Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DAMASCUS1366
2006-03-28 12:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:
Damascus Media Reaction: Arab Summit, Lebanon, Iraq,
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UNCLAS DAMASCUS 001366
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ARN, INR/IC/CD, INR/S:STHIBEAULT AND
JMCCARTER, VOA NEWS CA, NEA/PPD:CBOURGEOIS, DBENZE AND
AFERNANDEZ, IIP/G/NEA-SA RWINCHESTER
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC
CENTCOM FOR CCPA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR PREL KPAO OPRC SY
SUBJECT: Damascus Media Reaction: Arab Summit, Lebanon, Iraq,
Syria/PLO (3/28)
UNCLAS DAMASCUS 001366
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ARN, INR/IC/CD, INR/S:STHIBEAULT AND
JMCCARTER, VOA NEWS CA, NEA/PPD:CBOURGEOIS, DBENZE AND
AFERNANDEZ, IIP/G/NEA-SA RWINCHESTER
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC
CENTCOM FOR CCPA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR PREL KPAO OPRC SY
SUBJECT: Damascus Media Reaction: Arab Summit, Lebanon, Iraq,
Syria/PLO (3/28)
1. Summary: Syrian papers focused on the 18th Arab summit that
will be inaugurated in Khartoum today. All papers reported
President Asad's arrival in Khartoum to participate in the summit
and featured photos of his meetings with Sudanese President Al-
Bashir, Lebanese President Lahoud and Emir Sabah al-Ahmad al-
Jaber al-Sabah of Kuwait.
Papers also reported meetings held by Foreign Minister Walid al-
Mouallem in Khartoum on the sidelines of the summit with Cypriot
Foreign Minister George Iacovou and with his Cuban counterpart
Felipe Perz Roque.
Papers also cited a statement by Lebanese Ex-Premier Salim al-
Hoss to the Sudanese News Agency [SUNA] calling upon the Arab
Summit to support Syria politically and economically to face US
and Israeli pressure on Syria. Al-Hoss indicated that "a
Zionist and imperialist project to dismantle the Arab world has
started in Iraq," that "the U.S. is practicing terrorism in the
world," that "it is against democracy," and that "its rejection
of the results of the Palestinian elections is clear evidence."
Papers also reported Minister of information Dr. Mohsen Bilal's
meeting with Farouk Qaddoumi, Head of the PLO Political
Department, which focused on bilateral relations, the situation
in the region and developments in the occupied Palestinian
territories.
End of summary.
2. Selected Headlines:
"President Asad discusses with his Lebanese counterpart Emile
Lahoud and Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad, the Emir of Kuwait, latest
developments in the region and issues on the agenda of the
summit" (Government-owned Tishreen, 3/28)
"Foreign Minister al-Muallem: All are waiting for important
decisions; we notice an increasing awareness of the dangers
created by challenges" (Government-owned Tishreen, 3/28)
"Dr. Mohsen Bilal [Minister of Information]: Syria works hard to
make the Arab summit a success" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 3/28)
"Information Minister Dr. Bilal reviews with Farouk Qaddoumi,
Chairman of the PLO Political Department, the latest developments
and receives German Ambassador in Damascus" (Government-owned Al-
Thawra, 3/28)
"Former Lebanese Prime Minister al-Hoss calls on the Arab summit
to support Syria in the face of American and Israeli pressure"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 3/28)
"Over 40 Iraqis killed, 30 injured in an attack on an American
station in Mosel" (Government-owned Tishreen 3/28)
"The final sessions of the Lebanese national dialogue postponed
until Monday. Lebanese President Lahoud: Syria is being pressured
because of its national stances. Leaders of the Lebanese
Democratic Party, Arsalan, and the Unionist Party, Murad: Israel
is the only enemy for Lebanon" (Government-owned Tishreen, 3/28)
3. Editorial Block Quotes:
--------------
"The Khartoum Summit, Desired Goals"
--------------
An unsigned editorial in government-owned Al-Ba'th on (3/28)
read: "Arab leaders meet in their Khartoum summit amid extremely
serious and complicated circumstances and challenges....
"We might not be exaggerating if we say that the Arab leaders
never met while the Arab situation was as bad as it is today,
when dangers and disasters threaten all Arabs. Those who believe
they are outside the circle of danger or claim they are not
targeted by the pressure or will be safe from it in the future
are wrong. The Arab nation can confront these challenges and
dangers only through common Arab action and solidarity. Arab
countries are not required to mobilize their armies and go to
war, but they should not deal with developments, plans, and the
policies of the superpowers as if they were fate. They should
deal with them using the logic that takes into consideration
national interests and legitimate rights of Arabs as guaranteed
by international laws and conventions."
-------------- --------------
"The Preliminary Results of the Lebanese Dialogue: Victory for
the Resistance Policy and Relationship with Syria, a Blow to the
Plot of 1559"
-------------- --------------
Hasan Hardan, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen,
commented (3/28): "Meetings of the Lebanese dialogue that were
held in the parliament produced important results in every sense
of the word....
"The recognition of Lebanon's ownership of Shebaa Farms
constitutes a retreat for the 14 February team, led by Druze
member of parliament Walid Jumblatt. Jumblatt had cast doubt on
Lebanon's ownership of the farms and sought to align himself
with the US-French demand to strip the resistance of legitimacy
and disarm it, on the ground that no more Lebanese land is
occupied. This recognition also constituted a victory for the
policy of resistance....
"On the other hand, this recognition is a painful blow to the US-
French alliance and, behind it, Israel. It brings down one of
the most important provisions of Resolution 1559, that aims to
disarm the resistance....
"The assertion of the need to establish outstanding relations
with Syria is a clear sign of a reversal of the stand that was
taken by the 14 February team....
"Regardless of whether this shift in the stand of the 14
February team was a result of a change in the domestic, regional
and world equation, failure to bring the coup in Lebanon to a
conclusion, or pressure by leading economic figures and popular
sectors that suffered huge damage as a result of the provocative
racist campaign against Syria, the shift is a victory for the
policy of distinguished relations between Syria and Lebanon....
"It also shows that the resistance, which liberated most of the
occupied Lebanese territories in the absence of unanimity among
the Lebanese, is now drawing closer to achieving consensus on
continuation of its efforts to liberate the remaining occupied
land and prisoners who are held in the jails of the occupation
authorities.
"This near consensus will necessarily trouble the United States
and Israel a great deal. Both the United States and Israel had
expected Resolution 1559 to trigger conflict in Lebanon.
However, they reaped contrary results, in the form of rallying
around the legitimacy of the resistance more than ever before.
The collective recognition of Lebanon's ownership of Shebaa
Farms represents the groundwork for this legitimacy."
Seche
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ARN, INR/IC/CD, INR/S:STHIBEAULT AND
JMCCARTER, VOA NEWS CA, NEA/PPD:CBOURGEOIS, DBENZE AND
AFERNANDEZ, IIP/G/NEA-SA RWINCHESTER
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC
CENTCOM FOR CCPA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR PREL KPAO OPRC SY
SUBJECT: Damascus Media Reaction: Arab Summit, Lebanon, Iraq,
Syria/PLO (3/28)
1. Summary: Syrian papers focused on the 18th Arab summit that
will be inaugurated in Khartoum today. All papers reported
President Asad's arrival in Khartoum to participate in the summit
and featured photos of his meetings with Sudanese President Al-
Bashir, Lebanese President Lahoud and Emir Sabah al-Ahmad al-
Jaber al-Sabah of Kuwait.
Papers also reported meetings held by Foreign Minister Walid al-
Mouallem in Khartoum on the sidelines of the summit with Cypriot
Foreign Minister George Iacovou and with his Cuban counterpart
Felipe Perz Roque.
Papers also cited a statement by Lebanese Ex-Premier Salim al-
Hoss to the Sudanese News Agency [SUNA] calling upon the Arab
Summit to support Syria politically and economically to face US
and Israeli pressure on Syria. Al-Hoss indicated that "a
Zionist and imperialist project to dismantle the Arab world has
started in Iraq," that "the U.S. is practicing terrorism in the
world," that "it is against democracy," and that "its rejection
of the results of the Palestinian elections is clear evidence."
Papers also reported Minister of information Dr. Mohsen Bilal's
meeting with Farouk Qaddoumi, Head of the PLO Political
Department, which focused on bilateral relations, the situation
in the region and developments in the occupied Palestinian
territories.
End of summary.
2. Selected Headlines:
"President Asad discusses with his Lebanese counterpart Emile
Lahoud and Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad, the Emir of Kuwait, latest
developments in the region and issues on the agenda of the
summit" (Government-owned Tishreen, 3/28)
"Foreign Minister al-Muallem: All are waiting for important
decisions; we notice an increasing awareness of the dangers
created by challenges" (Government-owned Tishreen, 3/28)
"Dr. Mohsen Bilal [Minister of Information]: Syria works hard to
make the Arab summit a success" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 3/28)
"Information Minister Dr. Bilal reviews with Farouk Qaddoumi,
Chairman of the PLO Political Department, the latest developments
and receives German Ambassador in Damascus" (Government-owned Al-
Thawra, 3/28)
"Former Lebanese Prime Minister al-Hoss calls on the Arab summit
to support Syria in the face of American and Israeli pressure"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 3/28)
"Over 40 Iraqis killed, 30 injured in an attack on an American
station in Mosel" (Government-owned Tishreen 3/28)
"The final sessions of the Lebanese national dialogue postponed
until Monday. Lebanese President Lahoud: Syria is being pressured
because of its national stances. Leaders of the Lebanese
Democratic Party, Arsalan, and the Unionist Party, Murad: Israel
is the only enemy for Lebanon" (Government-owned Tishreen, 3/28)
3. Editorial Block Quotes:
--------------
"The Khartoum Summit, Desired Goals"
--------------
An unsigned editorial in government-owned Al-Ba'th on (3/28)
read: "Arab leaders meet in their Khartoum summit amid extremely
serious and complicated circumstances and challenges....
"We might not be exaggerating if we say that the Arab leaders
never met while the Arab situation was as bad as it is today,
when dangers and disasters threaten all Arabs. Those who believe
they are outside the circle of danger or claim they are not
targeted by the pressure or will be safe from it in the future
are wrong. The Arab nation can confront these challenges and
dangers only through common Arab action and solidarity. Arab
countries are not required to mobilize their armies and go to
war, but they should not deal with developments, plans, and the
policies of the superpowers as if they were fate. They should
deal with them using the logic that takes into consideration
national interests and legitimate rights of Arabs as guaranteed
by international laws and conventions."
-------------- --------------
"The Preliminary Results of the Lebanese Dialogue: Victory for
the Resistance Policy and Relationship with Syria, a Blow to the
Plot of 1559"
-------------- --------------
Hasan Hardan, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen,
commented (3/28): "Meetings of the Lebanese dialogue that were
held in the parliament produced important results in every sense
of the word....
"The recognition of Lebanon's ownership of Shebaa Farms
constitutes a retreat for the 14 February team, led by Druze
member of parliament Walid Jumblatt. Jumblatt had cast doubt on
Lebanon's ownership of the farms and sought to align himself
with the US-French demand to strip the resistance of legitimacy
and disarm it, on the ground that no more Lebanese land is
occupied. This recognition also constituted a victory for the
policy of resistance....
"On the other hand, this recognition is a painful blow to the US-
French alliance and, behind it, Israel. It brings down one of
the most important provisions of Resolution 1559, that aims to
disarm the resistance....
"The assertion of the need to establish outstanding relations
with Syria is a clear sign of a reversal of the stand that was
taken by the 14 February team....
"Regardless of whether this shift in the stand of the 14
February team was a result of a change in the domestic, regional
and world equation, failure to bring the coup in Lebanon to a
conclusion, or pressure by leading economic figures and popular
sectors that suffered huge damage as a result of the provocative
racist campaign against Syria, the shift is a victory for the
policy of distinguished relations between Syria and Lebanon....
"It also shows that the resistance, which liberated most of the
occupied Lebanese territories in the absence of unanimity among
the Lebanese, is now drawing closer to achieving consensus on
continuation of its efforts to liberate the remaining occupied
land and prisoners who are held in the jails of the occupation
authorities.
"This near consensus will necessarily trouble the United States
and Israel a great deal. Both the United States and Israel had
expected Resolution 1559 to trigger conflict in Lebanon.
However, they reaped contrary results, in the form of rallying
around the legitimacy of the resistance more than ever before.
The collective recognition of Lebanon's ownership of Shebaa
Farms represents the groundwork for this legitimacy."
Seche