Damascus Media Reaction: Syria/Lebanon, Syria/Greece,

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 003899

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/Lebanon, Syria/Greece,
Syria/China, Israeli Operation in Lebanon, Palestinian
Territories (8/8)


1. Summary: Syrian papers reported that President Asad called
Lebanese President Lahoud on August 8 to discuss the French-
American draft UNSC resolution and the international positions
on it. Both presidents stressed that any formula must have
unanimous Lebanese support. During the conversation, President
Asad pointed out that some powers are seeking to create
circumstances that will allow Israel to achieve politically what
it has failed to achieve militarily.

President Asad also received a phone call from the President of
the Greek Socialist Party, George Papandreou. They discussed the
latest developments in the Israeli aggression against Lebanon
and the role Europe can play to end it. President Asad renewed
Syria's full support to all that the Lebanese agree upon.

Papers reported that President Asad received a delegation from
the Egyptian Popular Movement. The president gave a detailed
1explanation of current political developments, the dimensions of
the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, and the plans that threaten
the existence and identity of the Arab nation. He stressed that
Syria has always been eager to safeguard the Arab nation, and
that it proceeds, in its policies and positions, from its belief
in the common fate of the one Arab nation. He stressed the
importance of entrenching pan-Arab thought among all sectors of
Arab society and confronting the false representations about the
nation. President Asad said the current situation has proven
that resistance is the only way to regain rights.

Papers also reported that VP Shara received Sun Bigan, Special
Chinese Envoy to the Middle East, with whom he discussed the
tense situation in the region as well as the ongoing
consultations at the UN Security Council. VP Shara stressed the
importance of China's role as a permanent member of the Security
Council and urged it not to allow some powers to impose their
will on the Council in the service of their policies of
domination of the Middle East at the expense of the interests of
the region's countries and peoples. For his part, the Chinese
envoy emphasized his country's support for just Arab causes,
stressing that establishing a just and comprehensive peace is
the only means to achieve stability in the Middle East. Bigan
stated in a press conference in Damascus that his government
"has a special vision comprising a number of points, most
importantly the immediate cessation of all military operations
to achieve an immediate ceasefire." He stressed the importance
of outlining a political framework to settle the Lebanese-
Israeli conflict and achieve stability in the region, saying
"the UN Security Council should listen to the Arab countries'
stances and visions during its debates." He underlined the
necessity of reviving the peace process in the region soon,
referring to his country's keenness to achieve a just and
comprehensive peace in the region based on relevant
international resolutions and the Land-for-Peace formula. Mr.
Bigan called on the international community to exert greater

efforts to establish a fair international system, stressing his
country's rejection of the policy of hegemony and power in
international relations.

Papers also reported that FM Mouallem hailed the Lebanese
national resistance, and reiterated the importance of Arab
support for it after 28 days of crushing war and continuous
Israeli aggression on Lebanon. In remarks at the extraordinary
Arab foreign ministers' meeting in Beirut, Mouallem addressed
Lebanese PM al-Saniora saying: "You are strong as head of the
Lebanese Government, thanks to the Lebanese national resistance,
its steadfastness, and the military defeat it has inflicted on
Israel. Do not fear that the Security Council will impose a
resolution on Lebanon that the Lebanese do not accept. He warned
against the danger of the Security Council imposing a resolution
on Lebanon and holding it responsible for the negative
repercussions of such a resolution without taking Lebanon's
demands into consideration. He stressed that Israel must not be
allowed to make political gains in the name of the Security
Council at the expense of Lebanon, when the Israeli aggression
failed to achieve such gains militarily."


Papers also reported that the Syrian People's Assembly condemned
Israel's abduction of Aziz Duwaik, Speaker of the Palestinian
Legislative Council, describing it as an Israeli act of piracy
and state terrorism against the Palestinian people.
End of summary.


2. Selected Headlines:

"President Asad discuses developments of the Israeli aggression
against Lebanon in phone calls with President Lahoud and
President of the Greek Socialist Party Papandreou. The President
receives an Egyptian delegation: Resistance is the only way to
restore rights, any formula for solution must represent Lebanese
consensus. VP Shara discusses the tense situation in the region
with the Special Chinese Envoy, reiterating the importance of not
allowing some powers to impose their will on the UN Security
Council" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 8/8)

"In Beirut, FM Mouallem praises the brave Lebanese resistance. An
Arab delegation to New York to explain Lebanon's demands"
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 8/8)

"25 Israeli soldiers and settlers killed or injured, three
vehicles and two tanks demolished, by the Lebanese national
resistance" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 8/8)

"The People's Assembly condemns Israel's abduction of Aziz
Duwaik, Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 8/8)


3. Editorial Block Quotes:

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

"Responsibility for International Impotence"

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

Muhammad Khair al-Jammali, an editorialist in government-owned
Al-Thawra, wrote (8/8): "The United Nations has never shown
flagrant impotence toward a regional or international crisis
similar to what it is showing now toward the Israeli aggression
against Lebanon.

"For over 24 days the Security Council has failed to adopt a
just resolution putting an end to the explosive crisis,
identifying the party responsible for it, and opening an
international investigation into the crimes that Israel has
committed against the Lebanese people during its aggression.

"The United States is to blame for this failure.... Washington
is adopting Israeli conditions and working to deploy an
international force in south Lebanon for two reasons: to
provide international protection for Israel, although it is the
aggressor state, and to internationalize the conflict in the
region....

"The United States would not have been able to play this role
had it not been for the naked collusion with the aggression by
some Arabs, who agreed to serve as Washington's agents and
partners in the implementation of the new Middle East plan. But
what matters is the certain victory that the resistance has
achieved.... This victory will be the decisive factor in
rejecting any Security Council resolution that fails to ensure
the rights of the Lebanese people, primarily the liberation of
the Shebaa Farms, a swap of prisoners, and an investigation into
the Israeli war crimes...."

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

"What Is Really Regrettable"

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


Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned
Tishreen, said (8/8) "The United States and France worked
together at the UN Security Council to serve Israel's interests
without heeding Lebanon's interests....
"The international community was ultimately conquered by the
French-American will, which is an Israeli will par excellence,
as Lebanese sources announced.... It is regrettable that the
official Arab order, or some of its parties, is closer to
Israeli positions than to Lebanese positions....

"The US support and cover for Israel is nothing new. The French
have come noticeably closer to Israel in an unprecedented way,
despite their claim that they care about Lebanon.... As for the
Lebanese national resistance, it has proven correct, as it has
always relied on itself, the battlefield, and sacrifice....

"The American draft resolution seeks, among other things, to
confiscate the field victory that the Lebanese resistance has
scored and reward Israel for the war crimes it has committed in
Lebanon...."



"Lebanese Politicians Serving the CIA and the Mosad"
--------------

An unsigned editorial in government-owned Al-Ba'th on (8/8)
reads: "Some Lebanese politicians do not want to rise to the
level of the difficult situation their country is facing....
Those politicians, who recently presented an award to John
Bolton and found in the corridors of the CIA and the Pentagon
open ears and plans, are today searching for roles in line with
the positions they accepted for themselves when they placed
themselves at the service of the American-Israeli plan against
the region, including Lebanon.

"These politicians who, in harmony with the Israelis, leveled
accusations against Syria, saying that Damascus is trying to
return to Lebanon, still prefer to target Syria and the
resistance whenever they receive signals or clear instructions
from the embassies that sponsore them, and they have embraced
their plan, which is facing complete failure as the resistance
shines and scores major victories in south Lebanon despite
Israel's targeting of its civilians and its infrastructure....
"Those politicians have begun to revise their malicious plans,
alarmed by the legendary steadfastness of the resistance,
supported by the forces of opposition and steadfastness,
represented by Syria....

"Syria, which has paid dearly for the sake of Lebanon, will
continue to support Lebanon with everything in its power,
despite pressures and threats....

"There are reports that Samir Ja'ja, leader of the Lebanese
Forces party, is now receiving direct support from the Mosad and
the CIA to incite violence and unrest among the displaced
Lebanese, as part of a plan to create civil strife in Lebanese
society.... The plan also provides for spreading this unrest to
Syria to give Israel and the United States a pretext to take
measures against Syria....

"Some analysts believe that the CIA and the Mosad are depending
on Ja'ja, Junblatt, and other figures to implement this plan and
others....
"Yesterday, these people, insolently and with all the hatred
they harbor, attacked the Syrian Foreign Minister's visit to
Lebanon and incited dozens of their followers and other agents
to demonstrate against the visit. That reflected their
persistence and constant willingness to harm and sabotage
relations between the two fraternal countries and peoples. They
thus send a message of loyalty to Condoleezza Rice and her


policy, which has brought upon Lebanon and the region nothing
but death and destruction....
"Syrians and Lebanese will remain one people in two countries no
matter how hard the United States, Israel, and their local
agents try to harm this historical relationship...."

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

"Impotence of Different Kind"

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

Ahmad Dawa, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote
(8/8): "Are certain Arab regimes aware of their state of
impotence to accomplish what they are expected or obliged to do
for their homelands and peoples?

"The Israeli aggression against Lebanon and the position adopted
by those Arabs who have remained bystanders to the daily events
in Lebanon after providing this aggression with the needed
cover, have left no doubt that the impotence of Arab regimes has
increased immensely, and that some of these regimes are playing
a role that is limited to carrying out instructions received
from outside or that fall within the framework of rescue work
they were given permission to carry out, that is, if the Israeli
planes allow them to assume this role. Is it not true that some
of these Arab regimes asked Washington's permission to allow
their planes to land at Beirut International Airport? Perhaps,
in return, these regimes offered Washington certain
facilitations that affect their sovereignty and the interests of
their people.

"It is a great tragedy that portends great danger for the
geopolitical situation in the region. An Arab state, in which
massacres are being committed and in which the basic
fundamentals of life are being targeted, is being shelled and
destroyed while Arab regimes wrangle over issues that are never
an object of disagreement among rational people.

"Is it conceivable for France and the United States to be
involved in a dispute over a resolution that calls for a
ceasefire in an Arab state under attack, as if the Arabs do not
exist in this world? How is it possible for two states to
negotiate over an issue that involves a third party, which has
no role or voice whatsoever in this dispute? We do not know how
these Arabs would have reacted if this situation had posed a
danger to their own states, homelands, and thrones.

"It is not unlikely that these Arab regimes will soon fail in
assuming their rescue role. US hegemony might compel them to pay
money to US relief organizations as well as to other
institutions in order for them to assume this role, under the
pretext of guaranteeing the delivery of this aid to those who
need it....

"Reality suggests that these regimes can do nothing but carry
out the actions dictated to them or whatever else they are asked
to do. These regimes have become part of the problem in the
region and there is no hope that they can get back on the right
track."

Corbin