Damascus Media Reaction: Syria/Europe, Federation of

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000251

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/Europe, Federation of
Arab Lawyers, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestinian Territories (1/24)

1. Summary: Syrian papers today reported President Asad's
meeting with Francisco Javier Rojo Garcia, Chairman of the
Spanish Senate, focusing on the necessity of reactivating the

European role in the Middle East Peace Process, the ongoing
modernization and reform process in Syria, and the Syrian-
European partnership. Papers also reported President Asad's
meeting with Vasos Lesarides, Chairman of the Cypriot Democratic
Socialist Party, which dealt with the Cypriot issue, the Middle
East Peace Process, and the Syrian-European Partnership.
Papers also reported that the Federation of Arab Lawyers has
formed a judicial board to defend Syria, and has addressed a
message to UN SecGen Annan confirming the Arab nation's rejection
of any interference in Syria's internal affairs and
politicization of the IIC probe into the Hariri assassination.

Government-owned Tishreen cited a statement by Kamal Chatila,
President of the Lebanese People's Congress, who stressed that
the 22nd Conference of the Federation of Arab Lawyers was a
message to the US that Syria cannot be isolated. Chatila called
on Americans to reconsider their calculations following their
military, political and economic failure in the face of the Iraqi
resistance. He pointed out that what is going on in Lebanon aims
to harm Syrian-Lebanese relations to serve Israeli interests. He
expressed doubt over the credibility of the IIC probe into the al-
Hariri assassination.

End of summary.


2. Selected Headlines:

"President Asad receives Rojo Garcia, Speaker of the Spanish
Senate, and Vassos Lyssarides, Chief of the Cypriot Democratic
Socialist Party. Talks focused on bilateral cooperation, Syrian-
European partnership, the reform process in Syria and the
importance of reactivating the European role in the Middle East
Peace Process" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 1/24)

"Foreign Minister Shara discusses recent developments and the
situation in the Palestinian territories with Fraouk Qadoumi,
Head of PLO Political Department" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th,
1/24)

"Arab Lawyers form a judicial board to defend Syria, rejecting
pressure on it and expressing keenness for its sovereignty and
national dignity. Directing accusations against Syria aims at
dragging Lebanon into civil strife" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th,
1/24)

"Arab Lawyers address a message to UN SecGen Annan: The Arab
nation rejects any interference in Syria's internal affairs and
politicization of the IIC probe into the Hariri assassination"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 1/24)

"US POTOMAC Energy Group is licensed to work in Syria"
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/24)

"Euro-American rejection of a Palestinian government that
includes Hamas. Hamas expresses readiness to take part in the
election process" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/24)

"A US soldier and two pilots killed in a series of explosions in
Baghdad. The Allawi list criticizes the international
investigation team for not identifying those who violated Iraqi
election laws" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/24)


3. Editorial Block Quotes:

--------------
"When A President Greets his People"
--------------
Abdul-Fattah al-Awad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Thawra,
said (1/24): "President Asad's speech to the Federation of Arab
Lawyers creates a culture of optimism in contrast to the culture
of frustration that some parties are working to promote in the
Arab world.... When an Arab citizen listens to the president, he
listens to a person who expresses the citizen's ambitions and
opens to him the gates of optimism. Al-Asad noted that the









Socialist Party, which dealt with the Cypriot issue, the Middle
East Peace Process, and the Syrian-European Partnership.
Papers also reported that the Federation of Arab Lawyers has
formed a judicial board to defend Syria, and has addressed a
message to UN SecGen Annan confirming the Arab nation's rejection
of any interference in Syria's internal affairs and
politicization of the IIC probe into the Hariri assassination.

criterion of power is national unity and that nations are able to
protect their peoples.
"The president saluted the Syrian people in his speech because
the Syrians have shown a high-level of political awareness and
immediately realized that something was being plotted against
their country. The president saluted his people out of his belief
that they embody the meaning of dignity, rejection of traitors,
and adherence to identity....
"Al-Asad's speech was wise and calm, though it discussed hot
issues in a noisy climate. The messages were clear and
direct...."
--------------
"Conspiracy and A Pan-Arab Message"
--------------
Explaining the message of Al-Asad's speech, Muhammad Khair al-
Jammali, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote
(1/24): "President Asad wanted to say that no Arab or Muslim --
peoples or governments -- is safe from the conspiracy which
specifically seeks to undermine the Arab and Islamic identity of
the region and cancel the cultural role of its people....
"The aim of this message was to invoke the spirit of struggle in
the Arab nation and the Muslim world so that Arabs and Muslims
would join forces against the threat to their stability,
security, religion, hopes, and ambitions....
"Syria has sounded the alarm in the past and is sounding it today
in the hope of achieving an Arab and Islamic awakening that will
be up to the challenges of the war that is being waged against
everything Arab and Islamic.
"Syria will remain the force of resistance against the American-
Israeli-Western plan, in defense of its national security, pan-
Arab security, and Islam. But logic dictates saying that in order
to foil this plan and its grave objectives -- considering the
power of the parties involved in it -- there is a need for a
comprehensive force that can only be achieved through a unified
Arab-Islamic position based on the realization of the perils of
the new colonialist plan and through mobilization of all Arab and
Islamic capabilities to confront it...."
-------------- -
"Syria's Strategic Vision and Pan-Arab Bases"
-------------- -
Dr. Khalaf al-Jarrad, Chief Editor of government-owned Tishreen,
commented (1/24): "The current developments in the Arab region,
such as the occupation of Iraq and the Lebanese-Syrian tension,
are parts of an anti-Arab plan that began with the partition of
the Arab world through the Sykes-Picot agreement early in the
past century. The plan targets the identity and culture of the
Arab nation and seeks to smash the Arab will and control Arab
resources....
"The new colonialist forces are using the UN Security Council as
a tool to harm the right of people to self-determination, under
various pretexts, such as the war on terrorism, protection of
world peace, and nuclear nonproliferation....
"There are grave consequences from the attempts to make the
concept of national sovereignty subject to the will of the United
States and its allies....
"Israel is the permanent danger and actual threat to the Arab and
Islamic countries.... Those who believe that Israel, with its
expansionist Zionist ideology and racist inclinations, can
coexist peacefully with the countries of the region and be
content with its current borders, are wrong....
"Syria realizes and reads accurately the hostile plans and the
international balance of power. But it also knows the elements of








Socialist Party, which dealt with the Cypriot issue, the Middle
East Peace Process, and the Syrian-European Partnership.
Papers also reported that the Federation of Arab Lawyers has
formed a judicial board to defend Syria, and has addressed a
message to UN SecGen Annan confirming the Arab nation's rejection
of any interference in Syria's internal affairs and
politicization of the IIC probe into the Hariri assassination.

power that Arabs possess, reads the experiences of other nations,
and knows the meaning of adherence to independence, sovereignty,
and principles...."
--------------
"Dreams of Conspirators"
--------------
Omar Jaftali, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, said
(1/24): "The Lebanese nationalist forces and figures agree that
it is impermissible to tamper with Lebanon's identity and
national principles....
"These forces and figures have repeatedly sounded the alarm,
warning that Lebanon is targeted by the United States and Israel.
On the other side, there are some individuals who have taken the
side of Lebanon's enemies and have begun to level random
accusations against every voice calling for unity and for keeping
Lebanon within the Arab family.... These individuals raise the
slogans of independence and sovereignty but turn a blind eye to
the real interference in Lebanon's affairs by the US Embassy and
American envoys."
"The majority of the Lebanese will foil the attempts to create
sedition and will frustrate the dreams of those who are
conspiring with the plan of trusteeship and subservience."
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