Syria/Lebanon, Palestinian Territories,

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000137 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ARN, INR/IC/CD, INR/R/MR:STHIBEAULT AND JMCCARTER, VOA NEWS CA, NEA/PPD:CBOURGEOIS, AZAIBACK, AND AFERNANDEZ, IIP/G/NEA-SA MDAVIDSON WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC CENTCOM FOR CCPA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR PREL KPAO OPRC SY SUBJECT: Syria/Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Iraq, Putin (2/12) ¶1. Summary: Syrian papers on Feb. 12 reported VP Shara's meeting on Feb. 11 with Ali Qansoh, Chairman of the Syrian National Socialist Party in Lebanon, during which Shara confirmed that Syria supports all that the Lebanese agree upon to achieve civil stability, peace and national unity. They reviewed the latest developments in the Arab arena, particularly in Lebanon, and the obstacles to Lebanese national reconciliation. Papers quoted Qansoh as saying that "finding a buffer zone in South Lebanon aims to swallow Lebanese territory." He asserted that this is a dangerous issue, opposed by all Lebanese on the political and popular levels and in all international fora. Qansoh thanked Syria for embracing hundreds of thousands of Lebanese during the war last July and for dealing with them on an equal footing with Syrians. Papers also reported that FM Mouallem received two phone calls, from Norwegian FM Jonas Gahr Stre and Spanish FM Miguel Angel Moratinos, welcoming the accord which was concluded in Mecca between Hamas and Fatah on the formation of a Palestinian national unity government. The Norwegian and Spanish officials hailed Syrian and Arab efforts to make the accord a success. Papers also reported FM Mouallem's talks on Feb. 11 with Arab League Secretary General Amr Mousa. Well-informed diplomatic sources said SIPDIS that the talks focused on the situation in the Arab region, especially in Lebanon, and efforts to find a way out of the current Lebanese impasse. Mouallem and Mousa also discussed the latest developments in Palestine and Iraq. Israeli excavation around the Al-Aqsa Mosque remained a major issue in Syrian papers. All papers featured messages by Syrian Grand Mufti Sheikh Badr al-Din Hassoun on Feb. 11 to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Pope Benedict XVI and to international and Islamic organizations, calling for an immediate cessation of Israeli assaults against al-Aqsa. "The Israeli excavation in the surroundings of al-Aqsa target the civilizational and structural edifices in Jerusalem, aiming at destroying the city's features, dismissing the original owners of the Arab land, and killing children to change this city from a peaceful land to a land of oppression," Mufti Hassoun said. Papers also featured a statement by the Pope of Alexandria, Shinoda III, strongly condemning the excavation as Israeli aggression and a crime against the whole Arab nation. End of summary. ¶2. Selected Headlines: "Vice-President Shara welcomes Russia's new Ambassador, and reviews obstacles facing the Lebanese accord with Ali Qansoh, Chairman of the Syrian National Socialist Party in Lebanon" (Government-owned Tishreen, 2/12) "Assistant Regional Secretary of the Baath Party Bkhitan: Attempts to isolate Syria have failed.... No peace with the existence of occupation, and liberating occupied Golan is Syria's top priority" (Government-owned 2/12) "Foreign Minister Mouallem receives two phone calls, from Norwegian and Spanish Foreign Ministers, appreciating Syria's efforts in making the Mecca Accord between Hamas and Fatah a success" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 2/12) "Israel accelerates excavations in the neighborhood of the al-Aqsa Mosque. Fatah considers the Mecca Agreement as a 'ceasefire'. Hamas reiterates refusal to recognize Israel" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 2/12) "Worldwide denunciations of Israel's excavations around the al-Aqsa Mosque" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 2/12) "Two US soldiers killed in Iraq. A seventh US helicopter is downed. Disagreements between US and Iraqi soldiers delay implementation of the Baghdad security plan" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 2/12) "Thousands of Lebanese women join the sit-in in Beirut. The opposition: The government is paving the way for foreign intervention" (Government-owned Tishreen, 2/12) "Russia and America: One cold war is enough. Ivanov calls for canceling the treaty on banning medium-range missiles" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 2/12) ¶3. Editorial Block Quotes: -------------- "Unconvincing Coincidences" -------------- Ahmad Dawwa, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawrah, wrote (2/12): "The Bush administration ignored the Israeli aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Palestinian worshippers and remembered only to tell Fatah and HAMAS, after the signing of the Mecca Agreement, to comply with the conditions of the international Quartet, as if Israel were committed to the conditions of this committee.... "The European countries were content simply to ask Israel to stop the demolitions around the Al-Aqsa Mosque, not because they constituted an aggression against the mosque, but because the circumstances were not right...! "Arab and Islamic countries are to blame for their failure to respond to the Israeli action.... If Arabs and Muslims fail to adopt a position that goes beyond statements of condemnation and denunciation, they will wake up one day to find that the Al-Aqsa Mosque has been reduced to rubble...." -------------- "Denunciation Is Insufficient" -------------- Ahmad Hamadah, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawrah, wrote (2/12): "Dividing Iraq remains the main objective for Americans.... The security chaos throughout Iraq and the efforts to create sectarian and ethnic sedition in the country are part of this American plan, which seeks to serve Israel, the Israeli lobby, and the monopolistic companies.... "The aim is to turn Iraq into an Israeli-American sphere of influence and a base from which to extend this influence across the Middle East...." -------------- "Putin's Finger and Our Wound" -------------- Maha Sultan, a columnist in government-owned Tishrin, wrote (2/12): "Russian President Vladimir Putin strongly criticized US policy and Washington's attempt to impose its will on the whole world.... "The Middle East is the region that suffers most from the domination of US policies over its decisions and fate.... "Putin certainly came up with nothing new. The world senses and realizes the American danger, although it does not say it so clearly, publicly, and courageously. Most of those who attack US policies waited until they left decision-making centers before they said what they said, which was much less than what Putin said.... "We hope Putin's position will mark the beginning of an international campaign to redress the international balance of power and bring some justice to the world." Corbin