US/Russia, Syria/Israel, Syria/Iraq, Syria/EU, HAMAS,

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000021 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: US/Russia, Syria/Israel, Syria/Iraq, Syria/EU, HAMAS, Lebanon, Bush's Strategy on Iraq (1/5-7) ¶1. Summary: Syrian papers over the weekend reported that the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has criticized the latest US sanctions against Russian arms firms for "selling arms to Syria," describing these sanctions as "groundless." The Ministry said in a statement that "yet once again, the United States is embarking on this vicious circle." "As a result of its politicized actions, the American state also denies itself and US firms the right to cooperate with our advanced companies," Russia's Foreign Ministry said. "In business language, this is called 'lost opportunities'," the statement added. Papers also reported that Israeli security chiefs recommended to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that he open a secret channel of talks with Syria. Yedioth Ahronot quoted a security official as saying Israel believed Asad was truly interested in renewing peace negotiations with Israel. On the execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Syrian papers reported Syria's astonishment at the timing the execution and its hope this would not destabilize Iraq. In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Minister of Information Mohsen Bilal said the execution of the former Iraqi President was "painful and catastrophic" since it came on the first day of Eid Al-Adha and with Eid's prayers as well as with Muslim pilgrims' visit to Mecca where there is safety, peace and fraternity. "Making public the fearful photos of Saddam Hussein's execution is considered a breach of the simplest principles and international agreements," Dr. Bilal said voicing Syria's hope this would not "inflame the situation in Iraq nor contribute to destabilizing Iraq again." Dr. Bilal also expressed Syria's hope that this execution would not destabilize the political process that Syria wants to go ahead to build an integrated and independent Iraq who is an active member in the international community and the Arab League. Papers also reported that the Arab-British Organization announced that a delegation including European and British MPs will visit Syria and Lebanon to be briefed on the situation in the region. In a statement issued Jan. 6, the organization said the delegation will �A;be informed about the aftermath of the recent Israeli aggression against Lebanon and the latest developments in the region. The source said that the delegation will include former president of the EU commission Jacques Santer, Lord David Steel, former British Secretary of State for International Development Clair Short, and SIPDIS British parliament members John Grogen and John Mann in addition to others. Government-owned Al-Thawra on Jan. 5 reported that HAMAS political bureau Chief Khalid Mish'al delivered a speech in Al-Zahra Mosque after Friday prayers, which were attended by thousands of worshippers. The paper said that Mish'al discussed the message of jihad in Palestine and the nation's duty of protecting mujahidin. It said Mish'al stressed the need to prevent infighting in Palestine because it serves Israel's objectives. Mish'al answered questions from worshippers on HAMAS's policy in the government and parliament and the efforts that are being made to prevent civil war among the Palestinians. End of summary. ¶2. Selected Headlines: "Russia protests US sanctions on some Russian companies for selling arms to Syria: We work according to our international legislations and international commitments" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/7) "Israeli security chiefs recommend to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to open a secret channel of talks with Syria" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/7) "Lebanon: A massive laborers' strike on Tuesday in Beirut. Berri warns the governing team: The team will regret foiling Arab initiatives on reconciliation. Aoun: We call for early parliamentarian elections. Al-Hoss: Israel is our real enemy. Arslan: The February 14 group is the godfather of a US agenda" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/7) "Israel reiterates rejection to release the Lebanese prisoner Samir Qentar" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/7) "Israel deeply penetrates the Gaza Strip. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas decides to consider the executive authority as illegal. The Palestinian government describes the decision as hasty, resulting from provocation" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/7) "Washington and Paris object to announcing names of countries that failed to cooperate with the UN investigating commission's new chief Serge Brammertz" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/7) "The Iraqi People Conference warns against silence on armed groups. Assaults in Baghdad following the new security plan" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/7) "British-European Parliamentary delegation visits Syria" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/6) "A US writer: The July war has surprised decision- makers in Washington" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/6) "Egyptian President Mubarak: America blocks peace between Syria and Israel" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/6) "President Bush to send more troops to Iraq" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/6) "A lady to purify the US Congress! Nancy Pelosi calls on Syria and Iran to join a regional dialogue over Iraq" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/6) "Mike McConnell is named as new Director of US Intelligence and John Negroponte becomes Rice's Deputy" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/6) "Four Palestinians martyred, 20 injured in an Israel incursion into Ramallah. Abbas and Hanieh meet to halt confrontations in the Gaza Strip" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/5) "Former Lebanese PM Al-Hoss: Lebanon is at a critical juncture. Hizbollah depicts meeting with Saudi king as frank" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/5) ¶3. Editorial Block Quotes: -------------- "Bush's New Strategy" -------------- Muhammad Khair al-Jammali, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote (1/5): "President Bush's new strategy in Iraq will apparently be based on two factors: rejecting withdrawal from Iraq and continuing war in that country for eight, ten, or more years.... "The Bush administration refuses to accept the logic that withdrawal from Iraq is the only way for an honorable exit from the crisis and for the restoration of the United States' international standing and prestige. Rather, it insists on achieving a victory it knows more than others will never come. The evidence is that the harvest of four years of war was a miserable failure to turn Iraq into a model of the American plan in the Middle East, and a military and strategic impasse for the United States similar or even worse than Vietnam.... "The strategy of a continuous war in Iraq would only mean further American and Iraqi losses.... President Bush might be planning to fight until the last American soldier...." -------------- "Civil Strife" -------------- Abd-al-Fattah al-Awad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Thawra, commented (1/6): "They wanted Saddam Hussein's hanging to provoke civil strife par excellence. It would be naivety bordering on stupidity for anyone to rule out that the timing of the execution was booby-trapped and preplanned. "Although it is not useful to focus on the timing as if it were the problem, the timing, added to the events that led up to the execution and to what happened during and after the hanging, proves beyond a doubt that the aim was to open a new door to civil strife, to be added to the many doors that the presence of the occupation opened and inflamed in many ways. "The execution is part of a general scheme that is no longer secret to anyone, a scheme planned and implemented very carefully by the occupation. "The sympathy Saddam Hussein won while on the gallows was definitely not sympathy for Saddam Hussein as Saddam Hussein. Rather, it was a manifestation of anger and outrage at the policies of the US Administration. "The Bush administration did everything in its power to make Saddam Hussein's image better than it was before the occupation. It simply made Iraq's situation much worse than it was during Saddam's rule. "It is ridiculous for Bush to say that he was hoping to see the execution carried out in an appropriate manner! "The timing, the reason, the holding of the trial under occupation, and then the leak of images that stir sentiments of strife were the last things that the Iraqis needed at this stage. "This takes place just before Bush's announcement of a new strategy. The parts that have been leaked of this strategy so far give a strong impression that the Bush administration has not learned from its previous lessons. While we expect correction of mistakes, the United States surprises the world with its ability to continue to commit follies.... "At any rate, the steps before the announcement of Bush's new strategy do not indicate that the US Administration has learned the lessons it received in the recent years. -------------- "First Signs" -------------- Ahmad Hamadah, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote (1/6): "President Bush's political movement is extremely restricted now that the Democratic Party controls Congress.... "Democrats now insist on opening the thorny files the Bush administration has embroiled Americans in and through which it has brought disasters, bad reputation, and world public hostility upon the American people and the United States.... "The discussion of Guantanamo, the Iraq war, secret prisons, and other issues will constitute a de facto trial of the neoconservatives' policy and extremist doctrine...." Roebuck