Damascus Media Reaction: Syria/Cyprus, Med-Euro

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 005343 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/Cyprus, Med-Euro Ministerial, Syria/Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, France (11/28) ¶1. Summary: Syrian papers on Nov. 28 reported President Asad's meeting on Monday with Dimitris Hristofyas, Speaker of the Cypriot Parliament, focusing on the situation in the region and bilateral cooperation. Papers also reported Syrian FM Mouallem's participation in the Med-Euro Ministerial Conference being held in Tambera, Finland. Headlines cited a statement by FM Mouallem confirming that the desired progress of the Barcelona Process requires the realization of a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions, the Madrid terms of reference and the land-for-peace principle. Mr. al-Mouallem's remarks came during consultations held between Ministers of the Arab Group and the European Troika Ministers on the margins of the conference. The Ministers reviewed progress since last year's summit, marking the 10th anniversary of the Barcelona Process. On Nov. 27, on the margins of the conference, Mr. al-Mouallem also met EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, with whom he discussed the situation in the Middle East. Both sides agreed on the necessity of activating the European role in order to realize a just and comprehensive peace in the region. On Turkish-Syrian relations, papers reported that Turkish Deputy Premier, State Minister Abdullatif Sener, will arrive in Damascus on Nov. 28 on an official visit, together with a technical and economic delegation. During the visit, Mr. Sener will hold talks with Syrian officials on cooperation between Syria and Turkey and development of ties in the economic, investment and development fields. End of summary. ¶2. Selected Headlines: "President Asad reviews the situation in the region and parliamentary relations with Cypriot Parliament Speaker Dimitris Hristofyas. Hristofyas: The meeting was open and frank" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/28) "Foreign Minister Mouallem discusses the importance of activating the European role in Middle East peace process with Javier Solana, EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, at the Med-Euro ministerial conference being held in Tambera, Finland. Mouallem reviews with his German, Danish, Dutch, and Macedonian counterparts the situation in the region" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/28) "General Secretariat of the International Arab Trade Unions Federation condemns the aggression against Syrian workers in Lebanon. The Union calls upon the General Trade Union in Lebanon to shoulder responsibility and defend Syrian workers in Lebanese courts. "TQ Lebanese army arrests scores of Jaja's forces during military training in Kisrawan. Berri: The governmenQhas violated the National Accord. Aoun: The governing mafia has demolished and wasted the homeland with misleading campaigns" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/28)" "France and Israel spy on Lebanon through the UNIFIL forces" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/28) "Information Minister Dr. Mohsen Bilal renews condemnation of the assassination of Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Jumayyil. Bilal: Charges against Syria are in implementation of foreign orders" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/28) "The Baker team recommends direct talks with Syria and Iran" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/28) "Crash of an F-16 jetfighter near Baquba. A French intelligence agent is killed in Basra. Democrats and Republicans: A gradual withdrawal from Iraq and pressure on the al-Maliki government" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/28) "Abdullatif Sener, Turkish Deputy Premier and State Minister, arrives in Damascus on an official visit to Syria along with a technical and economic delegation" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/28) "The UN Human Rights Council calls on Israel to withdraw from the occupied Golan and to halt settlement activities in the Golan and the occupied territories" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/28) ¶3. Editorial Block Quotes: -------------- "Intersection of Interests" -------------- Muhammad Khayr al-Jammali, a columnist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote (11/28): "The assassination of Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre al-Jumayyil must be seen as a political crime masterminded by several parties that have an interest in keeping Lebanon within the cycle of tension and preventing the national opposition from correcting the country's domestic situation, after it became clear to the Lebanese people that the February 14 team is deeply involved in the American-Israeli-Western scheme that seeks to turn Lebanon into a new base for the implementation of the new or broad Middle East plan after its collapse in Iraq as a result of the rejection and resistance of the Iraqi people.... "The parties that stand to gain from the crime and its timing are Israel, the governing team in Lebanon, and the foreign powers that pushed Israel to launch its aggression against Lebanon but found that the aggression resulted in a bitter defeat for them and for Israel. "The Lebanese people realize very well that the party that assassinated Pierre al-Jumayyil was the same party that assassinated Al-Hariri and committed all the subsequent assassinations. It is the party that wanted through all these crimes and through the Israeli aggression to isolate Lebanon from its nationalist role and Arab affiliation and turn it into a den for conspiracies against Syria and the Arab causes...." -------------- "In the Repercussions of the Crisis" -------------- Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, commented (11/28): "The governing coalition in Lebanon is using al-Jumayyil's assassination to obstruct the popular activities of the nationalist opposition and to maintain its monopoly on power, instead of searching for a genuine national political partnership, shouldering the responsibility of construction and social and economic development, and confronting foreign interference in domestic Lebanese affairs.... "The government team persists in aggravating mistakes and increasing tension in Lebanon. This situation entails real dangers, especially since there are indications that what is happening is linked to foreign interference, particularly by the US and the Mossad...." -------------- "The Godfather Bolton and his Advocates" -------------- Dr. Khalaf al-Jarrad, Chief Editor of government-owned Tishreen, commented (11/28): "John Bolton is well-known for his fanatical support for Israel, his desperate defense of Israel's expansionist policies and constant aggression and flagrant terrorism against the Palestinian and Lebanese people, and his hatred of Arabs and Muslims.... "There is coordination between the US representative to the United Nations and the February 14 group in Lebanon.... This coordination is evidenced in the miraculous coincidences between assassinations in Lebanon and Security Council meetings and prefabricated resolutions.... "Bolton manifested serious hysteria when the national Lebanese resistance heroically confronted the all-out Zionist aggression against Lebanon, which was fully coordinated with the United States. He lost his mind when the valiant resistance achieved a great victory. He began pressing his followers in Lebanon daily to act to disarm and uproot the resistance in implementation of a strategy that the Zionist army failed to implement through its direct aggression. But the mission was too big for them, so they turned to the story of the international tribunal, relying on the full support of their friend and ideal in racism, hatred, and fanaticism -- John Bolton.... "When the tribunal faced a problem at the Security Council, 'hidden hands' solved it through the assassination of Pierre al-Jumayyil. However, the Lebanese people are aware of this game and are able to smash all the conspiracies and schemes that seek to ignite civil strife and separate Lebanon from its Arab family...." -------------- "To be a President of France" -------------- As'ad Abbud, a columnist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote (11/28): "It is regrettable not to see in President Jacques Chirac a De Gaullist leader who can contribute to world balance, a leader who rises above trivialities and rejects forging personal alliances to serve private or limited interests.... "The whole world is now talking about dialogue with Syria.... What prevents France from holding such a dialogue...? "I personally find it inappropriate for Chirac to become a party in Lebanon, befriending this and antagonizing that. He could have played a role to bring Lebanon out of its impasse, which is far more important than devoting efforts to stop the transmission of Al-Manar Television, accusing people based on their identities, passing judgments before investigations end, and so on.... "As for us, President Chirac, we Syrians who often loved you hope that you will abandon personal positions. On what basis do you open Paris to a person who, for almost every Syrian, is the symbol of corruption -- Abd-al-Halim Khaddam? Why does Paris cover the lies of a witness like [Muhammad Zuhayr] al-Siddiq? And why does France remain silent about the truth in the killing of Pierre al-Jumayyil...?" Corbin