Syria/Italy, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Peace

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000802 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/Italy, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Peace Conference (8/7) ¶1. Summary: Syrian papers on August 7 reported that President Asad received a phone call from the Italian Prime Minister on August 6 focusing on the situation in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. On Iraq, papers continued to report the increasing number of US casualties in Iraq. Independent al-Watan featured a Congressional investigation on the loss of one third of the weapons provided to the Iraqi army by the Pentagon which increased fear that these weapons are used by armed militias to kill US soldiers. Al-Watan also reported the meetings of the security committee on Iraq that emerged from the Sharm al-Sheikh Conference that will be held in Damascus on August 8. End of summary. ¶2. Selected Headlines: "President Asad receives a phone call from Italian Prime Minister Prodi on developments in Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon" (Government-owned Tishreen, 8/7) "Meetings of the security committee on Iraq that emerged from the Sharm al-Sheikh conference will be held in Damascus on August 8" (Independent al-Watan, 8/7) "Sixteen US soldiers killed and injured in Iraq since the beginning of August. The cycle of violence reaps more victims. The political crisis is on the rise" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 8/7) "The loss of one third of the weapons provided to the Iraqi army by the Pentagon" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 8/7) "America and Iran discuss security in Iraq. Americans are killed by their own weapons" (Independent al-Watan, 8/7) "The Lebanese by-elections in the Metin region end with a resounding failure for the governing team. Lahoud confirms commitment to the constitution and calls for a salvation government" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 7/8) "Abbas and Olmert discuss general issues without touching upon substantive issues. Hanieh considers a the meeting a cover for US policies" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 8/7) ¶3. Editorial Block Quotes: -------------- "One Who Lacks Something Cannot Give it" -------------- Muhammad Khair al-Jammali, an editorialist in government-owned �A;Al-Thawra, wrote (8/7): "No one can believe that President Bush, who pursues a policy of destructive wars, can turn overnight into a man of peace working for a settlement in the Middle East.... There is political trickery in President Bush's call for a Middle East peace conference.... The conference is intended to deepen the division among Arabs and countries of the region through axes and alliances and push them toward new conflicts that serve the interests of Israel and neoconservatives for decades to come.... "This view is substantiated by the fact that the call for the conference was accompanied by diplomatic and military activity led by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.... The US Administration, through this activity, wants to classify countries of the region into moderates and extremists and conclude suspicious arms deals as a prelude to igniting destructive regional conflicts.... "Bush's call for a peace conference at a time when he promises to ensure Israel's strategic superiority over all Arabs and countries of the region and at a time when he refuses to stop the war in Iraq and abandon the policy of threats, which is the antithesis of peace and the call for it, is almost similar to his false call for the liberation of Iraq and the promotion of democracy in it, a call that ended with the destruction of Iraq.... "The proposed conference lacks the bases, principles, and terms of reference that make it a peace conference.... We wish that those who welcomed Bush's call would realize that those who chase after wars, conflicts, chaos, and seditions cannot make peace." -------------- "They Have Only Themselves to Blame" -------------- Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote (8/7): "Some Arabs still insist on calling President Bush's offer regarding the region an initiative, although the White House clearly explained that the offer does not amount to an initiative and that it is only a call for a meeting under American chairmanship to discuss peace in the region.... "What makes things worse is that the so-called moderate media outlets -- which are in fact outlets of money and subservience -- never cease trumpeting Bush's meeting and its privileges and positive reflections on the region. "So it is natural for a general state of fear and caution to dominate the Arab public, which, by virtue of its awareness, intuition, and experience, read Bush's offer well and realized its ulterior motives and dangers.... "In fact, all this American activity is meant to normalize Arab relations with Israel, not to bring about peace. The evidence is the secret and public plans to drag as many Arabs as possible to a meeting with Bush and take pictures of them beside the Israeli delegation.... "Observers are also mindful of the fact that the matter does not stop with Israel's rejection of peace, a rejection that is known and tangible. It goes beyond that: The US Administration applies pressure on Israel to maintain this rejection of peace and to prevent it from entering into peace talks. This has been acknowledged by informed American and Israeli authorities. Bush's call does not carry peace signals. This is what Syria and most of the Arab countries have stressed. Those who praise, cooperate, and go for gratuitous normalization will have only themselves to blame." -------------- "A US Development Plan for Ten Years to Come" -------------- As'ad Abbud, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote (8/7): "The weapons the United States is sending to the region are sufficient to continue the destruction of the region for years to come. Only Israel will be spared the terrorism of the American terrorist plan, as the weapons are given on condition they are not used against Israel.... "Are weapons what the region needs for life, democracy, environment, future, and the fight against terrorism? We are not begging, but we are drawing attention to the fact that the region needs development, not weapons.... "They offer all these [weapons] to fight Syria, Iraq, and Iran while they prevent the export to Syria of a small machine for an operation room in a hospital in a remote village! Do you see what kind of democracy they want for us? It is the democracy of killing, death, and destruction. This is their plan to develop the region." Corbin