Damascus Media Reaction: Arab Parliament Conference,

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 005276 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: Arab Parliament Conference, Syria/Lebanon, Syria/Libya, Iraq, Lebanon (11/6) ¶1. Summary: Syrian papers today reported President Asad's meeting with Arab Parliamentarians attending a meeting of the Interim Arab Parliament in Damascus. Arab League SecGen Amr Mousa also attended. President Asad held a separate meeting with Mousa, which focused on current events in the Arab arena and means of enhancing Arab solidarity. Papers reported President Asad's meeting on Sunday with Osama Sa'd, Chairman of the Nasserite Popular Organization in Lebanon, who stressed the importance of consolidating Syrian-Lebanese relations and reaching a reconciliation among the Lebanese to secure stability in Lebanon and confront international pressure. Papers also reported Libyan President Muammar Qaddafi's meeting in Libya with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Mouallem, who conveyed a message from President Asad. Headlines featured a statement by Abdul-Rahman Shalqam, Libyan Secretary of Foreign Communication and International Cooperation, confirming Syria's important role in the region and describing the policy of isolating Syria as "wrong and not in the interest of anyone." On Iraq, papers reported the death sentence issued against Saddam Hussein. Headlines portrayed the sentence as a step that positively serves US congressional election purposes. End of summary. ¶2. Selected Headlines: "President Asad discusses Israeli escalation in Palestine and Iraq with Arab League SecGen Amr Moussa and receives Osama Sa'd, Chairman of Nasserite Popular Organization in Lebanon. President Asad reviews current developments with Arab Parliamentarians, reiterating the importance of achieving a unified Arab position" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/6) "Libyan Secretary of Foreign Communication and International Cooperation Abdul-Rahman Shalqam: Anyone who seeks to exert pressure on Syria or isolate it doesn't recognize the realities" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/6) "Information Minister Dr. Mohsen Bilal addresses the First International Media Forum: We will regain our occupied land; we want clear answers to our calls for peace. Foreign Minister Al-Mouallem: The occupied Golan is top priority of Syrian policy. Golan citizens are steadfast, and we will not abandon them" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/6) "Saddam is sentenced to death, to serve US Congressional elections" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/6) "Two US troops killed in Iraq. Italian PM Romano Prodi renews criticism of the US war on Iraq" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/6) ¶3. Editorial Block Quotes: -------------- "They Must Have Listened to the President" -------------- Abd-al-Fattah al-Awad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Thawra, commented (11/6): "We recall President Al-Asad's warnings before the Iraq war.... If Americans had listened, Iraq, the US, and the rest of the world would have been spared the destructive results of the war.... Through the Iraq war, the United States lost its prestige and showed the fragility of its slogans.... "America's allies in Lebanon are now worried that the US Administration has no time for them because it is busy with its own problems and scandals.... "Recent US statements against Syria were meant as a message of assurance to those Lebanese forces, which have begun to suspect that the United States has sold them.... The fact is that the United States has not sold them, because it has found no one to buy them, but it has ended, or is about to end, the lease it signed with some of them or some of their representatives.... "Those who were correct in their vision about Iraq are confident that they are also right in their vision about many other issues.... Syria has a record of correct positions toward controversial issues. People discovered later that Syria was sincere and that what it expected and what really happened were identical. This is not only a matter of expectation. It is a vision based on valuable experience that allows Syria to see things clearly despite all the storms that this region has experienced by virtue of history and geography. This sound vision makes Damascus an obligatory passageway for everyone seeking peace and everyone wanting to know the facts as they are." -------------- "Common Characteristics" -------------- Ahmad Dawwa, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, commented (11/6): "The Israeli government and the Bush administration share many characteristics that threaten world peace and security, notably their tendency to compensate for failure by engaging in deliberate killing, leveling accusations against others, and shirking responsibilities.... "Israel has killed more than 40 Palestinians in the past four days under the false pretext of stopping rocket fire, while the real objective is to regain the confidence of the Israelis and compensate for the failure in Lebanon. In Iraq, hundreds of Iraqis are killed and wounded daily as a result of US political and security failure.... "Many Arab governments and politicians are largely responsible for this.... These governments and these politicians publicly declare their loyalty to and friendship with the United States and do what they are asked to do. At least they do not employ this relationship to stop the killing of women and children in Palestine and Iraq.... "It is very strange that while 78 percent of the British people and a majority of Americans see US President George Bush as a threat to international peace and security, some of our politicians see him as a supporter of freedom, sovereignty, and independence." Corbin