VZCZCXYZ0034
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0806/01 2201408
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081408Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4002
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 7031
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4713
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3376
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7842
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1944
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5271
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1473
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7568

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000806 
 
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/Iraq, US Arms Shipments, Lebanon, Palestinian 
Territories, Peace Process (8/8) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on August 8 reported Deputy Foreign 
Minister Faisal al-Miqdad's meeting on August 7 with Iraqi Foreign 
Ministry Deputy Labid Abbawi on bilateral relations between Syria 
and Iraq and means of developing them in all different domains. 
During the meeting, both sides exchanged viewpoints on the latest 
developments in Iraq.  Al-Miqdad and Abbawi stressed the importance 
of work to achieve national reconciliation among the Iraqi people in 
order to realize stability in Iraq, preserve its territorial unity 
and guarantee the withdrawal of the foreign forces from it. 
 
Independent al-Watan reported that US officials will attend as 
observers the two-day security border meeting in Damascus today that 
emerged from the Sharm el-Sheikh conference on Iraq last May and in 
the wake of Secretary Rice's meeting with Syrian FM Mouallem. 
 
Papers also featured an analysis published by Italian Newspaper "La 
Republica" on August 7 strongly criticizing the US Administration 
weapons deals to Israel and the region, saying that this step 
constitutes an indication of Washington's failure in the Middle 
East.  The analysis said that the increasing of US arms shipments to 
the region increase dangers resulting from US failure in Iraq.  The 
paper stressed that more armament deals in the region will increase 
instability in the Middle East, adding that the US deals are within 
the framework of Washington's scheme to establish the Greater Middle 
East. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad discusses developments in 
Iraq with Iraqi Foreign Ministry Deputy Labid Abbawi.  Emphasis is 
laid on national reconciliation to maintain Iraq's national unity 
and secure evacuation of occupation troops" (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 8/8) 
 
"In the attendance of American observers; meeting of the Security 
Committee for Coordination and Cooperation on Iraq convenes today in 
Damascus" (Independent al-Watan, 8/8) 
 
"Al-Maliki in Ankara:  A security document and two protocols on oil 
and electricity cooperation.  The Iraqi List announces its 
participation in the government" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 8/8) 
 
"A judicial organization:  The number of Iraqi refugees in Syria has 
reached two million refugees" (Independent al-Watan, 8/8) 
 
"Contacts over Israeli prisoner Shalit resume between Israel and 
Hamas.  Palestinian PM Hanieh proposes to give up his position in 
exchange for national reconciliation" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
8/8) 
 
"An Israeli denies contacts with Hamas over Shalit" (Independent 
al-Watan, 8/8) 
 
"The US provides the Lebanese army with military vehicles.  A 
Lebanese division enhances call for early elections" (Independent 
al-Watan, 8/8) 
 
"Lahoud encourages national unity.  Berri denounces the governing 
team's racist rhetoric.  Al-Tayyar    al-Hurr:  Washington 
intervened in the Lebanese by-elections" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
8/8) 
 
"British author Robert Fisk and Nicholas Blanford [correspondent of 
British daily 'The Thames']:  Al-Maten by-elections are a blow to 
the US supported 
governing team" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 8/8) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
----------------- 
 
"Mirage of Peace" 
 
----------------- 
 
 
Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(8/8):  "The US Administration is now trying to compensate for its 
miserable failure in Iraq by advancing a vague peace process between 
Israel and moderate Arabs.... The US Administration has no other 
concern than pleasing Israel.... 
 
"Why does the US divide Arabs into moderates and non-moderates if it 
intends to cement a just and comprehensive peace in the region...? 
 
"We do not want to anticipate things.  The date of the fall meeting 
is approaching, but facts and information show that the Bush 
administration intends only to strengthen American alliances in the 
region and finish with the tough birth pangs of the new Middle 
East...." 
 
------------------------------ 
 
"When They Distribute Failure" 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Ali Qasim, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote (8/8): 
 "US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, warned that the United States 
might revise its strategy in Iraq in light of the political failures 
in that country.  In his warning Gates ignored the role that his 
country is playing as an occupation power hindering any political 
solution.... 
 
"The suspicious role the United States is playing in Iraq is not 
confined only to obstruction, but it goes beyond that to 
participation in fanning the flames of the ethnic and sectarian 
conflict to a point that threatens Iraq's entity, existence, and 
unity.... 
 
"Americans are trying to blame Iraqis and others for the failure in 
Iraq, disregarding the occupation as the main and only reason for 
all the troubles in Iraq and the gravest threat to the country.... 
 
"This American attempt will only confirm the failure more than deny 
it, and deepen the crisis more than ease it.... The solution lies in 
setting a timetable for the American withdrawal from Iraq.... 
 
---------------- 
 
"Unlimited Lies" 
 
---------------- 
 
Dr Ibrahim Darraji, a commentator in independent al-Watan, wrote 
(8/8):  "Lebanese leaders Amin al-Jumayyil and Samir Ja'ja 
fabricated lies particularly with regard to Syria, before and after 
the Al-Matn by-elections.... 
 
"The problem with these lies is that they seek to create a 
'Syriaphobia' in Lebanon; in other words, they seek to entrench a 
racist anti-Syria concept among the coming generations.  They also 
forge history, distort reality, and threaten a dangerous future...." 
 
 
Corbin