Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DAMASCUS2594
2006-06-05 12:46:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:
Damascus Media Reaction: Syria/Cuba, Syria/Palestinians,
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UNCLAS DAMASCUS 002594
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/Cuba, Syria/Palestinians,
Golan, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Iraq (6/5)
UNCLAS DAMASCUS 002594
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/Cuba, Syria/Palestinians,
Golan, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Iraq (6/5)
1. Summary: Syrian papers reported the visit to Damascus by
Fernando Ramirez de Estenoz, Chief of the Foreign Relations
Bureau of the Cuban Communist Party's Central Committee,
featuring his meetings with Vice President Farouk Shara. A
statement by the Syrian Arab News Agency said that talks focused
on recent international and regional developments and the ongoing
tension resulting from the US policy of hegemony. Shara and
Estenoz reiterated the importance of boosting the bilateral
relations between Syria and Cuba in all fields and activating the
Non-Aligned Movement role on the occasion of holding the NAM
summit in Havana in September 2006.
Papers also reported a press statement by Palestinian PM Hanieh
to the Kuwaiti daily "Al-Rai Al-Am" describing relations between
Syria and Palestinians as strong, saying "we feel proud of these
relations and Syria's stances and support of the Palestinian
people." "The latest visit to Syria by the Palestinian
Authority's FM Mahmoud al-Zahar was successful in upgrading
Palestinian diplomatic representation and admitting Palestinians
to Syria without a visa," Hanieh said.
Papers also reported that the Arab group participating in the
current session of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in
Geneva agreed to set up a committee that consists of Syria,
Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon and the International
Federation of Arab Trade Unions to discuss the report of the ILO
mission which visited the occupied Syrian Golan and the
Palestinian territories. The Cairo-based Arab Labor Organization
said in a statement published Sunday that its Director General,
Ibrahim Qweider, stressed the necessity of contacting and meeting
with other international groups taking part in the ILO Session to
rally support for the Arab stance. Mr. Qweider called for a
meeting to discuss the ILO agenda, pointing out that Arabs are
keen to disclose Israel's grave violations of Arab labor rights
and international laws and norms in the occupied Arab
territories, including killings, destruction, and economic siege
to push the Palestinians to starvation.
End of summary.
2. Selected Headlines:
"Vice-President Shara and Deputy Chairman of the National
Progressive Front Qaddah review bilateral relations and regional
and international developments with Fernando Ramirez de Estenoz,
Chief of Foreign Relations Bureau of Cuban Communist Party's
Central Committee" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 6/5)
"Palestinian Prime Minister Hanieh reiterates support for
national dialogue, rejects vote on the Detainees Document, and
lauds Syrian campaign of solidarity with Palestinians"
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 6/5)
"Rally and Speeches in Ba'albak in solidarity with Hizbollah.
Denunciation of targeting SecGen Nasrallah continued. Media
insulation of Nasrallah aggravates tension in the Lebanese arena"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 6/5)
"President Mubarak calls on Israeli Prime Minister Olmert to
establish a just peace in the region. Olmert pretends support
for the Roadmap and hints at a meeting with PM Abbas"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 6/5)
"An Arab Committee to discuss fallacies of report by the
International Labor Organization mission to the occupied Syrian
Golan and the Palestinian territories" (Government-owned
Tishreen, 6/5)
"A US solider killed in Al-Anbar. Clashes erupt in Basra and
Baghdad. Destiny of Russian diplomats is still unknown. US
Secretary of State Rice expresses concern over the security
SIPDIS
situation in Iraq and expects the designation of Iraqi Ministers
of Interior and Defense " (Government-owned Tishreen, 6/5)
3. Editorial Block Quotes:
--------------
"Our People Will Regain the Golan"
--------------
Elias Murad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Ba'th,
commented (6/5) "Israel announced that the strategic planning
unit on the expansion of settlements held a meeting in Ramon
settlement, which overlooks Lake Tiberias, to discuss the
possibility of increasing the number of Zionist settlers to
50,000 in the near future.
"This plan poses a direct threat to the Arabism of the Golan. It
entrenches the state of aggression on our Syrian Arab land and
shows an Israeli determination to disregard international
resolutions of Arab summits and the declared Arab desire to
achieve a just and comprehensive peaceful solution. Here we say:
No country, no matter how powerful it may be, can maintain its
power forever. And no country that others believe is weak can
remain so for ever. Events have proved that the issue is not one
of warplanes, tanks, missiles, and other weapons that some
countries possess exclusively....
"Our occupied Golan and every other occupied Arab territory are
sacred. They call upon all of us to carry out this duty, where
we clarify things and explain to the world that if Israel
continues its aggression and occupation of our lands, it will be
posing a threat to world peace, and that no nation can remain
silent about the occupation of its territory and its remaining
in the hands of enemies. Consequently, Syrians will only be like
others in choosing the right method and taking the road of
resistance, which, apparently, is the only thing that Israel
understands...."
--------------
"To Cover Up Military and Political Failures"
--------------
Iz-Eddin Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen,
commented (6/5): "The US Administration is tampering with the
Lebanese situation and intensifying pressure on Syria to cover
up its military, security, and political failures in Iraq, the
Palestinian territories, Afghanistan, and the entire Arab and
Islamic region....
"Syria realizes that it is targeted by the United States and
Israel; Syria builds its positions and policies accordingly and
takes every necessary measure to fortify its cohesive national
unity and strengthen its ability to foil the pressure. In this
regard, it has achieved what the US Administration has not
thought of: it has maintained its Arab and international
presence, adhered to its constant national and pan-Arab
principles, kept constant connection with the Arab resistance
movements in Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon, and refused to
surrender to the Israeli plans of aggression and blackmail
concerning the occupied Golan, or to give up any part of the
Golan no matter how small....
"Will the US Administration return to political realism and
admit its mistakes against Syria?"
--------------
"Al-Ishaqi Is not a Massacre!"
--------------
Adham al-Tawil, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen,
wrote (6/5): "US investigations into the Al-Ishaqi massacre in
northern Baghdad have acquitted the US military of the killing
of women and children....
"In his defense of the acquittal of the American soldiers from
the Al-Ishaqi massacre, a spokesman for the US State Department
said: 'There are no clean wars.' This sentence could have been
the only true sentence among all the continuing US lies about
the massacres in Iraq if the US official had worded it in this
way: 'There are absolutely no clean American wars'...."
--------------
"Did Bush Do it?"
--------------
Maha Sultan, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote
(6/5): "President Bush appears to have endorsed Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert's Convergence Plan, which makes it
impossible to create a viable Palestinian state....
"Olmert knows that he can act unilaterally and impose his plan
on Palestinians and the international community as long as
American support is available and reliable.... President Bush
will not confront the Zionist Lobby in the US when the
Republican Party is getting ready for elections.... Olmert also
knows that there is no use negotiating with Palestinians over
his plan because no Palestinian official can accept a plan that
aims to usurp Palestinians lands....
"Palestinians need to confront this situation with a unified
position, not with differences and inter-Palestinian
fighting...."
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: Syria/Cuba, Syria/Palestinians,
Golan, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Iraq (6/5)
1. Summary: Syrian papers reported the visit to Damascus by
Fernando Ramirez de Estenoz, Chief of the Foreign Relations
Bureau of the Cuban Communist Party's Central Committee,
featuring his meetings with Vice President Farouk Shara. A
statement by the Syrian Arab News Agency said that talks focused
on recent international and regional developments and the ongoing
tension resulting from the US policy of hegemony. Shara and
Estenoz reiterated the importance of boosting the bilateral
relations between Syria and Cuba in all fields and activating the
Non-Aligned Movement role on the occasion of holding the NAM
summit in Havana in September 2006.
Papers also reported a press statement by Palestinian PM Hanieh
to the Kuwaiti daily "Al-Rai Al-Am" describing relations between
Syria and Palestinians as strong, saying "we feel proud of these
relations and Syria's stances and support of the Palestinian
people." "The latest visit to Syria by the Palestinian
Authority's FM Mahmoud al-Zahar was successful in upgrading
Palestinian diplomatic representation and admitting Palestinians
to Syria without a visa," Hanieh said.
Papers also reported that the Arab group participating in the
current session of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in
Geneva agreed to set up a committee that consists of Syria,
Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon and the International
Federation of Arab Trade Unions to discuss the report of the ILO
mission which visited the occupied Syrian Golan and the
Palestinian territories. The Cairo-based Arab Labor Organization
said in a statement published Sunday that its Director General,
Ibrahim Qweider, stressed the necessity of contacting and meeting
with other international groups taking part in the ILO Session to
rally support for the Arab stance. Mr. Qweider called for a
meeting to discuss the ILO agenda, pointing out that Arabs are
keen to disclose Israel's grave violations of Arab labor rights
and international laws and norms in the occupied Arab
territories, including killings, destruction, and economic siege
to push the Palestinians to starvation.
End of summary.
2. Selected Headlines:
"Vice-President Shara and Deputy Chairman of the National
Progressive Front Qaddah review bilateral relations and regional
and international developments with Fernando Ramirez de Estenoz,
Chief of Foreign Relations Bureau of Cuban Communist Party's
Central Committee" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 6/5)
"Palestinian Prime Minister Hanieh reiterates support for
national dialogue, rejects vote on the Detainees Document, and
lauds Syrian campaign of solidarity with Palestinians"
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 6/5)
"Rally and Speeches in Ba'albak in solidarity with Hizbollah.
Denunciation of targeting SecGen Nasrallah continued. Media
insulation of Nasrallah aggravates tension in the Lebanese arena"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 6/5)
"President Mubarak calls on Israeli Prime Minister Olmert to
establish a just peace in the region. Olmert pretends support
for the Roadmap and hints at a meeting with PM Abbas"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 6/5)
"An Arab Committee to discuss fallacies of report by the
International Labor Organization mission to the occupied Syrian
Golan and the Palestinian territories" (Government-owned
Tishreen, 6/5)
"A US solider killed in Al-Anbar. Clashes erupt in Basra and
Baghdad. Destiny of Russian diplomats is still unknown. US
Secretary of State Rice expresses concern over the security
SIPDIS
situation in Iraq and expects the designation of Iraqi Ministers
of Interior and Defense " (Government-owned Tishreen, 6/5)
3. Editorial Block Quotes:
--------------
"Our People Will Regain the Golan"
--------------
Elias Murad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Ba'th,
commented (6/5) "Israel announced that the strategic planning
unit on the expansion of settlements held a meeting in Ramon
settlement, which overlooks Lake Tiberias, to discuss the
possibility of increasing the number of Zionist settlers to
50,000 in the near future.
"This plan poses a direct threat to the Arabism of the Golan. It
entrenches the state of aggression on our Syrian Arab land and
shows an Israeli determination to disregard international
resolutions of Arab summits and the declared Arab desire to
achieve a just and comprehensive peaceful solution. Here we say:
No country, no matter how powerful it may be, can maintain its
power forever. And no country that others believe is weak can
remain so for ever. Events have proved that the issue is not one
of warplanes, tanks, missiles, and other weapons that some
countries possess exclusively....
"Our occupied Golan and every other occupied Arab territory are
sacred. They call upon all of us to carry out this duty, where
we clarify things and explain to the world that if Israel
continues its aggression and occupation of our lands, it will be
posing a threat to world peace, and that no nation can remain
silent about the occupation of its territory and its remaining
in the hands of enemies. Consequently, Syrians will only be like
others in choosing the right method and taking the road of
resistance, which, apparently, is the only thing that Israel
understands...."
--------------
"To Cover Up Military and Political Failures"
--------------
Iz-Eddin Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen,
commented (6/5): "The US Administration is tampering with the
Lebanese situation and intensifying pressure on Syria to cover
up its military, security, and political failures in Iraq, the
Palestinian territories, Afghanistan, and the entire Arab and
Islamic region....
"Syria realizes that it is targeted by the United States and
Israel; Syria builds its positions and policies accordingly and
takes every necessary measure to fortify its cohesive national
unity and strengthen its ability to foil the pressure. In this
regard, it has achieved what the US Administration has not
thought of: it has maintained its Arab and international
presence, adhered to its constant national and pan-Arab
principles, kept constant connection with the Arab resistance
movements in Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon, and refused to
surrender to the Israeli plans of aggression and blackmail
concerning the occupied Golan, or to give up any part of the
Golan no matter how small....
"Will the US Administration return to political realism and
admit its mistakes against Syria?"
--------------
"Al-Ishaqi Is not a Massacre!"
--------------
Adham al-Tawil, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen,
wrote (6/5): "US investigations into the Al-Ishaqi massacre in
northern Baghdad have acquitted the US military of the killing
of women and children....
"In his defense of the acquittal of the American soldiers from
the Al-Ishaqi massacre, a spokesman for the US State Department
said: 'There are no clean wars.' This sentence could have been
the only true sentence among all the continuing US lies about
the massacres in Iraq if the US official had worded it in this
way: 'There are absolutely no clean American wars'...."
--------------
"Did Bush Do it?"
--------------
Maha Sultan, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote
(6/5): "President Bush appears to have endorsed Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert's Convergence Plan, which makes it
impossible to create a viable Palestinian state....
"Olmert knows that he can act unilaterally and impose his plan
on Palestinians and the international community as long as
American support is available and reliable.... President Bush
will not confront the Zionist Lobby in the US when the
Republican Party is getting ready for elections.... Olmert also
knows that there is no use negotiating with Palestinians over
his plan because no Palestinian official can accept a plan that
aims to usurp Palestinians lands....
"Palestinians need to confront this situation with a unified
position, not with differences and inter-Palestinian
fighting...."
Seche