DAMASCUS MEDIA REACTION, NOVEMBER 10, 2008: PRESIDENT

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000791 DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/PPD, NEA/ELA, INR/NESA, IIP, PA, ECA, BEIRUT FOR SISSON, GRANT, LENZEN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAO SY SUBJECT: DAMASCUS MEDIA REACTION, NOVEMBER 10, 2008: PRESIDENT AL-ASAD'S NOVEMBER 9 SPEECH AND OBAMA'S ROLE IN RE-OPENING THE AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER AND SCHOOL. -------------- News Reports: -------------- ¶1. Syrian papers dedicated their front-page headlines and editorials to President al-Asad's November 9 speech at the opening session of the Arab Transitional Parliament. He called on the United States to pull its troops out of Iraq claiming, "The presence in Iraq of American occupation forces is a permanent threat to neighboring countries and an element of instability in the region." All papers carried the speech's full text and the conference's final communiqu, which condemned the alleged U.S. attack in Abu Kamal describing it as "a flagrant violation of international law." ¶2. Sada Souria, an unofficial sounding-board for the SARG, and Damas Post, a pro-SARG website, reported on FM Mouallem's interview with Qatar's Al-Sharq Newspaper. FM Mouallem stated reopening the American School and the American Cultural Center depends on the new U.S. administration. He said the new administration must adopt a "course that is completely different from the current U.S. administration's; a course that relies on a serious and objective dialogue with Syria. Only then we will witness an improvement in Syrian-U.S. relations." When asked about the Obama administration's role in the solving the Middle East crisis, he said "Obama's era will be different from Bush's era for one reason that the failure of Bush's domestic and foreign policies has caused Obama's victory." He expressed hope that achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region will be one of Obama's priorities. He said that "Arabs are ready for peace, but we must know Israel's intention on making peace." -------------- Selected Headlines: -------------- ¶3. Tishreen (SARG-owned newspaper, circ. 20,000) "President Asad Inaugurates Opening Session of the Arab Transitional Parliament: We Aspire for the Arab Parliament to be the Center for Joint Arab Action" ¶4. Al-Thawra (SARG-owned newspaper, circ. 70,000) "President Asad Addresses the Transitional Parliament Session: We Persist in Our Rights and Building up Our Strength and Will Present No Concessions to Israel ... The Security Agreement [between Baghdad and Washington] Makes Iraq a Base to Strike at Neighboring Countries" ¶5. Al-Watan (Private newspaper, circ, 25,000) "President Asad Addresses the Arab Peoples through Their MPs ... President Asad Calls for Arab Solidarity ... The Arab Parliament Denounces the U.S. Aggression within Syrian Territories and Calls for Addressing its Consequences" -------------- Key Editorial: -------------- ¶6. Al-Ba'ath, "The Sublime Pan-Arab Voice" Shawkat Abu-Fakhr, an Al-Ba'ath commentator, wrote: "President Asad's speech was the sublime pan-Arab voice all over the Arab world in defending legitimate Arab rights and just Arab causes despite challenges and obstacles .... President Asad's speech confirms the soundness of Syria's course despite the fierce and brutal campaigns of aggression and allegations in the last few years. Syria did not lose the compass and still sticks to its pan-Arab and nationalist principles .... No concessions on rights and no bargaining .... As President Asad confirmed, it is no longer acceptable for Arabs to prove their readiness for peace as a strategic option while Israel continues to occupy Arab lands, dispel its inhabitants, and commit the ugliest massacres under the slogan of peace and security." CONNELLY