Damascus Media Reaction: Syria/Russia, Lebanon, Iraq,

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000527

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/Russia, Lebanon, Iraq,
Israel/Palestinians, US Policy (2/9)



1. Summary: Syrian papers featured a statement by Alexy Tserub,
Russian Ambassador in Tunis, during a press roundtable confirming
his country's rejection of pressure against Syria.
"Syria has implemented what was requested from her in the UN
Security Council resolutions and she has fully cooperated with
the international investigation committee into the assassination
of former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri," the Ambassador said.
On the cartoons published by western newspapers insulting the
Prophet Mohammad, Tserub condemned "this shameful act," saying
"freedom of speech has limits," rejecting "offensive acts against
cultures, religions and civilizations."
Syrian papers also reported that Muqtada al-Sadder, Leader of the
Al-Sadr movement in Iraq, has met Dr. Ziyad al-Ayoubi, Minister
of Awkaf and has underlined the Ulama's role in unifying the Arab
and Islamic people and in countering occupation. Al-Sader called
for "rejecting sectarianism and alien appellations by foreigners
that do not reveal the reality of tolerance in Islam." Al-Sader
said that "Iraq needs the unified efforts of its sons to keep
security and stability and achieve full independence far away
from all divisions." For his part, Al-Ayoubi said that "Syria and
Iraq are two sisterly countries united by history, people and
joint interests and aims" and he asserted that Syria stands by
Iraq, its territorial integrity and its freedom and independence.
The Grand Mufti of the Republic Sheikh Ahmed Badriddin Hassoun,
who attended the meeting, said that "Iraq constitutes a trust for
our nation and we must work to foil any aggressive scheme aimed
at dividing Iraq into small states and sects." He praised al-
Sader's call to boost Iraq's unity and reject sectarianism noting
that Syria will always stand by Iraq and back its right to peace
and stability.
End summary.


2. Selected Headlines:

"Muqtada al-Sadr Leader of the al-Sadr Movement in Iraq meets
with Ziad al-Ayoubi, Syrian Minister of Awkaf, and Ahmad
Badriddin Hassoun, Syria's Grand Mufti, who is calling for
rejecting sectarianism and alien appellations" (Government-owned
Al-Thawra, 2/9)

"Lebanese rejection of random arrests and accusations. Lebanese
judicial circles: Syrian detainees have nothing to do with Al-
Ashrafieh incidents" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 2/9)

"The OIC calls for self-restraint and warns against Western
campaigns that encourage hatred and violence" (Government-owned
Al-Ba'th, 2/9)

"The Norwegian Ambassador to Damascus expresses his country's
condemnation of cartoons insulting Prophet Mohammed and says: our
policy is based on tolerance and dialogue" (Government-owned
Tishreen, 2/9)

"A French magazine publishes cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammed;
French President condemns such acts. Javier Solana, European
Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security
Policy (CFSP),will tour Arab and Muslim countries to call for
calm. Angry protests continue. Russian President Putin calls on
Denmark to apologize" (Government-owned Tishreen, 2/9)

"Russia: Syria has carried out the UN Security Council
resolutions and has cooperated with the UN investigation
Committee" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 2/9)

"Organized Israeli escalation to confuse Hamas. Mashaal: We will
join resistance with politics" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 2/9)

"Washington increases aid to Israel by 60 million USD. One
Palestinian martyred in Al-Breij. Mashaal assures Palestinian
factions: Resistance is our strategy. We will agree on managing
the battle of resistance" (Government-owned Tishreen, 2/9)

"The final results of the Iraqi legislative elections will be
announced tomorrow" (Government-owned Tishreen, 2/9)


3. Editorial Block Quotes:
--------------
"Light of Truth and Bats of Darkness"
--------------
Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen,
commented (2/9): "Despite its grave, tragic, and bloody nature,
the political scene in the region has some positive spots and
windows of hope and optimism. Not everything is moving in one
direction, and not all the forces are working within the
framework of the American plan....
"If some Lebanese parties showed their true face and declared
their hostility toward the Lebanese resistance, Syria, and
Arabism, joined the American-Zionist plan, and skillfully played
-- and are still playing -- their set role, the Lebanese stage
would witness new alignments by influential Lebanese forces that
will take it upon themselves to protect Lebanon's security,
sovereignty, and pan-Arab positions...." [The editorialist is
implicitly welcoming the political agreement between Hizbollah
and the Michel Awn-led Free Patriotic Movement in Lebanon.]
--------------
"Canoe of Rescue"
--------------
Ali Abd-al-Karim, a columnist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote
(2/9): "Some rational voices in Lebanon call for adopting
national dialogue in their country and abandoning the language of
accusations and the logic of whims, chauvinism, and personal
interests....
"If these voices are added to the Lebanese national resistance's
assets and political discourse, which is serious, flexible, and
open to all Lebanese, and to the recent understanding between the
resistance and the Free Patriotic Movement on common denominators
regarding Lebanon, the elements of its national unity, its
relations with Syria and Arabs, and its position toward the
Israeli threat, then we can hope to see a genuine dialogue among
all those who wish to build confidence among the Lebanese and
between Lebanon and its brothers...."
--------------
"Occupation is the Reason for the Problem"
--------------
Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote
(2/9): "Israel is not interested in a genuine peace with
Palestinians.... Israel's killing of seven Palestinians in the
past two days shows the Europeans that the problem lies not with
HAMAS but with the hostile Israeli policy.
"Our question to the EU is: Why should Palestinians negotiate,
and with whom should they negotiate, if the other side rejects in
advance all peace requirements and most of the Palestinian
rights?
"The United States and the International Quartet are encouraging
Israeli defiance and disobedience through their silence on Tel
Aviv's constant violations of the UN resolutions and human right
rules...."
--------------
"Blood, Oil and Democracy"
--------------
Khalid al-Ashhab, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra,
commented (2/9): "Thomas Friedman called on President Bush to
find alternatives to oil because democracy will not be
accomplished as long as Iran, Sudan, and Venezuela possess huge
oil funds and as long as Europe, America, and China continue to
beg these countries to extract their crude oil....
"Friedman and the Americans appear to have changed their
positions after Iraq's lesson.... Have Americans, including
Friedman, discovered that the price of oil is too high for them
to pay? Or have they realized that homelands, in the eyes of
their peoples, have prices that are higher than the price of oil,
and even the price of blood, if blood has a price, and that all
excuses, no matter how immaculate, collapse on the borders of
these homelands....?
"Friedman was right in his talk about oil and homelands, he would
have been even more so if he ignored all talk about US
democracy."
Seche