Fateh activists" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 7/16) 
 
"Bush in Poland today to discuss the missile shield, ignoring the 
Russian alternative for a solution" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
7/16) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
"Are We at a New Stage in French Policy?" 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
Ilyas Murad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Ba'th, wrote 
(7/16):  "We are approaching a new French policy that is more 
independent and less subservient to American policy.... 
 
"The French people were annoyed with the foreign policy that 
President Chirac pursued, a policy that adopted personalization at 
the expense of the people's interests. 
 
"France's new approach to the Lebanese issue and the French chief of 
staff's harsh criticism of US policy in Iraq are evidence of a new 
French policy under President Sarkozy.... But we still see some 
confusion in French positions....  We wonder if there are two 
administrations or two policies in France.... An example of this 
confusion is the contradiction in the position toward Hizbollah and 
the fact that the criticism of American policy was not paired with a 
clear practical position.... We wonder if it is the American 
interference and pressure that confuses the French positions.... 
Americans have always been willing to destroy France's relations in 
the region, as this would strengthen their own influence.... 
 
"The new French administration must put the French wagon back on its 
normal track and build relations with the countries of the region on 
the basis of justice, equality, and mutual interests...." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
"The Palestinian View and Required Solution" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
Ibrahim Shuqyar, a columnist in government-owned Al-Ba'th, wrote 
(7/16):  "Palestinian divisions help Israel implement its plans and 
perpetuate occupation and allow the Israeli government to overcome 
its political crisis as the final report of the Winograd Committee 
is about to be released.... 
 
"Palestinians must draw conclusions from what happened in Gaza and 
 
return to a serious national dialogue to correct the mistakes and 
serve the higher interests of the Palestinian people, not the narrow 
interests of this faction or that...." 
 
---------------------- 
 
"Barriers and Agendas" 
---------------------- 
 
Maha Sultan, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(7/16):  "The world community remains silent on the suffering of 
6,000 Palestinians who have been stranded at the closed Rafah 
crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip for more than a month.... 
 
 
"In two days, Condoleezza Rice will be in the region with only one 
item on her agenda:  Making sure that the Palestinian-Palestinian 
split is still on and heading to the point of no return.  She will 
visit the West Bank but not the Gaza Strip, so as to stress her 
support for this team against that and to give Israel the time it 
needs to use the stranded people on the Rafah crossing to blackmail 
the Palestinian parties.  After Rice, Tony Blair, the new envoy of 
the Quartet, will visit Israel and the region.  Since his 
appointment, he has not uttered a single word giving hope that the 
suffering of these Palestinians and the suffering of other 
Palestinians at the more than 700 Israeli checkpoints in the West 
Bank and Gaza will come to an end.... 
 
"Arabs, for their part, can do nothing to overcome the Israeli 
rejection, while Palestinian leaders still have priorities different 
from the priorities of the Palestinian people, priorities that are 
determined by personal interests and ambitions...." 
 
------------------------------- 
 
"Rudeness or a Slip of Tongue?" 
 
------------------------------- 
 
Ali Nasrallah, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(7/16):  "It is natural for Americans to set their own objectives in 
Iraq and to rely on American forces to achieve them, but it is 
unacceptable that they expect Iraqis to achieve these objectives for 
them.... 
 
"US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that the Iraqi 
government continues to work to realize the security, political, and 
economic objectives that the Congress has set.... Has the insolence 
of the occupier these days reached a point where it publicly 
announces its objectives in such a way?  Has it reached the point 
where it publicly and unashamedly tells lies, at times talking about 
a model of democracy in Iraq and at other times torpedoing these 
claims through such statements?  Or was Rice's remark a slip of the 
tongue requiring accountability? 
 
"Most likely this is insolence.  For Rice previously said, during 
the Israeli aggression against Lebanon a year ago:  What we are 
witnessing are the birth bangs of a new Middle East...." 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
"Bush's Veto and Deferment in Announcing Defeat" 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
Muhyi-al-Din al-Muhammad, a columnist in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (7/16):  "The situation in Iraq is bad on the political, 
military, security, and livelihood levels.  This situation is a 
reflection and one of the direct results of occupation.  The 
withdrawal of US forces, therefore, will definitely lead to 
remarkable and direct progress on all these levels, while the 
continuation of the occupation of Iraq will make things worse.... 
 
"This is not only the view of nationalist Iraqi forces and regional 
powers that care about Iraq's security and stability, but also the 
 
reading of the American congress.... 
 
"President Bush's insistence on the use of his veto against any 
democratic decision made jointly by a majority of the Democratic and 
Republican parties and calling for the withdrawal of American troops 
from Iraq will not make the situation in Iraq better.  On the 
contrary, it will increase American losses and negatively affect the 
United States' reputation, prestige, and interests...." 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
"A War of a Different Kind" 
 
----- 
 
Ahmad Dawwa, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(7/16):  "The region is facing not only a military war with the 
United States, Israel, and their allies, but also a war of another 
kind, the tools of which are locals who live among the sons of the 
region and speak their language.  It is the war of twisting facts, 
distorting reality, and misleading people." 
 
"One of the Arabic speaking television channels hosted one of the 
tools of this war.  The aim was to convince the viewers that Israel 
and the United States are protecting the Syrian regime! 
 
"People like this interviewee go too far in their hostility toward 
Syria.  We wonder how one can say that the United States is 
protecting those against whom it applies the strongest pressure and 
imposes sanctions.... This is a brazen and ridiculous attempt by 
these tools, who are deeply involved in the American plan, to cover 
up their cooperation with the enemies of Arabs and pave the way for 
the New Middle East plan.... 
 
"The fact that the tools of the American plan are revealing 
themselves in such a flagrant way and desperately defending this 
plan shows their bankruptcy and sense of approaching danger.  No 
matter how long it takes, their fate will not be better than the 
fate of [Antoine] Lahd [leader of the defunct pro-Israel militia in 
south Lebanon] and his ilk." 
 
Corbin