Asad, Syria/US, Syria/OIC, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Palestinian

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000035

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: Asad, Syria/US, Syria/OIC, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Palestinian
Territories (12/25-26)


1. Summary: Syrian papers on Dec. 26 reported that President Asad
on Dec. 25 participated in Christmas celebrations and exchanged
congratulations with Christian clergymen and others at the
Patriarchate of The Syriac Orthodox Church in old Damascus.
Patriarch IGNATIUS IV Hazim of Antioch and All the East for Roman
Catholics, and Patriarch Zakka I Iwas of the Syriac Orthodox Church
expressed gratitude for President Asad's participation in the
celebrations and reiterated the importance of Christmas for the
whole world, particularly in this region. President Asad
congratulated Christians on Christmas Day, stressing that "Arabism
is not a race; it is a strong civilization belonging to
Christianity, Islam, Judaism and to all races in the region," Asad
said.

On Syrian/US relations, papers reported Foreign Minister Mouallem's
meeting on Dec. 25 with US Senator Arlen Specter. Both sides
reviewed current regional developments. During the meeting,
Mouallem stressed the need to exert every possible effort to realize
security and stability in the region by ending the Israeli
occupation and liberating occupied Arab lands, including the Golan.
Papers also featured statements by US Senator Christopher Dodd, and
Senator John Kerry urging the US administration to hold dialogue
with Syria to achieve stability in the region.

Papers also reported President Asad's meeting with the Secretary
General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC),
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. Talks touched on the latest developments in
the Palestinian arena in particular and in the region in general and
the efforts exerted to reform the OIC. During the meeting,
Ihsanoglu talked about the outcome of his tour in the region,
particularly in the occupied Palestinian territories, and issues of
OIC interest. President Asad stressed the necessity of supporting
efforts exerted by the OIC and enhancing its role on all levels in
the interest of Islamic countries.

End of summary.


2. Selected Headlines:

"President Asad participates in Christmas celebrations. President
Asad: We are politically, religiously and culturally united.... We
must convey a message of coexistence to the world.... The true
civilized message of Islam and Christianity emerged from Syria"
(Government-owned Tishreen, 12/26)

"Foreign Minister Mouallem reviews regional developments with US
Senator Specter: The region needs peace, stability and an end of
Israeli occupation.... The US is responsible for this"
(Government-owned Tishree, 12/26)

"Senator Kerry urges the US Administration to open dialogue with
Syria" (Government-owned Tishreen, 12/25)

"President Asad discusses developments in the Palestinian arena with
OIC Secretary General Oglu, reiterating Syria's support of OIC
efforts. Oglu: I carry an initiative to ease tension in the
Palestinian territories" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 12/25)

"The Lebanese opposition prepares a parliamentary petition on the
governing team's violations of the constitution. A huge popular
rally to confirm continuing sit-in" (Government-owned Tishreen,
12/26)

"A season of initiatives after the Eid. Former Lebanese Premier
Hoss urges Lahoud to announce expiration of the al-Saniora
government. Italian PM Prodi: We support Lebanon's unity and
independence" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 12/25)

"Three US soldiers killed in Baghdad and al-Anbar. British forces
destroy an Iraqi police station in Basra" (Government-owned
Tishreen, 12/26)

"US forces arrest two Iranian diplomats in Baghdad. Iraq protests
the act. Tehran warns against consequences" (Government-owned
Al-Thawra, 12/26)

"Baghdad security plan is postponed until the beginning of next
year. Ten US troops killed or wounded in attacks in Baghdad and
al-Anbar" (Government-owned Tishreen, 12/25)

The Iranian Shura Council urges the government to freeze activities
of international inspectors in the wake of UNSC Resolution 1737.
Ahmadinejad: The West has to accept Iran as a nuclear state"
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 12/25)


3. Editorial Block Quotes:

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"The Motives of Resolution 1737"

--------------

Muhammad Khayr al-Jammali, a commentator in government-owned
Al-Thawra, commented (12/26): "Iran has the right to view Security
Council Resolution 1737, which imposes sanctions on Iran because of
its nuclear activities, as an unjust and illegal resolution flouting
the UN Charter.... Iran's nuclear program is of a peaceful nature
as proven by surveys and inspections conducted by the IAEA....

"The resolution was issued against the background of a campaign of
deception and trickery over the Iranian nuclear project. This
campaign was organized by neoconservatives in the US administration
with clear Israeli incitement....

"The Security Council exceeded its powers and contravened the
principles of the UN Charter....
The Security Council ignored Israeli nuclear weapons as a genuine
threat to world peace and security.... It turned its attention to
an unreal threat that exists only in the heads of the
neoconservatives and the Israeli leaders, who are promoting this
imaginary danger to tighten their control on the Middle East....

"If the resolution is viewed from the perspective of the troubled
American policy in the region and the world, and even inside the
United States itself, one can see that its aim was to ease the
crisis of the US Administration. For President Bush and leaders of
the Zionistic right working with him can now claim that the
resolution is an accomplishment for American policy in the United
Nations and the Middle East...."

--------------

"Syria Indeed Knows What It Must Do"

--------------

Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen,
commented (12/25): "President Bush, his Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and those who
move in their orbit in the West, have often reiterated the sentence:
'We are waiting to see what Syria is going to do, and it knows what
it must do.' Here, they refer to Syria's positions toward the
events in the region, particularly in Iraq, the Palestinian
territories, and Lebanon. It must be noted that the sentence is
purely American-made.

"It is no secret to any observer that this American-Western view,
which converges with the hostile Israeli policies, constitutes a
trial balloon to entice Syria and drive it to change its convictions
about national and pan-Arab issues so that it can be accepted by
Israel and the West and so that a dialogue can be launched with it
on their own terms to realize the objectives that they set in
advance as instructions that must be implemented.

"Syria has repeatedly said that it does not act in this way and that
it cannot change its national principles simply because others want
it to.... Syria has issues that are not open for bargaining. These
issues constitute the basis of all positions it takes and the
policies it adopts toward the region and its developments....

"They built their policies toward Syria on Israeli foundations and a

spiteful concept. But Syria has adhered to its positions and
resisted pressure, accusations, and sieges without abandoning any of
its principles. And it will not abandon these principles no matter
what they do. Syria is ready for dialogue and discussion but on
bases that serve its national and pan-Arab principles...."

--------------
"It Requires No Cleverness"

--------------

Ali Nasrallah, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, said
(12/25): "The governing coalition in Lebanon is not only rejecting
and aborting the Arab League SecGen's effort to resolve the Lebanese
political crisis, but is also tirelessly searching for a detonator
and unashamedly trying to invent more nonsensical arguments to
obstruct all state establishments....

"The overwhelming majority of the Lebanese are convinced that there
is involvement in a foreign plan and agenda that the February 14
forces pledged to implement to the end, irrespective of the
disastrous results for them, their people, and their country."

"The February 14 team is not really interested in the international
tribunal or the truth. It is obstructing the tribunal and the
truth. Otherwise, why does it fear every question regarding the
false witnesses and the tribunal's law? Why does it want to pass
the tribunal in a manner that appears more like theft? Why does it
violate the constitution and the coexistence convention and refuse
to comply with the will of the people and to return to the people if
it really enjoys the people's confidence and claims it represents
the majority in parliament?

"The February 14 team knows that the tribunal is the last link in
the chain of the conspiracy of turning Lebanon into a follower of
the foreign world.... It sticks to the tribunal and its law not to
reveal the truth but to complete the American-Israeli plan...."

--------------

"The Courage of Confessing Mistakes"

--------------

Ahmad Dawwa, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, said
(12/25): "Recent American statements suggest that the US
Administration is likely to ignore the Baker-Hamilton
recommendations and take a different course that would increase lack
of security and political tension in Iraq and pave the way for very
serious possibilities....

"The recent accusations against the Al-Sadr movement can only be
seen in this context. It appears that Bush's conservative machine
is still determined to push Iraq toward civil war and sectarian and
denominational fighting to fulfill its objectives....

"Advocates of creative chaos are looking for a pretext to escalate
political and security tension among Iraqi political groups. The
accusations that were leveled against the Al-Sadr movement,
especially those linked to assassinations and bombings, show the
malicious goals, namely, presenting this Iraqi team as a party in
conflict with the government on the one hand and with the other
political parties on the other. The success of this attempt would
torpedo the Baker-Hamilton report.... President Bush lacks the
courage to reverse the mistakes and correct US policy in Iraq and
the world at large.... Bush does not have enough time for much
maneuvering.... The cohesion of Iraqis in the face of attempts to
push them toward a clash, will force him to accept the advice of his
fellow Americans...."

Corbin