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O 231009Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3908
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
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RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4666
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INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7539

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000746 
 
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/Iran, Syria/Iraq, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, 
Peace Process (7/23) 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on July 23 featured a statement by 
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Ali Husseini on July 22 
reiterating the importance of the recent talks between President 
Asad and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad which aimed to 
improve the strong relations between the two countries and unite 
views regarding regional and international issues.  During a press 
conference, Husseini stated that talks during the visit stressed the 
necessity of consultation and exchange of opinions regarding 
regional issues and finding solutions to them through cooperation of 
the region's countries without foreign interference.  Husseini also 
stressed the importance of dialogue about Iran's peaceful nuclear 
program, saying that talks between Iran, the International Atomic 
Energy Agency and the European Union are currently underway, and 
that these talks are constructive and are making progress. 
 
Independent al-Watan reported a release issued by the Iraqi Foreign 
Ministry that states that Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari 
discussed, in a phone call with FM Mouallem on July 22, the upcoming 
meeting of the security committee on Iraq and preparations for the 
meeting of the committee formed at the conference of Iraq's 
neighboring countries held in Sharm Al-Sheikh.  The upcoming meeting 
is set to take place in Damascus in August.  Meanwhile, FM Mouallem 
said Syria will participate in a meeting about Iraqis living in 
neighboring countries to be held in Amman on July 26. 
 
Independent al-Watan reported that Iran denied any pact to sell 
Russian weapons to Syria if Damascus does not initiate peace talks 
with Israel.  During a press conference on July 22, Foreign Ministry 
spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini rejected the claim against Tehran, 
terming it "a media game and propaganda."  "The claim targeted the 
good ties between Iran and Syria that agree on many critical issues, 
such as Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon," he added. 
 
Independent al-Watan reported an interview with Hizbollah leader 
Hassan Nasrallah that will be aired by Al-Jazeera TV.  Nasrallah is 
reported to have said that his party "has the military capability to 
strike any area of Israel, whether within Tel Aviv or outside it. 
Every corner and every spot in occupied Palestine was certainly 
within the reach of Hizbullah rockets during last summer's 34-day 
war with Israel," he said.  "And even now, it can certainly be 
reached," he added, in a short excerpt of the interview to be 
broadcast in its entirety on July 23. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"The Iranian Foreign Ministry reiterates the importance of 
Asad/Ahmadinejad talks" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 7/23) 
 
"Iran denies Saudi news on an arms deal with Syria" (Independent 
al-Watan, 7/23) 
 
"The most recent US accusation:  Chinese missiles to Iraq through 
Iran.  The US-Iranian meeting on Iraq security will be held 
tomorrow" (Independent al-Watan, 7/23) 
 
"FM Mouallem discusses the security situation in Iraq with Iraqi 
Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari" (Independent a-Watan, 7/23) 
 
"In an interview with al-Jezeera TV, Hizbollah SecGen Hassan 
Nasrallah:  We have the military capability to strike any area of 
Israel" (Independent al-Watan, 7/23) 
 
"As clashes in Nahr al-Bared enter their third month, Kousheran 
arrives in Beirut today to finalize discussion on the political 
crisis in Lebanon" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 7/23) 
 
"Abbas confers with Chairwoman of the Israeli Knesset.  Blair heads 
to the region today.  Four Palestinians martyred in Gaza.  The 
resistance shells Sedrout with missiles" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
7/23) 
 
"British circles:  Blair markets the US vision and his mission is 
doomed to failure" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 7/23) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
------------------------------ 
 
"Bush and Olmert Seek an Exit" 
 
------------------------------ 
Ahmad Dawwa, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(7/23):  "President Bush proposed an international peace conference 
on the Middle East to divert the attention of the American and world 
communities from what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan.... 
 
"As for the Israeli objective, Israel at this stage seeks to hinder 
any Israeli-Palestinian negotiations leading to a discussion of the 
key and basic issues and also to push the Palestinians toward 
further domestic division and split as a prelude to civil war, which 
would enable Israel to change the rules of the game and portray the 
Palestinian people to the world as a people not deserving the state 
it hopes to build.... 
 
"The US Administration and the Israeli government are both in the 
position of the defeated.  The former moves from one failure to 
another in Iraq, and the latter is haunted by the repercussions of 
the July war.  The two have a common goal:  finding a way out, to 
save themselves at the expense of the region's security and 
stability and Arab rights.... 
 
"No one will believe that Bush proposed the international conference 
without consulting with Israel.  And no one will believe that Israel 
and the United States are not in agreement on the objectives, 
results, and ways out.  But the question is:  Are Arabs aware of the 
real situation, or are they, like always, moving from one trap to 
another to waste time?" 
 
------------------------- 
 
"An Honorary Appointment" 
 
------------------------- 
 
Maha Sultan, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(7/23):  "Tony Blair has not yet shown that he is annoyed with the 
US Administration's announcement that he is an envoy to the region 
under an American ceiling and that he is working within the 
framework of a specific mission, namely, supporting one Palestinian 
team against another.  Nor did he react to the announcement that he 
will be working under American-Israeli supervision, not the 
supervision of the Quartet.... 
 
"It is not known if Blair listened to 'The Financial Times' advice 
on the need for him to learn the lesson of the failure of the 
mission of his predecessor, James Wolfensohn, or if he listened to 
the advice but ignored it because he already knows the situation.... 
 
 
"Palestinians and Arabs in general cannot express much optimism 
about Blair's mission despite his neutral statements and his 
attempts to present himself as neutral.  This neutrality, if 
positive, is negated by US statements and Israeli practices on the 
ground.  It is also abolished by the fact that Blair did not react 
to those statements and practices.  His appointment as the envoy of 
the Quartet appears more of an honorary appointment than a serious 
effort aimed at achieving something on the ground." 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
"Syria and Iran: A Solid Front that Will Remain Unified" 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
Muhammad al-Khafaji, a commentator in independent al-Watan, wrote 
(7/23):  "The message that the Iranian president's visit to Syria 
conveyed to the world is that the Syrian-Iranian strategic 
cooperation and coordination is continuing, contrary to reports that 
there are differences between the two countries over some 
 
issues.... 
 
"The Asad-Ahmadinezhad summit refuted all arguments that the United 
States and Israel may succeed in separating Syria and Iran.... The 
Iranian President's meetings with Hizbollah SecGen Hasan Nasrallah 
and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief Khalid Mish'al in Damascus were 
also messages of support for the resistance option.... 
"The Iranian president's visit to Syria undoubtedly gave impetus to 
the strategic alliance between the two countries and the alliance 
with the resistance forces in Lebanon and Palestine.  This requires 
that Americans, Israelis, and their followers once again think well 
before engaging in any adventure...." 
 
----------------------- 
 
"No Answer to Be Heard" 
 
----------------------- 
 
Ali Nasrallah, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(7/23):  "All the security plans in Iraq have ended with failure.... 
The achievement of any progress is impossible, as Iraq is suffering 
from a series of complicated and intertwined political and ethnic 
conflicts.... 
 
"Americans and some Iraqi parties ignore the fact that Iraq is 
suffering under the yoke of occupation and that it is only because 
of the occupation and its continuation that these conflicts erupted 
and Iraq became threatened with more ethnic and sectarian 
divisions. 
 
"The US ambassador to Baghdad and the commander of the American 
forces in Iraq said that it will be difficult to achieve significant 
progress by September.... This means that the demand by Democrats 
and Republicans for a speedy disengagement and withdrawal from Iraq 
is legitimate because time is running out and the ability to 
maneuver is diminishing...." 
 
Corbin