Damascus Media Reaction: Syria/Palestinians, Syria/Iran,

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 005314

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/Palestinians, Syria/Iran,
Syria/Senegal, Lebanon, MEPP, Olmert/Bush (11/15)



1. Summary: Syrian papers today (Nov. 15) reported that Vice
President Shar'a met separately with Faruq Qaddumi, Chief of the PLO
Political Department, and Dr. Mustafa al-Barghuthi, Secretary of the
Palestinian National Initiative. Talks focused on the situation in
the occupied territories and the results that have been achieved
regarding the formation of a national unity government. Al-Shar'a
renewed Syria's call to lift the siege on the Palestinian people and
to strengthen Palestinian unity. Al-Barghuthi met in Damascus
yesterday (Nov. 14) with Khalid Mish'al, Chief of the HAMAS
Political Bureau, and other members of the Political Bureau to
review the agreement that has been reached among Palestinian
factions to form a national unity government.

Papers also reported the remarks of Parliament Speaker Mahmoud
al-Abrash's in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr
Mottaki in Tehran on Nov. 14 stressing that Damascus considers
consultations and cooperation with Iran a major principle of its
foreign policy and confirming Syria's resolve to develop ties with
Iran. Mottaki said that developing relations with Syria is
logically necessary and that interaction between the countries
serves regional policies.

On Lebanese issues, papers reported a statement by Hassan
Nassrallah, SecGen of Hizbollah, on Tuesday (11/14) that the party
has nothing to do with the current Lebanese government after the
resignation of five ministers. Nasrallah made the statement in
remarks to seven thousand Lebanese citizens from Beirut's southern
suburb whose houses were destroyed during the latest Israeli
aggression on Lebanon, promising them that an honest Lebanese
government will appear very soon to repair all the damage caused by
the Israeli aggression. Papers also featured a statement by Salim
al-Hoss, Head of the Lebanese National Unity Platform, confirming
that lawyers in Lebanon consider the latest cabinet session, without
six resigning ministers, illegal. "We condemn all opinion
monopolists and the dangerous situation into which they have led the
country," he said, pointing out that this situation threatens
Lebanon's national destiny. Al-Hoss clarified that in such a case
the government should be reconstituted, to include all Lebanese
factions.

End of summary.


2. Selected Headlines:

"Receiving a message from President Asad, Sultan Qabbous Bin Said of
Oman: We appreciate Syria's positions and consultations with Arab
brothers" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/15)

"Meeting with al-Qaddumi, Chairman of the Political Bureau of the
Palestinian Liberation Organization, and al-Barghouti, Secretary
General of the Palestinian National Initiative, Vice President
Shar'a: Unifying Palestinian ranks guarantees achievement of
Palestinian aspirations. Al-Barghouti: The meeting with Chairman
of the Hamas Political Bureau Meshal was positive and constructive"
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/15)

"Speaker of the People's Assembly al-Abrash continues his
discussions in Tehran; Iranian Foreign Minister Motakki: Our joint
positions are sound... Our enemies are passing through difficult
circumstances" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/15)

"Nasrallah, Hizbollah SecGen, calls for formation of a clean
government soon. Lebanese President Lahoud to UN Chief Annan:
Decisions adopted by the al-Saniora government are not binding on
Lebanon" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/15)

"Former Lebanese Prime Ministers discuss today dangers of the
governing team's position, after resignation of the Hizbollah and
Amal Movement ministers" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/15)

"Spain is to announce a new peace initiative for the Middle East"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 11/15)

"Palestinian factions agree on distribution of ministerial
portfolios. Israel criticizes the Palestinian national unity
government prior to its inauguration, rejects a peace conference,

and threatens to reoccupy the Gaza Strip" (Government-owned
Tishreen, 11/15)

"Over one hundred employees kidnapped from the Iraqi Ministry of
Higher Education. Over 41 Iraqis killed in two American raids
against Baghdad and al-Ramadi. Australia joins the group of
Washington's allies turning against Bush's policy in Iraq"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 11/15)


3. Editorial Block Quotes:

--------------
"In Order to Regain the 'Honest Broker' Status"
--------------
Umar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen,
commented (11/15): "The successive statements that have been made
over the past few days on the need to hold dialogue with Syria and
embark on solutions to all the issues of the region, especially the
unjustifiably stalled peace process, are interesting....
"US Pastor Rick Warren, who yesterday met with President Asad and
Foreign Minister Al-Mouallem, said: Washington is wrong not to hold
dialogue with Syria, which seeks peace. I call on Americans to
visit Syria and meet its beautiful people. I will tell Americans
that their idea about Syria does not reflect the truth....
"The question amid reports about American political developments and
willingness to revise positions toward the issues of the region
after the Congressional elections is: Is there a positive change in
the US position, one that corrects the accumulated mistakes that
have harmed the United States and its image in the world, or is this
just an attempt to throw dust in the eyes and keep the situation in
the region on hold for at least two more years?
"Those who heard Condoleezza Rice's statement, justifying the veto
against a Security Council draft resolution condemning Israel for
the Bait Hanoun massacre, did not sense an intention to change
positions. Rice described the draft resolution as emotional and the
American veto as a service for peace! This does not give hope that
there will be a constructive and objective position toward the
issues of the region.
"The facts are clear. The United States does not need anyone to
reformulate its convictions if it just looks back a little, when all
parties, in the region and beyond, were working for peace and Israel
alone was saying no to peace, thwarting even the constructive
American efforts at that time, efforts that were based on the
exchange of land for peace in accordance with international
resolutions and the terms of reference of the Madrid conference.
"Syria, which renewed its constructive position through Minister
Al-Mu'allim yesterday when he said in Cairo that Syria is ready for
dialogue with the United States to achieve security and stability in
the region, seeks a just and comprehensive peace, and extends its
hand sincerely, as it has in every position it has adopted, awaiting
the reactions of the others, as the ball is now in their court.
--------------
"Bush's Preemptive Presents"
--------------
Ghazi al-Dada, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote
(11/15): "Olmert is visiting the United States to assure himself
that nothing has changed in the unlimited American support for
Israel after the Democrats took control of Congress....
"The Bush administration gave Israel a preemptive present on the eve
of the visit when it used its veto against a Security Council draft
resolution condemning Israel.... Condoleezza Rice's statements
trying to justify the use of the veto were nothing more than hollow
words that have no meaning other than following the bloody Israeli
path....
"Between the United States and Israel there is more than
coordination of positions. There are unified strategic policies and
joint plans that do not augur any good for the region."
--------------
"What Is Next?"
--------------
Bassam Raswan, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote
(11/15): "For a long time we haven't witnessed such a unified,
strong Arab decision as the one that materialized in Cairo from Arab
Foreign Ministers who adopted a decision to break the siege on
Palestinians....
"We hope that the decision will mark the beginning of other Arab

steps to bridge the gaps between the positions of the Arab
governments toward many Arab and regional issues that, undoubtedly,
highly affect pan-Arab security....
"Arabs can take advantage of the miserable defeat that the
Republicans sustained in the US midterm elections.... The American
plan in the region is retreating.... We wonder if Arabs will fill
the vacuum before others do...."
--------------
"The Bitter Harvest"
--------------
Isam Dari, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote
(11/15): "The neoconservatives in the United States are to be
blamed for the defeat of the Republican Party in the midterm
elections, as they were the ones who devised theories, drew up
policies, and launched aggressions....
"The extremist wing in the Republican Party brought defeat upon the
party, disgrace upon the nation, and disasters upon the world....
"If Republicans want to win the presidential election in two years,
they must do a major job to clear the reputation of the Party, which
has sunk very low, and perhaps abandon the neoconservative trend and
offer conservatives as scapegoats....
"The Republican Party is paying today the price of neoconservative
policies.... What is more important is that the world might witness
less extremist and less hostile US policies in the near future."

Corbin