Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DAMASCUS1457
2006-04-02 11:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:
Damascus Media Reaction: Arab Summit, HAMAS (3/30)
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UNCLAS DAMASCUS 001457
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, HAMAS (3/30)
UNCLAS DAMASCUS 001457
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, HAMAS (3/30)
¶1. Summary: Syrian papers continued to report on the Arab Summit
in Khartoum and its final communique, which covered the
following key points:
On Palestine, the summit renewed commitment to the 2002 Arab
peace initiative, which offered Israel a comprehensive peace in
return for withdrawal from Arab lands.
On Iraq, the summit renewed solidarity with Iraqis and their
elected government and called for respect for Iraq's
sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.
On Darfur, the summit confirmed support for the African Union
peacekeeping mission in Darfur and underlined rejection of
deploying other troops in Sudan without the Sudanese
government's permission and the UN peacekeepers' recommendation.
On nuclear issues, the summit called on the international
community to declare the Middle East a WMD-free zone,
particularly of nuclear weapons, and to force Israel to sign the
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and open all its nuclear
activities to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
On terrorism, the summit condemned all forms of terrorism and
called crimes committed by terrorist groups "grave violations of
human rights that represent a threat to the national security
and stability of Arab countries."
On Syria, the summit expressed solidarity with Syria in the face
of international pressure and the US sanctions imposed in 2003.
On Lebanon, the summit supported the Lebanese political process
and the Lebanese resistance group Hizbollah, and called for the
truth about the 2005 assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri and
other recent assassinations, and expressed support for
prosecution of the perpetrators.
On religion, the summit stressed the need for co-operation,
dialogue and mutual respect among peoples and cultures. It
expressed absolute rejection and condemnation of any insult to
the Prophet Mohammed and any religion or its symbols and called
on nations to pass laws that ban such actions.
End of summary.
¶2. Selected Headlines:
"The Khartoum Summit concludes deliberations. The final
communique rejects US sanctions on Syria and supports its right
to restoration of the occupied Golan,