Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DAMASCUS2379
2006-05-23 10:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:  

Damascus Media Reaction: Syria/EU, Syria/Iran,

Tags:  KMDR PREL KPAO OPRC SY 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHDM #2379/01 1431009
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231009Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9128
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5972
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3834
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2348
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7040
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1011
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4413
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0636
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6777
UNCLAS DAMASCUS 002379 

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: Syria/EU, Syria/Iran,
US/Syria, Beirut-Damascus Declaration, Lebanon/Resolution 1680,
Iraq (5/19-21)


UNCLAS DAMASCUS 002379

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: Syria/EU, Syria/Iran,
US/Syria, Beirut-Damascus Declaration, Lebanon/Resolution 1680,
Iraq (5/19-21)



1. Summary: Syrian papers reported a Syrian Foreign Ministry
response to a May 19 European Presidency statement expressing EU
concern about what it called the recent widespread harassment of
human rights defenders in Syria. The EU
Presidency urged Syria
to review the cases of political prisoners, and immediately
release all "prisoners of conscience". It expressed its deep
concern about the recent widespread harassment of human rights
defenders, their families and peaceful political activists, in
particular arbitrary arrests and repeated incommunicado
detention. The Syrian Foreign Ministry source said the EU
statement is an improper interference in Syrian domestic affairs
because the issues it covers fall within the national
sovereignty of states and their mission of protecting the
interests of their peoples and applying their legal systems. The
source said: "States that have allowed secret prisons to fly in
their skies and land in their airports and have agreed to build
secret prisons on their territory in clear violation of the most

SIPDIS
fundamental principles of human rights and relevant
international agreements cannot claim to be defenders of human
rights or use this excuse to meddle in the internal affairs of
other countries." The source added: "Countries which have
imposed a siege to starve the Palestinian people and foil their
free choice do not have the moral right to claim that they
champion human rights and democracy." The statement concluded by
saying: "The government of the Syrian Arab Republic is highly
surprised by the statement of the European Presidency, and it
calls on it to stop these bald attempts to interfere in Syrian
domestic affairs."

Papers also reported President Asad's and Vice President Shara's
meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki, who conveyed a
message from Iranian President Ahmadinezhad on the latest
regional and international developments. Talks dealt with the
latest Iraqi and Palestinian developments, and with Iran's

nuclear file. Mottaki briefed Syrian officials on the results of
his tour of a number of countries in the region. The Syrian
President said that it is the legitimate right of all countries,
including the Islamic Republic of Iran, to benefit from nuclear
energy. The Syrian President criticized UN resolution 1680 as a
blow to the national sovereignty of two independent countries,
forcing them to set up political relations and demarcation of a
frontier line. On Iraqi developments, the Syrian president said,
"We back and welcome the political process for formation of a
new Iraqi government, and Syria is keen on expansion of full
relations with Iraq."

The Syrian News Agency (SANA) quoted a source at the Ministry of
Education as saying that the Ministry "holds the American School
in Damascus responsible for the death of a Syrian school girl
during a trip to the Syrian Desert, saying the accident that took
her life was due to the absence of needed safety measures."
Sources at the Ministry of Education said the American School was
not authorized under the Private Education Law and that it is
breaking the law by admitting Syrian students. The school did not
get permission for this trip in the first place, the source
added. "The School's Administration is fully responsible for the
students' safety," the sources said. The mourning father told
SANA that "the school should be closed." Ahmad al-Samman said the
school was responsible for his daughter's death and accused it of
negligence, the official agency reported. In a very unusual
precedent, Tishreen, the only Syrian daily that is issued on
Saturday, covered the story on the first page, with a photo of
the child.

End of summary.


2. Selected Headlines:

"Official source at the Foreign Ministry criticizes the European
Union Presidency statement as an improper intervention in Syria's
internal affairs. The source adds: The Syrian government is
astonished at the statement's content and urges the EU Presidency
to stop such blatant attempts to interfere in Syria's affairs"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 5/21)


"President Asad receives a message from Iranian President
Ahmadinejad on latest regional and international developments.
President Asad reviews with Mottaki the situations in Iraq and
Palestine, and means of resisting pressure. Mottaki: UNSC
Resolution 1680 violates international law. FM Mouallem: Priority
is for national sovereignty and our people's interests"
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 5/19)

"Nour al-Samman, a student at the American School in Damascus,
is killed in an accident that was caused by lack of safety
measures. The American School in Damascus is not authorized
under law of private education to accept Syrian students. The
school did not get approval from the ministry for the trip to
Palmyra. The Minister of Education and the student's father hold
the American School responsible for the child's death"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 5/20

"Extensive denunciations of UNSC Resolution 1680: Violation of
the UN charter and rude intervention in relations between the
two sister countries" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/20)

"Extensive Lebanese denunciation of UNSC resolution 1680, which
is depicted as a risky turning point in the life of Lebanon and
relations with Syria. Russia says UNSC Resolution 1680 is not
consistent with the content of Annan's report" (Government-owned
Al-Thawra, 5/19)

"The Iraqi National Unity Government formed by Iraqi Premier
Nouri al-Malki obtains the Iraqi Parliament's confidence. Scores
of Iraqis killed or wounded during attacks in Baghdad, Mosul,
al-Qaem and al-Basra" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/21)


3. Editorial Block Quotes:

--------------

"Between May 1983 and May 2006"

--------------

Muhammad al-Khadr, a commentator in government-owned Al-Ba'th,
wrote (5/19): "In May 1983, the Lebanese government signed a
short-lived agreement with Israel.... This May, the ruling
parliamentary majority in Lebanon is calling for the
establishment of diplomatic relations between Beirut and
Damascus, claiming that this is necessary for Lebanon's
sovereignty and independence. But this majority does not see the
Israeli occupation of Shab'a Farms and Israel's daily violation
of Lebanon's land, sea, and airspace as an encroachment on
Lebanese sovereignty....

"What is happening in Lebanon today and what is being planned is
bigger than these people. But the problem is not here. The
problem and the danger lie in leaving this Arab country as a
pawn in the American plan, which, under the pretext of
protecting Lebanon, seeks to separate it from its Arab body,
just as the agreement of surrender [of 17 May 1983] sought to
do, and to apply pressure on Syria. In the past few months we
have seen many small details jumping to the top of the agendas
of the US State Department and the French Foreign Ministry, and
indeed the UN Security Council. In this sense one can understand
Security Council Resolution 1680...."

--------------

"What a Proclamation!"

--------------

Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned
Tishreen, commented (5/19): "The Beirut-Damascus Declaration is
a product of the Lebanese who say that Israel is not an enemy of
Lebanon....

"It is insane to blame Syria for the current situation in


Lebanon at a time when everyone knows that the parties who are
tampering with Lebanon are Israelis, through Americans, and a
group of Lebanese who hate Syria and say that it, not Israel, is
the enemy....
"The declaration ignores Syria's support for Lebanon and the
fact that Syria has withdrawn from Lebanon completely.... The
declaration coincided with pressure on Syria through the
Security Council...."

--------------

"Bush- Olmert"

--------------

Ahmad Hamadah, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra,
commented (5/19): "The US Administration is expected to applaud
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Convergence Plan when he
visits Washington next week. The United States will portray the
plan as a step toward peace and a painful Israeli concession for
which the Palestinians must thank the Israeli government....

"The US Administration is not concerned about Israel's
withdrawal to the June 4, 1967, border and the return of
Palestinian refugees to their land and homes, or about the
creation of the independent Palestinian state. It is only
concerned with one thing: opening its doors and heart to Olmert
and providing maximum support for his government program without
any regard for international legitimacy...."

Seche