VZCZCXYZ0023
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0802/01 2191326
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071326Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3999
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 7029
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4711
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3373
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7840
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1942
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5269
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1471
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7566

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000802 
 
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/Italy, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Peace 
Conference (8/7) 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on August 7 reported that President Asad 
received a phone call from the Italian Prime Minister on August 6 
focusing on the situation in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian 
territories. 
 
On Iraq, papers continued to report the increasing number 
of US 
casualties in Iraq.  Independent al-Watan featured a Congressional 
investigation on the loss of one third of the weapons provided to 
the Iraqi army by the Pentagon which increased fear that these 
weapons are used by armed militias to kill US soldiers.  Al-Watan 
also reported the meetings of the security committee on Iraq that 
emerged from the Sharm al-Sheikh Conference that will be held in 
Damascus on    August 8. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad receives a phone call from Italian Prime Minister 
Prodi on developments in Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 8/7) 
 
"Meetings of the security committee on Iraq that emerged from the 
Sharm al-Sheikh conference will be held in Damascus on August 8" 
(Independent al-Watan, 8/7) 
 
"Sixteen US soldiers killed and injured in Iraq since the beginning 
of August.  The cycle of violence reaps more victims.  The political 
crisis is on the rise" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 8/7) 
 
"The loss of one third of the weapons provided to the Iraqi army by 
the Pentagon" (Government-owned       Al-Thawra, 8/7) 
 
"America and Iran discuss security in Iraq.  Americans are killed by 
their own weapons" (Independent al-Watan, 8/7) 
 
"The Lebanese by-elections in the Metin region end with a resounding 
failure for the governing team.  Lahoud confirms commitment to the 
constitution and calls for a salvation government" (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 7/8) 
 
"Abbas and Olmert discuss general issues without touching upon 
substantive issues.  Hanieh considers a the meeting a cover for US 
policies" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 8/7) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
"One Who Lacks Something Cannot Give it" 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
Muhammad Khair al-Jammali, an editorialist in government-owned 
Al-Thawra, wrote (8/7):  "No one can believe that President Bush, 
who pursues a policy of destructive wars, can turn overnight into a 
man of peace working for a settlement in the Middle East.... There 
is political trickery in President Bush's call for a Middle East 
peace conference.... The conference is intended to deepen the 
division among Arabs and countries of the region through axes and 
alliances and push them toward new conflicts that serve the 
interests of Israel and neoconservatives for decades to come.... 
 
"This view is substantiated by the fact that the call for the 
conference was accompanied by diplomatic and military activity led 
by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense 
Robert Gates.... The US Administration, through this activity, wants 
to classify countries of the region into moderates and extremists 
and conclude suspicious arms deals as a prelude to igniting 
destructive regional conflicts.... 
 
"Bush's call for a peace conference at a time when he promises to 
ensure Israel's strategic superiority over all Arabs and countries 
of the region and at a time when he refuses to stop the war in Iraq 
and abandon the policy of threats, which is the antithesis of peace 
and the call for it, is almost similar to his false call for the 
 
liberation of Iraq and the promotion of democracy in it, a call that 
ended with the destruction of Iraq.... 
 
"The proposed conference lacks the bases, principles, and terms of 
reference that make it a peace conference.... We wish that those who 
welcomed Bush's call would realize that those who chase after wars, 
conflicts, chaos, and seditions cannot make peace." 
------------------------------------ 
 
"They Have Only Themselves to Blame" 
 
------------------------------------ 
 
Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (8/7):  "Some Arabs still insist on calling President Bush's 
offer regarding the region an initiative, although the White House 
clearly explained that the offer does not amount to an initiative 
and that it is only a call for a meeting under American chairmanship 
to discuss peace in the region.... 
 
"What makes things worse is that the so-called moderate media 
outlets -- which are in fact outlets of money and subservience -- 
never cease trumpeting Bush's meeting and its privileges and 
positive reflections on the region. 
 
"So it is natural for a general state of fear and caution to 
dominate the Arab public, which, by virtue of its awareness, 
intuition, and experience, read Bush's offer well and realized its 
ulterior motives and dangers.... 
 
"In fact, all this American activity is meant to normalize Arab 
relations with Israel, not to bring about peace.  The evidence is 
the secret and public plans to drag as many Arabs as possible to a 
meeting with Bush and take pictures of them beside the Israeli 
delegation.... 
 
"Observers are also mindful of the fact that the matter does not 
stop with Israel's rejection of peace, a rejection that is known and 
tangible.  It goes beyond that:  The US Administration applies 
pressure on Israel to maintain this rejection of peace and to 
prevent it from entering into peace talks.  This has been 
acknowledged by informed American and Israeli authorities. 
 
Bush's call does not carry peace signals. This is what Syria and 
most of the Arab countries have stressed.  Those who praise, 
cooperate, and go for gratuitous normalization will have only 
themselves to blame." 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
"A US Development Plan for Ten Years to Come" 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
As'ad Abbud, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(8/7):  "The weapons the United States is sending to the region are 
sufficient to continue the destruction of the region for years to 
come.  Only Israel will be spared the terrorism of the American 
terrorist plan, as the weapons are given on condition they are not 
used against Israel.... 
 
"Are weapons what the region needs for life, democracy, environment, 
future, and the fight against terrorism?  We are not begging, but we 
are drawing attention to the fact that the region needs development, 
not weapons.... 
 
"They offer all these [weapons] to fight Syria, Iraq, and Iran while 
they prevent the export to Syria of a small machine for an operation 
room in a hospital in a remote village!  Do you see what kind of 
democracy they want for us?  It is the democracy of killing, death, 
and destruction.  This is their plan to develop the region." 
 
Corbin