SYRIAN MEDIA SAYS BASHAR CONTINUES HAFIZ AL-

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DAMASCUS 003050

NICOSIA FOR ILMG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/10
TAGS: PREL OPRC PROP KPAO KMDR LE SY
SUBJECT: SYRIAN MEDIA SAYS BASHAR CONTINUES HAFIZ AL-
ASAD'S LEGACY, HIGHLIGHTS SAUDI STAMP OF
APPROVAL

REF: A) FBIS GMP20000614000164, B) FBIS GMP
20000614000190, C) FBIS GMP20000614000160

CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR RYAN C. CROCKER, REASON 1.5 (B/D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. SYRIAN PRESS JUNE 14-15 EMPHASIZED UNIFIED
SUPPORT FOR BASHAR AL-ASAD UNDER THE BANNER OF CONTINUING
HIS FATHER'S LEGACY. PRINT FEATURES INCLUDED FAVORABLE
COMMENTS BY THE SYRIAN JEWISH COMMUNITY AND FOREIGN
DELEGATIONS. PARTICULAR ATTENTION WAS GIVEN TO COMMENTS
BY ARAB LEADERS, NOTABLY SAUDI CROWN PRINCE ABDALLAH BIN
ABDUL AZIZ, INDICATING A DESIRE FOR AN EARLY ARAB STAMP OF
APPROVAL FOR HEIR APPARENT DR. BASHAR. END SUMMARY.

"LEAD US, O BASHAR, WE ARE ALL BEHIND YOU"
--------------


2. (U) SYRIAN PRESS ON JUNE 14-15 WAS UNITED IN ITS
SUPPORT FOR BASHAR. AN EDITORIAL IN THE GOVERNMENT-
CONTROLLED DAILY TISHRIN JUNE 14 EMPHASIZED THAT A "BIG
TRUST" WAS PLACED IN THE HANDS OF BASHAR, TO WHOM "WE
PLEDGED OUR ALLEGIANCE A LONG TIME AGO". THE EDITORIAL
EMPASIZED BASHAR'S DESIRE TO BOTH BUILD A MODERN SYRIA
CAPABLE OF PARTICIPATING IN THE "SCIENTIFIC AND
INFORMATION RENAISSANCE" AND TO CONTINUE THE "UNIQUE
STRUGGLE MARCH" FOR ARAB RIGHTS BEGUN BY HIS FATHER. THE
PIECE CONCLUDED BY URGING THE HEIR APPARENT TO "LEAD US, O
BASHAR, WE ARE ALL BEHIND YOU". A JUNE 15 EDITORIAL IN
THE SAME PUBLICATION SIMILARLY STRESSED THAT "THE
CONSENSUS OF THE SYRIANS ON THEIR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO
GENERAL DR. BASHAR AL-ASAD AS PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTRY .
IS A CLEAR INDICATION OF THEIR ADHERENCE TO THE
CORRECTIONIST COURSE, THE COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION,
LIBERATION, STEADFASTNESS AND JOINT ARAB ACTION".

THE LION AND THE CUB: BASHAR AND HIS FATHER'S LEGACY
-------------- --------------


3. (U) THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY AL-BA'TH REPORTED
ON JUNE 14 THAT THE SYRIAN PEOPLE WERE LOYAL ONLY TO THE
LATE, GREAT FIGHTER WHO "ACHIEVED MIRACLES IN A RECORD
RACE WITH TIME" (LATE PRESIDENT ASAD) AND TO THE "LION CUB
(BASHAR)" REARED UNDER HIS FATHER'S TUTELAGE, WHO WILL
CARRY ON HIS LEGACY. THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE SYRIA TIMES
ECHOED THE THEME OF CONTINUITY IN AN EDITORIAL THAT
PROCLAIMED THAT BASHAR AL-ASAD WILL "SUSTAIN HIS FATHER'S
RICH LEGACY AND CONTINUE ENHANCING THE COUNTRY'S MARCH OF
STEADFASTNESS AND ALL-OUT DEVELOPMENT UNTIL THE NATION'S
RIGHTS AND LANDS ARE TOTALLY RETURNED, ITS DIGNITY AND
PRIDE ARE FULLY SAFEGUARDED AND A DECENT PLACE UNDER THE
SUN IS PRESERVED".


4. (U) THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY AL-BA'TH REPORTED
THAT MEMBERS OF THE SYRIAN AL-MUSAWIYAH (JEWISH) COMMUNITY
HELD A SPECIAL SERVICE TO HONOR THE LATE PRESIDENT ASAD.
KHADR AL-KABARITI, WHO LED THE SERVICE, PRAISED THE LATE
PRESIDENT'S DECISION TO GRANT MEMBERS OF THE JEWISH
COMMUNITY EQUAL RIGHTS. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE JEWISH
COMMUNITY SUPPORTS THE NOMINATION OF BASHAR TO THE SYRIAN
PRESIDENCY AND EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT HE WOULD "BE A
GREAT LEADER, LIKE HIS FATHER, AND BE THE BEST SUCCESSOR
TO A GREAT LEADER".

GRIEF AND OPTIMISM AMONG ARAB LEADERS
--------------


5. (U) GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY TISHRIN STATED ON JUNE
14 THAT MILLIONS OF SYRIAN CITIZENS AND A VERY LARGE
NUMBER OF WORLD DELEGATIONS MOURNED THE LATE PRESIDENT,
AND THAT PEOPLE FROM ALL ARAB COUNTRIES TOOK PART IN THE
FUNERAL PROCESSION. SIGNIFICANT COVERAGE WAS DEDICATED TO
THE STATEMENTS OF CONDOLENCE MADE BY VARIOUS FOREIGN
DELEGATIONS. PARTICULAR ATTENTION WAS PAID TO THE
STATEMENT CABLED BY SAUDI CROWN PRINCE ABDALLAH BIN ABD
AL-AZIZ TO BASHAR. THE CABLE FEATURED PROMINENTLY IN
LOCAL ARABIC-LANGUAGE PRESS AND IN THE GOVERNMENT-
CONTROLLED ENGLISH-LANGUAGE DAILY SYRIA TIMES. ABDALLAH
EXPRESSED HIS DEEP REGRET OVER THE TRAGIC LOSS OF LATE
PRESIDENT ASAD, BUT EMPHASIZED THAT HIS DELEGATION LEFT
SYRIA WITH "COMPLETE OPTIMISM AND CONFIDENCE THAT SYRIA
WILL BY THE WILL OF GOD BE IN SAFE AND SKILLFUL HANDS OF
ONE WHO HAS GROWN UP WITH FAITH IN GOD, PRIDE IN THE
NATION'S HERITAGE, VALUES, SOLIDARITY IN RIGHT, DEPTH IN
THINKING, AND FAR-SIGHTEDNESS". THE CROWN PRINCE FURTHER
STRESSED SAUDI ARABIA'S FULL SUPPORT FOR SYRIA IN ALL
CIRCUMSTANCES AS AN ISLAMIC AND MORAL DUTY. HE CONCLUDED
BY EXTENDING BEST WISHES TO BASHAR IN LEADING THE COUNTRY.


6. (C) COMMENT. THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED SYRIAN PRESS HAS
COME DOWN SQUARELY BEHIND BASHAR, STRESSING THE THEME OF
CONTINUITY AND PERPETUATION OF HIS FATHER'S LEGACY. WHILE
SYRIAN MEDIA HAS ACCORDED FULL ATTENTION TO PRESIDENT
ASAD'S PASSING, IT HAS BEEN CAREFUL TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE
COUNTRY NOW STANDS UNITED BEHIND THE HEIR APPARENT. THE
PROMINENT COVERAGE OF THE COMMENTS OF FOREIGN DELEGATES,
PARTICULARLY THOSE OF SAUDI CROWN PRINCE ABDALLAH, SUGGEST
THE IMPORTANCE THE NEW REGIME ACCORDS TO AN EARLY ARAB
STAMP OF APPROVAL FOR BASHAR.

CROCKER