Damascus Media Reaction: Syria/Lebanon, UNGA Session,

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 004584

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, UNGA Session,
Middle East Peace, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories (9/20)



1. Summary: Syrian papers today led with reports on Syrian-
Lebanese relations, featuring the visit to Damascus by Fathi
Yakan, Chairman of the Islamic Action Front in Lebanon, who met
with President Asad and reviewed with him developments in the
region, particularly in Lebanon in the wake of the Israeli
aggression, and issues of Arab and Islamic concern. Yagan also
met Grand Mufti Badreddin Hassoun, who reiterated Syria's support
for the Lebanese people in recovering from the recent Israeli
aggression against Lebanon. The Mufti referred to pressure on
Syria, stressing Syria's rejection of attempts to control Arab
and Islamic nations. Dr. Yakan praised Syria's support of the
Lebanese people and warned against attempts to sow sedition in
Arab and Islamic nations to further Zionist plots.
Papers also reported the visit to Damascus of Nasri al-Khouri,
Secretary General of the Syrian-Lebanese Higher Council, who met

SIPDIS
with VP Shara. Talks dealt with the repercussions of the Israeli
aggression against Lebanon and international efforts to rebuild
what the Israeli war machine destroyed in Lebanon.
Papers also cited Information Minister Bilal's interview with
Egyptian Al-Ahram Al-Arabi Magazine in which he said that the
road to Damascus is open to the Lebanese people, emphasizing
Syria's strategic choice to achieve peace in accordance with
international resolutions, and the land-for-peace principle. Dr.
Bilal confirmed Syria's efforts to help the Lebanese rebuild
their infrastructure after the destruction caused by the brutal
Israeli aggression. He added that Arab media face big challenges
and must take significant steps to counter international media,
in order to convey an accurate image of Arabs.
Another topic in the press today was the 61st session of the
United Nations General Assembly and Syria's participation
therein, with a delegation composed of FM Walid al-Mouallem and
Deputy FM Faisal Miqdad. Papers also reported the opening speech
of UN SecGen Kofi Annan, who called for peace in the Middle East.
End of summary.


2. Selected Headlines:

"President Asad reviews repercussions of the Israeli aggression
against Lebanon and victory of the Lebanese Resistance with Fathi
Yakan, Chairman of the Islamic Action Front in Lebanon"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 9/20)

"Vice President Farouk al-Shara discusses with Nassri al-Khouri,
Chairman of the Syrian-Lebanese Higher Council, consequences of
the brutal Israeli aggression against Lebanon" (Government-owned
Tishreen, 9/20)

"A Syrian delegation inspects three Lebanese villages destroyed
by recent Israeli aggression, to prepare for their
reconstruction. The UN: Israel has left behind 350,000 cluster
bombs in Lebanon" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/20)

"Foreign Minister Walid al-Mouallem participates in the 61st
session of the UN General Assembly. UN Secretary General Kofi
Annan paints a dark image of the world. Al-Mouallem confers with
foreign ministers of some participating states in the UNGA
Conference" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/20)

"In an interview with Egyptian Magazine Al-Ahram Al-Arabi,
Information Minister Mohsen Bilal underscores the importance of a
unified Arab discourse toward the world.... Syrian media is
witnessing true reforms.... 32 newspapers have been licensed"
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 9/20)

"Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Shinataro Ito confirms that
Syria is a basic partner for achieving peace in the region"
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/20)

"Israel steals water of al-Wazzani River in Lebanon. Israeli
cluster bombs increase suffering of the Lebanese in south
Lebanon. Lebanese Mufti Qabbani warns against presenting the
idea of federalism. New TV questions fate of aid funds to
Lebanon" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/20)

"700,000 Palestinians have been arrested since Israel's
occupation of West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1967. Two Palestinians
martyred in Nablus. Israel prepares new invasion of Gaza"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 9/20)


3. Editorial Block Quotes:

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"From Sponsor of Peace, to Obstacle to Peace"

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Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen,
wrote (9/20): "Implementation of UN resolutions, not the use
of force, is the way to peace and stability in the Middle
East.... News circulated from Washington and Tel Aviv indicates
that the United States promised Israel to prevent the UN
Security Council from discussing an Arab League peace plan to
resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict....

"The international community, particularly the non-aligned
countries, must act swiftly and effectively to stop
deterioration in the region and support peace efforts that will
lead to restoration of the Golan, Shab'a Farms, and the West

Bank.... The world must confront the hegemony of the unilateral
power, which has turned from a sponsor of the peace process to a
sponsor and protector of Israel's aggression, racist policy,
abortion of the peace process, and rejection of the peace
requirements as mentioned in Security Council Resolutions 242
and 338 and Resolution 497, which rejects Israel's decision to
annex the occupied Syrian Golan and considers it null and
void....

"Arabs must reject the status quo that Israel and its supporter
want to impose, must engage in effective political work at the
Security Council, must stick to the Arab peace plan without
amendments, must understand the spirit of challenge that the
Lebanese national Resistance offered, and must push the
international community to abandon double standards and return
to the principles of justice and law...."

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"Another Card of Defeat"

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Ali Qasim, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote
(9/20): "The formation of an Israeli investigation commission
into Israeli performance during the Lebanon war is an
acknowledgement of clear failure and a sense of defeat that is
growing deeper and deeper among Israelis....

"Israeli sources have said that the establishment of the
commission also constitutes an acknowledgement that all Israeli
attempts to play down the defeat or beautify its face have
failed.... This means, according to the sources, that all the
pressure that Americans applied to prevent the defeat, minimize
its impact, or achieve through politics what was impossible to
achieve by war, has also failed. It is for this reason that
attempts are being made to inflate Resolution 1701 and alter
UNIFIL's mission to include things that are not mentioned in the
international resolution....

"What is more surprising is to see the international forces draw
a new border line different from the Blue Line that the United
Nations drew. The new line slices off pieces of Lebanese
territory. This is another departure from the mission of these
forces. Add to this a series of infringements by these forces,
which are playing no role in stopping the continuous Israeli
violations of the international resolution.

"There are Israeli attempts to alter the UNIFIL mission as
'another card of defeat' and a last chance to compensate for
Israel's political and military failure."



"Iraq Faces Schemes of Partition"

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Salim Abboud, an op-ed writer in government-owned Al-Thawra,
wrote (9/20): "There are feverish efforts to divide Iraq....
These secessionist attempts under the slogan of federalism are
the work of the occupation; they are not in the nature of the
Iraqi people.

"The division of Iraq serves the interests of Israel and the
United States as it removes a strong Iraq from the equation of
the Arab-Israeli conflict and turns the country into a base for
the creation of the new Middle East, the American empire, and
the Torah state from the Nile to the Euphrates...."

Corbin