Damascus Media Reaction: Khaddam's Statements to Al-

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000063 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: Khaddam's Statements to Al- Arabiya, Al-Ghajar village, Palestinian Territories, Iraq (1/4) ¶1. Summary: Al-Ba'th reported a statement issued by the Khaddam family in the Syrian region of Banias expressing "rejection and denunciation" of Abdul-Halim Khaddam's statements to Al-Arabiya and saying that the former VP expressed his personal views only. The statement says the family members stand on the side of their people against "the campaign of pressure and fabrications that target Syria as a result of its firm and principled positions in defending the nation's dignity and rights." Papers also reported President Mubarak's visit to Jeddah to meet King Abdullah for talks on the situation in Syria in light of the UN commission's request to interview President Bashar Asad and FM Sharaa, after former Syrian VP Khaddam's TV interview last week in which he alleged that Asad had threatened Hariri several months before his assassination. Syrian papers also reported that Israel is planning to build a wall between the two halves of al-Ghajar village, a divided village on the Syrian-Lebanese border under Israeli occupation. Israel is planning to evacuate some of the inhabitants from their houses. It is inhabited mainly by Alawites, most of whom have obtained Israeli citizenship, even though they consider themselves Syrians. In Beirut, Lebanese President Emile Lahoud urged Foreign Minister Fawzi Salukh to "move rapidly to oppose this new Israeli plan, which forms part of Israel's repeated aggressions against the sovereignty of Lebanon". Hundreds of al- Ghajar residents demonstrated in their village, calling on the Lebanese government and Hizbollah to prevent Israel form building the separation wall. Al-Ghajar witnessed fierce fighting in late November when three members of Lebanon's Shiite militia Hizbollah were killed after they launched an attack on Israeli troops in the village, in an apparent bid to kidnap soldiers. Israeli jets subsequently fired missiles on three suspected Hizbollah positions, on the outskirts of al-Ghajar. The village is an extension of the Syrian Golan Heights plateau, which Israel occupied during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and then annexed in ¶1981. End summary. ¶2. Selected Headlines: "PM Ottri: Khaddam was against democracy and the march of reform" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/4) "Lebanese and Iranian newspapers: Khaddam's statements serve Israel and America" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 1/4) "King Abdullah and President Mubarak discuss current developments in the Arab arena" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 1/4) "The Syrian people of al-Ghajar village demonstrate against dividing their village and demolishing their houses and address a message to UN SecGen Annan: The Israeli decision contradicts international law and the Geneva Convention.... We are not settlers, but Syrian Arabs.... We will not give up one iota of our land" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/4) "President Lahoud of Lebanon calls for confronting the Israeli plot in al-Ghajar. Former PM Al-Hoss denounces Lebanese voices rushing to acquit Israel [of crimes perpetrated in Lebanon]" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/4) "Over 14 Iraqis killed in a US raid against Beiji, including children. Sister of the Iraqi Interior Minister is kidnapped. Two US marines killed in a helicopter crash near Baquba. The electoral commission acknowledges forgery in elections" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/4) "Palestinian warnings against the danger of the Israeli excavations under al-Aqsa Mosque" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 1/4) ¶3. Editorial Block Quotes: -------------- -------------- "The Story of General Petain and General de Gaulle" -------------- -------------- Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, commented (1/4) on former Vice President Abdul-Halim Khaddam's statements to Al-Arabiya TV: "Are the chapters of the major conspiracy against Syria being finalized...? "There are cascades of dollars pouring on the heads of all the individuals and groups that have agreed to play preset roles in this conspiracy.... The truth will one day come out and expose those who have worked to fabricate lies against Syria and conclude suspicious deals to betray it.... and saying that the former VP expressed his personal views only. The statement says the family members stand on the side of their people against "the campaign of pressure and fabrications that target Syria as a result of its firm and principled positions in defending the nation's dignity and rights." Papers also reported President Mubarak's visit to Jeddah to meet King Abdullah for talks on the situation in Syria in light of the UN commission's request to interview President Bashar Asad and FM Sharaa, after former Syrian VP Khaddam's TV interview last week in which he alleged that Asad had threatened Hariri several months before his assassination. "It was no surprise to see a person without identity or affiliation coming out from the ranks to try to stab Syria in the back to serve the American-Zionist plan in return for dollars, instant 'privileges', and post-dated promises.... The homeland remains bigger than those individuals who race to harm Syria.... "Let's recall the story of French General Henri-Philippe Petain, who went down in history as a traitor for selling out his country to the Nazis in World War II, and General de Gaulle, who struggled for French freedom and reaped the fruit of victory.... There is a lesson in this story that should be considered...." -------------- "Dwarfs at the Time of Resistance" -------------- Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote (1/4): "What hurts our people most is to see a known corrupt person discussing corruption, shirking his responsibilities, and claiming innocence, transparency, and chastity -- traits that he never enjoyed.... "The timing of Khaddam's statements is incomprehensible.... Khaddam's statements coincided with the appointment of a new chief for the IIC -- which has lost a lot of its credibility -- and with meetings that took place between Khaddam and Israeli FM Shallom in Paris and with officials from international intelligence services, including Mossad agents.... "Will retaliation for a position or privileges come at the expense of people and homeland? The Syrian people will not forgive those who have harmed Syria -- homeland and people -- and worked with parties hostile to it...." -------------- "A Debased Commodity Shows its True Character" -------------- Dr. Turki Saqr, a columnist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote (1/4): "I laughed when I heard the hypocrite Khaddam saying he used to call for public freedoms and political pluralism in the Syrian leadership meetings. "I knew Khaddam for more than 25 years as an official who practiced repression and destructive guidance to kill public liberties in general and press freedoms in particular. "Khaddam went mad when I and other journalists wrote in Al-Ba'th newspaper about a number of corruption cases, some involving his sons, in the early nineties.... Khaddam applied much pressure and used threats against me and other editors of the Al-Ba'th newspaper. In the Ninth Ba'th Party congress Khaddam did not allow me to discuss freedom of the press and expression and restrictions on the Syrian journalists. When I started talking he stopped me and uttered expressions that reflected a despotic mentality that completely disregards other voices and views. "Khaddam was also the one who hindered the implementation of the Al-Ta'if agreement in Lebanon, as this served his personal interests...." Seche