Syria/Lebanon, Golan, Asad/Referendum, Palestinian

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000482 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, Golan, Asad/Referendum, Palestinian Territories, Iraq (5/21) ¶1. Summary: Syrian papers on May 21 reported that clashes erupted on May 20 in the Lebanese city of Tripoli and in the nearby Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp between the Lebanese army and militants from the Palestinian group Fatah al-Islam. All papers featured an official statement by the Syrian Interior Ministry that due to the security situation in northern Lebanon and in order to protect citizens on the Syrian and Lebanese sides of the border, the Interior Ministry has decided to close the border points at Al-Aridah and al-Dabbusiyah until the security situation in northern Lebanon has been stabilized. On Syrian-Lebanese relations, papers reported VP Shara's meetings on May 20 with Fathi Yakan, Chairman of the Islamic Action Front in Lebanon, with Eli al-Ferzli, former Deputy Chairman of the Lebanese Parliament, and with Abdelrahim Murad, Chairman of the Lebanese Unity Party and former Defense Minister. Talks focused on the situation in Lebanon. In a press statement, Dr. Yakan said, "In principle, we are with the international tribunal investigating the assassination of former Lebanese PM Rafiq al-Hariri, but we oppose any tribunal that adopts rules on political, aggressive or revengeful bases." He said the investigation committee's reports until now lack any evidence identifying the perpetrators of the crime. Papers also reported the World Health Organization's resolution criticizing deteriorating health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories and the occupied Syrian Golan due to Israeli practices. End of summary. ¶2. Selected Headlines: "Armed militias financed by al-Hariri wage aggression against the state of Lebanon" (Independent al-Watan, 5/21) "Syrian Interior Ministry decides to close two border crossings, in al-Arida and al-Dabbousiya, until the situation in north Lebanon becomes secure. Lebanese denunciations of Fatah al-Islam assaults in Tripoli" (Government-owned Tishreen, 5/21) "Vice President Shara discusses the latest developments in Lebanon with Fathi Yakan, Chairman of Islamic Action Front in Lebanon, Eli al-Ferzli, former Deputy Chairman of the Lebanese Parliament, and Abdelrahim Murad, Chairman of the Lebanese Unity Party" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 5/21) "Foreign Ministry calls on all Syrian citizens abroad to participate in the referendum on President Asad" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 5/21) "The World Health Organization endorses resolution on deteriorating health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories and the Syrian Golan due to Israeli occupation practices" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 5/21) "Israel gives the green light to intensify aggression against the Gaza Strip. Eight Palestinians martyred in Gaza. The resistance threatens to retaliate" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 5/21) "Seven US soldiers killed in Baghdad and Diwaniyah. First South Korean soldier killed in Iraq. Several British soldiers injured in Basra" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 5/21) ¶3. Editorial Block Quotes: -------------- "Welch's Visit to Beirut Was Fruitful" -------------- Waddah Abd-Rabbu, Chief Editor of independent al-Watan, wrote (5/21): "In his press conference in Beirut, David Welch received a question from a Lebanese journalist asking him: What are you planning for Lebanon this time? After each of your visits to Lebanon a catastrophe takes place. What is the new catastrophe? "The Lebanese journalist was right. Yesterday we discovered what was planed for Lebanon. The real goal of Welch's visit has become crystal clear to everybody. Yesterday a member of the February 14 team exposed features of the forthcoming stage in Lebanon which the Lebanese Opposition has already warned about, namely a security relapse leading to a Lebanese civil war to weaken Lebanon.... "Mobilization of armed extremist groups by Sa'ad al-Hariri and his allies aims to level more accusations against Hizbollah and Syria and all nationalist Lebanese factions. The timing of this move was meant to endorse the International Tribunal at the Security Council as soon as possible.... This time the February 14 team has chosen confrontation with the Lebanese army instead of assassination, as the forthcoming stage requires domestic confrontations to weaken Hizbollah.... "Will Lebanese nationalists rush to deter those who seek to enflame sedition in implementation of a US-Israeli agenda...?" -------------- "Loyalty to Principles" -------------- Ali Nasrallah, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote (5/21): "Syrians see the referendum on President Asad's nomination for a new term in office as an important national event in the history of the homeland, given al-Asad's loyalty to principles and his belief that protection of national interests is the top priority.... "Syria's steadfastness in the face of the pressures and campaigns of the past few years is attributed to President Asad's wise leadership, that expresses the sentiments of the entire Arab nation, not only Syria...." -------------- "Sound Vision" -------------- Ahmad Dawwa, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote (5/21): "Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his team, who were defeated in the Lebanon war, were expected to evade the calls for their resignation by perpetrating more massacres against the Palestinian people, because this bloody method satisfies the instincts of the Zionist society. "What was not expected, however, was the world community's silence on the escalating Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, which has left scores of martyrs and wounded people.... The Israeli escalation is a direct Israeli response to the Brussels meeting, which discussed the Arab peace plan, and a clear message to Europe, which is still not playing any effective role in the Middle East conflict.... "But it might be strange to blame the world for its silence on the new Israeli crimes against Palestinians while Arabs are asleep and doing nothing, except for some countries, including Syria, which have never failed to provide assistance to the Palestinian people to support their steadfastness in the face of attempts to harm their insistence on the liberation of their land and the restoration of their usurped rights.... "Arabs, who still hope the Israeli mentality will change, must reconsider many of their positions and must support Palestinians.... "Syria's support for the Palestinian resistance, as a right guaranteed by the UN Charter, is a result of the absence of other options, like Israel's acceptance of the logic of peace. Events prove every day that Syria's vision and reading of events and developments is correct, primarily the continuation of support for the resisting Palestinian people, whom Israel left with no other alternative for survival." Corbin