Damascus Media Reaction: Peace Process, Lebanon, Iraq,

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 005358 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: Peace Process, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestinian Territories (12/1-3) ¶1. Summary: Syrian papers on Dec. 3 featured a Dec. 2 press statement by Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi in Rome stressing the importance of dialogue and cooperation with Syria to solve the region's issues and establish stability. Mr. Prodi warned against the partitioning of Iraq, saying that there are intensive international efforts to avoid that, particularly by the UN, the EU, NATO and Iraq's neighboring countries. Papers also reported Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's interview with London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat, published on Dec. 2, reiterating the importance of the roles of Iran and Syria in the Middle East. Lavrov said that problems of the region ought to be solved within one strategy, with participation of all countries in the region, stressing that Iran and Syria have a role in the attempt to revive the peace process on all tracks in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Papers also featured a lecture delivered by Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad on Dec. 2, confirming Syria's support of the political process and of reconciliation in Iraq. Miqdad noted that Syria opposed the US invasion of Iraq and supported efforts to enable all Iraqis to maintain national unity. On the Lebanese scene, papers reported a huge demonstration in Beirut on Dec. 1 demanding the resignation of the current government and formation of a national unity government. Al-Thawrah on Dec. 1 gives prominence to Lebanese developments, headlining its front-page report as follows: "The Time Has Come: Lebanon Rises Up". The paper highlighted statements by Hasan Nasrallah, SecGen of Hizbollah, and other opposition leaders, calling for participation in the anti-government protests and blaming the governing coalition for the political crisis in Lebanon. End of summary. ¶2. Selected Headlines: "Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterate the importance of dialogue and cooperation with Syria to solve the region's issues and to cement stability in it" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 12/3) "Imad Mustafa, Syria's Ambassador in Washington: We don't seek to reach a deal with the US, but to help Iraqis" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 12/3) "Deputy Foreign Minister, Faisal Miqdad: We respect choices of the Lebanese people to form a national unity government" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 12/3) "Lebanese sit-in continues until a new Lebanon is born. National parties warn against depending on foreign support. President Lahoud criticizes US and French intervention in Lebanon. Resigned FM Salloukh calls on Arab brothers to avoid unilateral positions. Arab League SecGen Amr Mousa in Beirut today" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 12/3) "All Lebanon in Beirut: An open sit-in starts, demanding formation of a new government and ending foreign tutelage. Aoun, Leader of the Free Patriotic Movement: The government has to resign soon. The ruling team has made corruption its destiny. Former Lebanese PM al-Hoss: Its decision is up to the USA administration. Former PM Karami: We are working to rescue Lebanon. Hizbollah Chairman: It is a big confrontation. MPs and personalities: We will witness emergence of an Arab Lebanon. Former Minister Wahab: Two-thirds of Lebanon agreed on the departure of the al-Saniora government" (Government-owned Tishreen, 12/2) "The Time Has Come: Lebanon Rises Up. Nassrallah: It is a peaceful and open sit-in in central Beirut. Lahoud: The desired change is coming. Hashem: It is the end of the ruling majority. Franjiyeh: A historical day to save the people. Wakim: To keep civil peace. Arslan: To topple the corrupt authority" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 12/1) "A secret US-Israeli operation room in Lebanon to supervise assassinations" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 12/1) "UN SecGen Kofi Anan condemns Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 12/3) "Syria's Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs calls on World Organizations to protect Syrian workers in Lebanon" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 12/3) "Two US soldiers killed in al-Anbar. Scores of Iraqi casualties in explosions of three booby-trapped cars in Baghdad" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 12/3) "PLO Chairman Abbas stops talks on forming a national unity government and looks for alternatives. Israeli occupation rejects truce in the West Bank and kills a Palestinian in Hebron" (Government-owned Tishreen, 12/2) "Italian forces complete withdrawal from Iraq. A US soldier killed in Baghdad. Clashes in Baghdad and al-Samawa" (Government-owned Tishreen, 12/2) "The Baker-Hamilton report on Iraq will be issued on Wednesday" (Government-owned Tishreen, (12/2) ¶3. Editorial Block Quotes: -------------- "Beirut's Message" -------------- Isam Dari, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, commented (12/2): "The huge popular protest in downtown Beirut is a message to the Lebanese government and the world that the Lebanese people are united in their demand for a national unity government that brings people together, not moves them apart, a government that works for the sake of Lebanon and the Lebanese and their national interests without foreign interference, which, regrettably, is now practiced in broad daylight.... "That was the message. Will the government team respond to it and to its demand, or is it determined to lead Lebanon into the unknown...? -------------- "Do Not Ask about the Mission" -------------- Hanan Hamad, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote (12/2): "It is no longer enough that former US Secretary of State Colin Powell regrets presenting his famous report to the UN Security Council, which paved the way for the occupation of Iraq under the pretext that it possessed WMD, or that former US President Jimmy Carter says the war on Iraq was one of the gravest mistakes that President George Bush has made and is still making. It is no longer enough that James Baker, the chief of American diplomacy in the administration of George Bush Senior, with all the political experience and shrewdness he enjoys, rushes to bring the son out of his crisis.... "All this is not enough to save President Bush from his predicament as long as he himself is willing to sink deeper, with much ignorance and stupidity that push one to hit the bottom of the abyss. He is leaving the region while it is likely to explode in more than one location, stressing that he will not withdraw from Iraq before 'accomplishing the mission,' a mission that appeared impossible to the American forces.... "Bush leaves the region without announcing his strategy in Iraq and without heeding Baker's advice. In an attempt, perhaps, to sweeten the taste of this advice in the mouth of Bush, who refuses to take the dose of medicine, Baker rushed to leak news about holding an international conference on Iraq in which Syria and Iran participate, instead of clearly seeking the help of the two important regional countries. Not only did Bush disobey the advice on Iraq, but he also left behind a stack of files that are likely to explode through the blessing of the Palestinian rift, by supporting one party against another to thwart the effort to form a Palestinian national unity government...." -------------- "The Tampera Document" -------------- Ahmad Hamadah, a columnist in government-owned Al-Thawrah, commented (12/1): "The Euro-Med ministerial conference in Finland scored a positive position as it called, in its final statement, for achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on UN resolutions.... "If such European calls are always met with Israel's rejection, why don't the influential European parties take practical steps to force Israel to comply with UN resolutions...? "There must be an end to threats posed by Israel's terrorist practices and occupation of Arab territories.... The positive positions that began to appear need intensive efforts to activate them and enable them to play a role in building true peace in the region...." -------------- "A Mysterious Mission" -------------- Adnan Ali, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote (12/1): "US President George Bush's statements describing what is happening in Iraq as a conflict between extremists and moderates reflect simplistic thinking, indicating, perhaps, that the US Administration, despite all the setbacks and criticism it faces at home and abroad over the miserable failure of its Iraq policy, has not yet drawn the right conclusions, and that it is still using the same argument to justify this failure.... Bush says that his country will not withdraw its forces from Iraq before the mission has been accomplished.... "What mission is Bush talking about? The US Administration, slapped by the hard facts on the ground, has often given different answers to this question, from promoting democracy in Iraq and the region to merely securing a non-humiliating departure from this quagmire.... "After the US failures in Iraq, a feeling has began to sneak even into the corridors of the decision-makers in Washington that there is a need for help from the neighboring countries to restore stability in Iraq, especially from Syria and Iran, which have extended a helping hand to Iraq to enable it to overcome its current plight, which everyone agrees is purely American-made. There is fear, however, that Washington may work to foil these good efforts under the pressure of the remaining hotheads in the Bush administration and the pressure of the Israeli lobby, which wants Iraq to serve as a model of the disintegration of the region and the fragmentation of its peoples." Corbin