Damascus Media Reaction: UNGA session, UNSC Session on

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 004635 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: UNGA session, UNSC Session on Middle East Peace, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Iraq (9-22- 24) ¶1. Summary: Papers continued to report meetings held by FM Walid al-Mouallem on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings in New York, citing his meetings with Iraqi President Jalal Talbani, Costa Rica's Foreign Minister Bruno Ugharti, Iranian FM Manouchehr Mottaki, German Foreign Minister Frank- Walter Steinmeier, Guatemalan Minister for External Relations Gert Rosenthal Koenigsberger, and an Italian parliamentary delegation headed by Chairman of the Italian Senate Foreign Relations Committee Lamberto Dini. On Lebanon, papers reported an address by Hassan Nasrallah, SecGeneral of Hizbollah, at the "Festival of Victory" held on Friday in Beirut. Nassrallah said that "the steadfastness of the Lebanese Resistance foiled the New Middle East project about which US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has spoken." Nassrallah underlined that "a new era is beginning in which the Resistance can dictate its conditions to the enemy." Papers also reported an address by Ibrahim Othman, Director General of the Syrian Atomic Energy Commission, to the 50th session of the International Atomic Energy Agency Conference, emphasizing the role of the IAEA in investing in atomic energy for development, and in promoting international peace and security. In his address, Othman expressed the disappointment of the countries of the region in the failure of the IAEA to apply comprehensive safeguards early enough to all countries in the region. He said that the exclusive possession of nuclear arms in the region by Israel without any international supervision will serve as a catalyst for an arms race in the region, foreboding an environmental catastrophe. He expressed Syria's support of Iran's right to the peaceful use of nuclear technology, demanding that the international community relinquish double standards and open the Israeli nuclear file. End of summary. ¶2. Selected Headlines: "Foreign Minister Mouallem's meetings in New York focus on the situation in the region, the peace process and on bilateral relations" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/23) "Foreign Minister al-Mouallem: Peace opportunity may be lost due to American hegemony" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/24) "Foreign Minister al-Mouallem discusses Syrian-European relations with his Austrian Counterpart " (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/22) "In a statement from New York, Italian Premier Prodi reiterates: Syria is an important factor for the achievement of stability" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/22) "Lebanese circles and figures call for changing the government and stopping UNIFIL violations" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/24) "The UN Security Council convenes a special session to discuss the Middle East Peace Process. Lebanese President addresses the UN General Assembly: We will sue Israel for its crimes in Lebanon" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/22) "Hizbollah finalizes preparations for the festival of victory. Hasan Fadlulah, Member of al-Wafa Bloc for Resistance, to Al- Thawra newspaper: Forces of March 14th bet on defeating the Resistance" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/22) "Hassan Nasrallah, Hizbollah SecGen: Lebanese national Resistance takes pride in its relationship and friendship with Syria's people and leadership.... No force in the world can disarm Hizbollah as long as the people have belief in the national Resistance. The ruling team in Lebanon cannot remain in authority.... Our current government is impotent to protect and rebuild Lebanon" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/23) "Washington aggravates Palestinian disputes. Palestinian President Abbas announces new talks to form a national unity government" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/24) "The Palestinian resistance wounds 7 Israeli troops near Nablus. Israel rejects a 10-year truce with the Palestinians" (Government- owned Tishreen, 9/23) "Over 34 Iraqis killed in al-Sader city explosion. 8 American and Danish soldiers killed or injured in Iraq" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/24) "International Atomic Energy Agency debates today a resolution condemning Israel nuclear activity" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/22) "A German intelligence report: Israeli Mossad was involved in 9/11 attacks" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 9/24) ¶3. Editorial Block Quotes: -------------- --- "The Security Council Debates the Peace Process" -------------- --- Hanan Hamad, an op-ed writer in government-owned Tishreen, commented (9/23): "Arabs were overly optimistic when they thought they could revive the peace process and get the Security Council to adopt the Arab peace initiative.... The Arab effort collided with American-Israeli conditions, and Arabs returned empty-handed from the Security Council session.... -------------- "Peace is not a Luxury" -------------- Muhammad Ali Buzah, an editorialist in government-owned Al- Thawra, wrote (9/22): "A just and comprehensive peace based on international legitimacy and Security Council resolutions is not a luxury. It is a need for everyone. It is a need for the region. It is a need for the United States itself and the rest of the world, which has various and numerous vital interests in the region. And it is a vital need for Israel, which has deluded itself into thinking that it can survive through the logic of force and intimidation and impose itself as part of the region's equation. Events have proven the futility of this thinking .... "The experience of the past 15 years has been discouraging because the United States has monopolized the political process and changed its role from a broker to a supporter and protector of the occupation and a partner to its aggressions and wars against the Arabs. It is therefore inconceivable to rely and count on mere statements and promises about peace that ... collide with the performance of the Bush administration and neoconservatives, a performance that blocks any endeavor to resume the political process and legitimizes the acts of piracy of Tel Aviv's rulers.... "Israel and its American ally might be able to continue to play with fire and lead the region away from peace and stability, but not indefinitely and through defiance of the international community and its laws and through bullying of and disregard for millions of Arabs who realize full well that they are paying a dearer price for these policies and for submissiveness than the price they would pay if they took the option of opposition and resistance, an option that guarantees victory and upsets the calculations of the neo-Nazis and forces them to accept peace." -------------- "Is There Hope?" -------------- Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote (9/22): "The American position hinders efforts to achieve a just peace in the Middle East. "We do not expect the current UN General Assembly session or the Security Council session which will be held upon an Arab request later this month to produce results so long as the American position remains unchanged and Arab positions continue to be in this miserable situation, which is more than shameful, and which tempts hostile forces to attack the Arabs, loot their resources, or at least treat them with no respect. "Israel occupies Arab lands by force and launches aggressions on Arabs. It has killed tens of thousands of Arabs and is threatening to kill more every day. The current US Administration, which is under the influence of the Zionist neoconservatives, blesses all these hostile Israeli practices and publicly participates in some of them. "The reason for all this is that Arabs surrendered and made no effort to defend their rights and sovereignty. They accepted this shameful situation and they even went further, when some of them rushed to cajole the United States and woo Israel under the pretext of rationalism, political realism, and civility." -------------- "The World Would BE Better Without Bush" -------------- Ahmad Burghul, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawrah, wrote (9/22): "The way of thinking, the distorted mind, and the unmatched arrogance of Bush and his Administration will make Americans a permanent target of terrorism in every country because of the hostile and haughty US policy.... "The Bush Administration created a climate for reproduction of the terrorism about which it is complaining today.... Americans destroyed Iraq, killed its women and children, and displaced its inhabitants. Yet they do not want the suppressed people of Iraq to resist occupation and remove injustice. What logic governs this foolish administration? "The image of the United States in the Arab and Muslim world has never been worse.... The United States has become today the biggest threat to world peace and security. The mistakes it is constantly making will definitely lead to a disaster if it keeps its leadership in the hands of an arrogant group that believes it has the right and duty to violate international human rights laws." Corbin