Damascus Media Reaction: Lebanon/US, Syria/Palestinian

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 001879 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: Lebanon/US, Syria/Palestinian Authority, Iraq, Iran (4/21-24) ¶1. Summary: Syrian newspapers on 23 April criticized Lebanese PM al-Saniora's visit to and statements in the United States and maintained that "Washington has nothing to present to Lebanon other than Israeli demands." Syrian papers also reported a press statement by Foreign Minister Walid al-Mouallem announcing that Syria will upgrade the Palestinian diplomatic representation in Syria to facilitate visits of Palestinians to their families in Syria. The statement was made in a joint press conference with Palestinian FM Mahmoud Zahar, who visited Damascus on Friday and met with President Asad. FM Mouallem confirmed that President Asad gave directions to open doors to popular fundraising to back the Palestinian people and the Palestinian Authority. Asked if his meeting with Zahar would increase pressure on Syria, al-Mouallem said "Syria does not fear anyone and is not ashamed of its support for the Palestinian cause at this stage." Papers also featured an AFP report quoting Khaled Mashaal, head of the Hamas Political Bureau, as telling a press conference in Damascus in the presence of representatives of ten Palestinian factions and Palestinian FM Zahar, that some people had distorted his statements on Friday -- in which he accused Abbas of plotting against Hamas -- to provoke sedition in the Palestinian arena. Mashaal reiterated the importance of maintaining Palestinian national unity and cooperation between the Palestinian presidency and the government to break the American and Israeli siege imposed on the Palestinian people. End of Summary. ¶2. Selected Headlines: "President Asad confers with Palestinian FM Zahar, who briefs him on the difficult situation in the Palestinian territories. President Asad calls for respect for the Palestinian people's choice rather than punishing them" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/21) "A meeting will be held soon between Fateh and Hamas to contain the crisis. Mashaal calls for unity to confront occupation; my statements were exploited to create tension" (Government-owned Al- Thawra, 4/25) "Hamas and Fateh agree on ending the crisis. The Olmert government decides to resume aggression and building of the separation wall" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/24) "The Arab League underscores the importance of Palestinian unity. Switzerland courageously criticizes European participation in the siege against the Palestinian people" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/24) "Lebanese parties warn against deformation of and gambling with the country's destiny...."The national resistance will exist as long as the occupation" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/24) "Russia: Syria has implemented 1559; its diplomatic relation with Lebanon is a matter that concerns the two countries only" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/25) "Syria's statement to the UN Security Council on the Lebanese situation: Syria contributed to the establishment of peace and to ending the destructive civil war in Lebanon. Syria sacrificed blood to ensure the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon and end the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon. Demarcation of borders in Shebaa Farms can only be achieved after the end of the Israeli occupation. We hope that the Security Council will show the same zeal for the implementation of the resolutions related to the Arab-Israeli conflict, particularly resolutions 242 and ¶338. We respect Lebanon's sovereignty, and establishing embassies between Syria and Lebanon is an issue of sovereignty" (Government- owned Tishreen, 4/22) "Lahoud: Merging the resistance with the army abrogates its role. Former Lebanese Minister Weam Wahab: Seeking the help of the West does not serve our interests" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/21) "Commencement of consultations to form the Iraqi government. Seven Iraqis killed in an attack within the Green Zone" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/24) "The rate of suicide among US troops is on the rise. Kerry: The Bush administration accuses the opposition of treason to minimize criticism. The CIA: We had proof before the war that Iraq was free of weapons of mass destruction " (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/23) "Russia rejects Washington's demand to halt cooperation with Teheran, saying that the Boushaher rector does not violate the nuclear ban... We are committed to deliver missile shipment to Iran" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/21) ¶3. Editorial Block Quotes: -------------- -------------- "Does the US Plan for Lahoud to Become the last Maronite President?" -------------- -------------- Elias Murad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Ba'th, commented (4/23): "Al-Saniora stated in Washington that former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri received threats from Syrians.... Shouldn't he have waited for the results of the international investigation...? This accusation prompts us to ask about the role that Al-Saniora might have played, along with some other Lebanese parties, in the interference in the affairs of the investigation and in Detlev Mehlis' secret and public files.... Don't these statements conflict with Al-Saniora's declarations regarding the special relations with Syria and the demand for noninterference in the affairs of the Lebanese judiciary and the international investigations...? "Al-Saniora said that Syria maintains an intelligence presence in Lebanon and that he will not beg Syria for a visit.... The US, which offers Israel billions of dollars, ties its aid to Lebanon to conditions that might undermine Lebanon's order and security.... US Assistant Secretary of State David Welch said after his meeting with Al-Saniora that the US has a joint future agenda with Lebanon under the leadership of the prime minister and his reform team.... This suggests that Washington supports a certain Lebanese team against the rest of the Lebanese.... Can't we conclude that the US Administration, within its Middle East plan and particularly the effort to create sectarian strife, has marked the beginning of the end of the position of the Lebanese presidency through the adoption of a new political team at the expense of the other parties, on the pretext that new regional alliances have emerged in the region, in a way that might lead to President Emile Lahoud becoming the last Maronite president in Lebanon? "Those who watch American policy in the region will not be surprised by anything. Americans have never adopted a position in support of Lebanon or Arabs. All that they care about is their interests and the interests of Israel. The only service Americans offered the Lebanese in the past was to send some ships to evacuate Christians from the country. We do not rule out the possibility of the repeated visits to Washington bringing new ships of another type, ships whose only aim, perhaps, is to blow up Lebanon and the region." -------------- "Secrets of a Warm Welcome" -------------- Ahmad Dawwa, a columnist in government-owned Al-Thawrah, said (4/23): "Al-Saniora's visit to Washington and his meeting with President George Bush revealed paradoxes entailing big risks to Lebanon in particular and the region in general.... "The support that Al-Saniora hoped President Bush would offer regarding the Lebanese identity of Shabaa Farms and the need for Israel to withdraw from that region in implementation of Resolution 425 soon dissipated when the US State Department announced that the Shabaa Farms are part of the occupied Syrian territory and do not fall under the jurisdiction of Resolution 425.... "The same applies to the economy. Neither President Bush nor any American official said anything indicating willingness to help Lebanon economically.... "President Bush said that he seeks to make Lebanon a model for the Greater Middle East.... Lebanon cannot tolerate the requirements of this American plan after the American failure in Iraq.... "The American insistence upon adopting the Israeli position regarding Shabaa Farms makes things clear and gives clear signals about the future steps that US and Zionist circles are preparing for Lebanon.... Presenting the issue of the demarcation of the Lebanese-Syrian border in this way does not mean Washington cares about Lebanon's rights. The aim of all this is to strip Lebanon of the elements of its power, represented by the resistance.... "All indications from Washington are that Al-Saniora will return empty handed except for the American-Israeli demands. The first and last word here is for Israel, and Bush's administration is now unable to make any decision that might disturb AIPAC before the coming mid-term elections." -------------- "Unknown Gunmen" -------------- Ali Nasrallah, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawrah, wrote (4/23): "According to independent Iraqi reports, 95 percent of the 3,457 security incidents that have taken place in Iraq since the beginning of this year were registered against 'unknown gunmen;' Who are these gunmen? What are their objectives? Who helps them continue their terrorist operations...? "We differentiate between resistance against US occupation forces, which is a noble, honorable, and legitimate act, and terrorist operations, which came to Iraq with the occupation and for the growth of which the occupier provided the appropriate soil, if not support.... "Any observer finds himself compelled to accuse US occupation forces of standing behind the unknown gunmen, as this helps it stay in Iraq and loot Iraq's wealth and divide and ignite sedition in the country as a prelude to destabilizing the region.... -------------- "The Ugly Face of America" -------------- Muhammad Ali Buzah, an editorialist in government-owned Al- Thawrah, commented (4/21): "President Bush threatened that all options are open with regard to Iran's nuclear file.... The US Administration apparently insists on pushing the world toward a new serious and open threat, not learning from the failure of its policies.... "In the past six years the Bush administration has shown nothing but the ugly and hostile face of the United States.... As a result of Washington's policy, the world is not safer today; indeed, it is more chaotic and deeper in wars, conflicts, and splits.... "The Bush administration has failed miserably to prove that it is qualified to lead the world. As it faltered at home and failed to honor its commitments and to address the issues and problems that affected the American citizen's life and situation, the foreign policy and the method of confrontation, adventure, war, and intimidation against the world, which was used to evade domestic crises and render a major service to Israel, produced the same harvest and was ever more frustrating and financially, humanly, militarily, and ethically costly. America's image and prestige were shaken, and it fell into the swamp of mud and blood in Iraq and Afghanistan, and also in Palestine.... Americans must force the administration hawks to abandon their dreams of domination and make them think one- thousand times before engaging in any new adventure." Seche