Damascus Media Reaction: Syria/Cuba, Syria/Ukraine,

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 002685

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/Ukraine,
Lebanon, Iraq, Palestinian Territories (6/8)



1. Summary: Papers reported that Deputy Foreign Minister Dr.
Faysal Miqdad conveyed an oral massage from President Asad to
President Fidel Castro of Cuba during his meeting with Cuban
Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque. The message focused on
recent political developments in the Middle East and Latin
America and on Syria's full solidarity with the Cuban people in
the face of the American siege that has been imposed on Cuba for
more than 40 years. The message expressed Syria's appreciation
for Cuba's hosting the forthcoming summit of the Non-Aligned
Movement (NAM) in Havana, and Syria's hope that the summit will
enhance the movement's role in finding solutions to the
political, economic and social challenges that member states are
facing. The Cuban Foreign Minister expressed his country's
support for Syria's national and principled stances in the face
of the unjust pressures put on her and Syria's struggle to
restore the occupied Golan.

Papers also reported the visit to Damascus by Stanislav
Stashevesky, First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, and his
meetings with Foreign Minister Walid al-Mouallem. Stashevesky
underlined Syria's importance in the region, expressed
satisfaction with the trade volume between the two countries and
expressed his interest in expanding Syrian exports to Ukraine.

End of Summary.


2. Selected Headlines:

"A message from President Asad to President Castro conveyed by
Deputy Foreign Minister Miqdad: Syria is confident of enhancing
the NAM role in the forthcoming stage. Cuba reiterates support
for Syria's just rights" (Government-owned Tishreen, 6/8)

"Foreign Minister Mouallem discusses current developments and
bilateral relations with Stanislav Stashevesky, First Vice Prime
Minister of Ukraine" (Government-owned Tishreen, 6/8)

"Lebanese powers confirm, on the eve of the Lebanese dialogue:
Eradication of resistance and assuming power are priorities for
the February 14 powers. Karami: The government must be foiled.
Oun: A defensive strategy must be discussed. Mansour: Demand for
demarcating Syrian-Lebanese borders is unpatriotic; the Security

Council is a tool in the US hand" (Government-owned Al-Thawra,
6/8)

"Italian FM Dalima announces that pullout of Italian forces from
Baghdad will be accomplished before the end of the year. US
Senate demands revelation of secrets of the Al-Haditha massacre"
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 6/8)

"Tehran expresses readiness to reach an understanding on its
nuclear crisis. Expectations on resuming dialogue with the West.
Iranian FM Mitki: We prefer cooperation to confrontation"
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 6/8)

"Five Palestinian factions reject referendum on the Prisoner
Document and support dialogue. Forces of the Palestinian Ministry
of Interior withdraw from streets" (Government-owned Tishreen,
6/8)


3. Editorial Block Quotes:

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"All of Us Are Within Israel's Security Lebensraum"

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

Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen,
commented on the 25th anniversary of Israel's air strike against
the Iraqi nuclear reactor and the statement by the then Israeli
PM Begin that Israel would not allow any threat from any country
within its 'lebensraum,' which includes all Arab countries and
neighboring Islamic countries:

"All Arabs are targeted by the Israeli-American danger.... Arab

brothers who believe they are safe from the dangers that blow
from the West are mistaken. And those who believe that the
current US Administration is only settling old and new scores
with Syria are mistaken....

"It is true that Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon are being targeted
these days, and that Iran has been added to this American list.
What is truer, however, is that all Arabs, and even their
neighbors, are targeted as long as they fall within what Israel
calls the Israeli lebensraum...."

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

"Dialogue and Cabinet"

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

Shawkat Abu-Fakhr, a commentator in government-owned Al-Ba'th,
wrote (6/8): "The Lebanese national dialogue is to be resumed
today.... What is noteworthy is the climate of escalation and
media exaggeration launched by some forces in Lebanon as part of
their attempts to mobilize the public against the resistance and
its weapons....

"UN Envoy Tejre Roed-Larsen is contributing to this climate
through his statements, which cannot be read as statements made
by a neutral international diplomat who is very familiar with
the facts of the conflict....

"Some groups seek to create sedition in Lebanon through obvious
attempts to harm the resistance and its sacrifices.... Other
Lebanese groups are, however, showing a sense of responsibility
and working to avoid splits and divisions among the Lebanese....

"The overwhelming majority of Lebanese now see the sessions of
the dialogue conference as a waste of time, especially as they
struggle against economic and social hardship...."

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

"International Responsibility"

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

Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen,
wrote (6/8): "The International Quartet and the world community
in general must shoulder their responsibility and stop Israel's
'organized terrorism' and 'gradual genocide' against
Palestinians.... Israeli Prime Minister Olmert, who won US
support for his unilateral withdrawal plan, has begun
implementing this plan, although he claims he will meet with
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as the last opportunity
before the implementation....

"If the meeting takes place, it will not be better than the
previous dozens of Israeli-Palestinian meetings that Israel
exploited for media consumption and to delude world public into
thinking that the peace process was still politically alive...."

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