Damascus Media Reaction: Syria/US, US Veto of Gaza

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 005295

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/US, US Veto of Gaza
Resolution, Lebanon, Rumsfeld resignation, Olmert Trip to Washington
(11/11-13)

1. Summary: Syrian papers on November 13 reported President Asad's
meeting with a US Protestant delegation, headed by Pastor Rick

Warren, a prominent Protestant cleric. They discussed
Syrian-American relations. The American delegation said that the US
administration was mistaken in not starting a dialogue with Syria.
Talks covered the importance of interfaith dialogue and the peace
process in the region. Pastor Warren expressed his appreciation for
Syrian coexistence, religious tolerance, and stability in Syria,
asserting that he will convey a true picture of Syria to the
American people. He offered to President Asad a memorial drawing as
a gift to the Syrian people for the hospitality and efforts they are
exerting to achieve peace and stability.

On November 11 Syrian Vice-President for Cultural Affairs Najah
Attar discussed with American religious leaders and peace advocates
the necessity for boosting dialogue among religions and cultures in
the service of peoples and all humanity. Members of the American
delegation said that they came to Syria carrying a message of peace
aimed at consolidating dialogue and rapprochement with Syrian clergy
and officials. The American delegation said it opposed the policy
of the US administration and the war on Iraq, expressing hope that
US policy will change, particularly following the winning by
Democrats of majorities in the Senate and the House of
Representatives.

Newspapers on November 12 condemned the US veto of a proposed UN
Security Council resolution on Israel's massacre in Bait Hanoun and
called on Arabs to take effective action to protect Palestinians.
Papers also featured a statement by Dr. Bashar al-Ja'fari, Syria's
Representative to the UN, condemning the Israeli massacre and
criticizing exempting Israel from UN resolutions.
In their reports on the Lebanese political crisis, Syrian newspapers
blamed the February 14 powers for the collapse of negotiations to
form a national unity government and suggested that the opposition
is left with no choice but to take its case to the street. Papers
also reported the resignation of ministers of Hizbollah and the Amal
movement from the Al-Saniora government.
End of summary.


2. Selected Headlines:
"A US delegation to President Asad: The Bush administration is
mistaken not to hold dialogue with Syria" (Government-owned
Al-Thawra, 11/13)
"Foreign Minister Mouallem: We are ready for dialogue with
Washington to achieve stability" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/13)

"Syrian Speaker of People's Assembly al-Abrash before the conference
of Asian Parliaments: Dividing the world into axes shows bankruptcy
of US policy" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/13)
"President Lahoud to PM Al-Saniora: The government has no
legitimacy. Hizbollah: Changes are inevitable. Move continues
towards restoring national decision-making. Aoun: The February 14
groups have turned against national consultation after receiving
signal from outside" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/13)
"Democrats seek to withdraw from Iraq within 6 months. A US report:
Cleansing the US administration of neo-conservatives will reflect
positively on relations with Syria" (Government-owned Al-Thawra,
11/13)
"Reacting to the US veto, Arab Foreign Ministers decide to break the
siege imposed on the Palestinian people immediately"
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/13)
"Two Palestinian martyrs join the victims of the Israeli occupation
in Gaza. Hamas nominates Shubair for the post of prime minister"
(government-owned Tishreen, 11/12)
"A message from President Asad carried by Deputy Foreign Minister
Miqdad to Yemeni President Saleh on Palestinian developments and
coordination of Arab positions" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/12)

"During a meeting with American religious delegation Vice President
for Cultural Affairs al-Attar says: Syria is always open to
dialogue" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/12)

"Foreign Minister Mouallem receives a phone call from EU Foreign
Policy and Security Chief Solana. Talks focus on regional
developments and Syrian-EU relations" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th,
11/12)


"Syria chairs the Committee of Asian Parliamentary Policy.
Speaker of the People's Assembly al-Abrash and Speaker of the
Iranian Shoura Council, Haddad Adel, discuss developments in
Syrian-Iranian relations" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/12)

"Urgent meeting of Organization of Islamic Conference's Foreign
Ministers to discuss the Israeli massacres in Palestinian
territories. The US veto is an insult to the blood of the Bait
Hanoun victims" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/12)

"Ministers representing Lebanese Amal Movement and Hizbollah resign
from Al-Saniora government" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/12)

"British daily 'The Guardian': British PM Blair will urge
Washington to hold dialogue with Syria and Iran" (Government-owned
Tishreen, 11/12)

"US President Bush: War against Iraq defeated us in the
Congressional elections" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/12)
"Syria before the UN Security Council session on Bait Hanoun
massacre: Israeli crimes are engraved in the UN memory"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 11/11)

3. Editorial Block Quotes:

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

"A Veto Protecting Killers"

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

An unsigned editorial in government-owned Al-Ba'th, said: (11/12):
"The US veto is a new blow to the international community's effort
to call things by their real names: an Israeli aggressor and a
Palestinian victim....
"Through the use of the veto, Washington did not abandon its
traditional position alongside Israeli aggression and against Arab
rights.... If the Security Council does not intervene in a massacre
of the caliber of Bait Hanoun's and does not call a spade a spade,
then when will it intervene...?
"President Bush's administration, which is facing a crisis in Iraq,
has apparently not realized the gravity of its new decision to
protect the Israeli killer.... The Security Council's failure to
adopt the proposed resolution sends a message to Israel that it can
continue with its crimes and massacres, and another to the
Palestinians that the international community has abandoned them.
This miserable situation dictates that Arabs rise to the
challenge.... Arabs can do much if they want, from breaking the
siege on the Palestinians, which is imposed through Israeli-American
will, to bringing their cause back to its Arab incubator."
--------------
"Will Gates Save US Policy?"
--------------
Hanan Hamad, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, commented
(11/12): "Rumsfeld was the first victim of the Republican loss,
although President Bush had insisted on keeping him until the end of
his term.... Despite the satisfaction that the news of his
resignation or dismissal left among Americans and the world at
large, the damage that the engineer of American wars caused through
his reckless policy cannot be fixed at the push of a button....
"Abandoning Rumsfeld is obviously Bush's last card in the search for
a face-saving policy allowing an exit from Iraq while still claiming
that the mission has been accomplished and the victory achieved....

We doubt that there will be a change in US policy.... Rumsfeld was
the ugly face of American policy in Iraq, which sums up US policy

toward the entire world. Will Robert Gates be a new mask on the
policy's face? Will Rumsfeld's dismissal be a disguise and just a
revision of the way the war in Iraq is being conducted, not a
reversal of the grave mistake that was made when the war was
launched? We are used to seeing a change in Washington, whether at
the White House or at the Capitol, as only a change in form and
methods, rarely affecting the essence of US policy, which is always
biased toward the Israeli enemy."
--------------
"What Follows Rumsfeld's Collapse?"
--------------
Adham al-Tawil, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote
(11/12): "A change of faces in the US Administration will not lead
to a significant change in US policy.... The departure of Rumsfeld,
and perhaps of John Bolton and Paul Wolfowitz later, will not drive
the Bush administration to announce the withdrawal of US occupation
forces from Iraq....
"There is no difference between Republicans and Democrats when it
comes to Middle East policy and support for Israel.... The most
dramatic thing that could happen with regard to US policy in Iraq
and perhaps in Afghanistan is some tactical maneuvers by the
Democrats to show that they control part of American decision-making
prior to their attempt to control the whole decision-making process
in the next presidential election. The tactic here does not at all
mean that the Democrats are interested in stopping or reducing Iraqi
bloodshed. It is just an attempt to save the lives of American
soldiers, whom the Democrats want to stay in Iraq for several more
years...."
--------------
"Olmert Heads to Washington"
--------------
Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen,
wrote (11/12): "After committing the horrible Bait Hanoun
massacre...Ehud Olmert travels to Washington today to conduct a
final examination of White House policy and to be one hundred
percent sure that there is no change in American positions, which
unreservedly support Israel.
"Olmert certainly knows that there is no difference between the
American Republicans and Democrats in terms of the support they
offer Israel. But he wants to see this firsthand and through direct
contact with the old and new decision-makers in Washington....
"At any rate, Olmert will meet with Bush in the White House. There
is nothing to indicate that the latter wishes to re-launch the peace
process based on the terms of reference of the Madrid conference,
which was sponsored by the administration of Bush Senior. On the
contrary, some people stress that since its invasion of Iraq in
2003, the current US Administration has kept the pressure on Israel
not to resume the peace talks on any negotiating track, not only on
the Syrian track.
"It is not clear now, in light of the defeat that the Republicans
and their policies and plans in the region have suffered, if there
will be a change in the White House policy toward the peace
process.
"But if the matter is left to Bush and the remainder of his
conservative team, he will not work for peace. Indeed, he might
push things in the opposite direction, despite the moral and
material damage he has inflicted on the United States, especially in
the Arab and Islamic worlds, where Washington's reputation is in the
abyss...."
--------------
"Syria and the US Now"

--------------
Abd-al-Fattah al-Awad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Thawra,
wrote (11/12): "The result of the US election may not be
surprising.... Maybe there will be an end to the foolish American
plan that the neoconservatives devised for the region....
"US accusations against Syria and attempts to pressure and isolate
it have failed to produce any results.... The failure of the US plan
in the region is also a failure for those who went along with it and
wagered on the American tank.... The failure of the US plan is also
a success for those who resisted, opposed, and remained steadfast in
the face of this plan....
"Those who took advantage of the American pressure on Syria to
encroach upon Damascus now need to reconsider their positions....
Policies of pressure, isolation, hostility, and the forming of axes
are doomed to failure.... Success begins with dialogue, yes dialogue
and not diktat.... The road to Damascus is paved with honesty,
frankness, and clarity...."


Corbin