US embassy cable - 05DAMASCUS5936

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAMASCUS 005936 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ARN, INR/IC/CD, INR/S:STHIBEAULT 
VOA NEWS CA, NEA/PPD:CBOURGEOIS, DBENZE AND AFERNANDEZ, 
IIP/G/NEA-SA RWINCHESTER 
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC 
CENTCOM FOR CCPA 
 
E.O.12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KMDR, PREL, KPAO, OPRC, SY 
SUBJECT: Damascus Media Reaction: Syria/Libya, Syria/Iran, 
President Asad Speech, Al-Hariri Investigation, Iraq, 
Palestinian Territories (11/14) 
 
1.  Summary:  Syrian papers reported the visit of  a  Libyan 
delegation carrying a message of solidarity with Syria  from 
Colonel Qaddafi. 
 
Papers also reported the visit to Damascus by the Iranian 
FM, who will supposedly be mediating between Syria and 
Lebanon to ease the recent tension caused by President 
Asad's speech. 
 
Headlines featured an official Syrian statement denying 
reports carried by Al-Jazeera that MFA's legal advisor Riad 
Al-Daoudi has reached an agreement with the International 
Investigation Commission, and denouncing a statement by 
Iraqi Defense Minister Al-Dulaymi that booby-trapped cars 
are entering Iraq across the Syrian border. The source 
described Al-Dulaymi's accusations as "baseless" and 
"irresponsible." 
 
End of summary. 
 
2. Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad receives a message of solidarity from 
Colonel Qaddafi and discusses current developments and 
pressure on Syria with members of the General Secretariat of 
the Arab Nationalist Congress" (Government-owned Tishreen 
11/14) 
 
"Lebanese demonstrations of protest expand, carrying a 
political message: Western custodians are concerned about 
the Al-Saniora government. Arslan [Chairman of the Lebanese 
Democratic Party]: Any incursion into Syria will lead to an 
earthquake in the region" (Government-owned Tihshreen, 
11/14) 
 
"Iranian FM Manojahr Mattki is due in Damascus today to 
discuss developments in the region with Syrian officials" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 11/14) 
 
"Responsible source denounces Iraqi Defense Minister's 
statement: It is baseless and part of a programmed political 
campaign to sabotage affinities between the two brotherly 
peoples" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/14) 
 
"An MFA source denies reports carried by Al-Jazeera that 
MFA's legal advisor Riad Al-Daoudi has reach an agreement 
with the International Investigation Commission: Mehlis has 
refused to conduct his investigation in Syria or under the 
umbrella of the Arab League" (Government-owned Tishreen, 
11/14) 
 
"Syrian working masses send a message to UN SecGen: The UN 
must not market colonial goals, the policy of hegemony over 
people and violation of the dignity of other countries" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 11/14) 
 
"Al-Shara discusses current developments in the Palestinian 
arena with Talab Al-Sane', Arab member of the Kenesset, 
emphasizing the importance of solidarity and national unity" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 11/14) 
 
"Israeli forces attack Jenin. Two Palestinians martyred. 
Palestinian FM Al-Qudwa warns against the danger of Israeli 
policies for negotiations" (Government-owned Tishreen, 
11/14) 
 
"Iraqi President Talabani: British forces could leave Iraq 
in one year" (Government-owned Syria Times, 11/14) 
 
3. Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
"If it Is not Targeting, What is it? Izz-al-Din al-Darwish, 
an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, commented: "We 
do not know how President Bush and his Secretary of State 
Rice find all this time every day to talk about Syria, level 
charges at it, attempt to interfere in its internal affairs, 
and discuss minor details that do not befit the president of 
a superpower. 
"When President Bush attends a conference or an 
international economic forum, he does not find it 
embarrassing to mention the name of Syria and attack it 
repeatedly as he speaks. He does the same thing when he 
attends a domestic US event, such as the commemoration of 
Veterans' Day two days ago. Delivering a speech to mark this 
occasion, he devoted part of his speech to attacking Syria 
and accusing it of things that no sound intellect would 
accept, regarding Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq. 
"President Bush says Syria interferes in Lebanon's internal 
affairs. This statement is absolutely untrue. As a matter of 
fact, Lebanon, which is subject to US tutelage, has now 
become a place and passageway for conspiracy against Syria, 
as President Asad pointed out in his speech.... 
"President Bush says Syria blocks the Israeli-Palestinian 
peace process. However, everyone knows that no such process 
exists. Also, everyone knows that Syria has always supported 
peace and that it hasn't interfered in Palestinian affairs, 
as the Palestinian people, the Palestinian Authority and 
Palestinian factions have testified.... 
"President Bush says Syria does not prevent armed men from 
entering Iraq across it border, but this statement is sheer 
allegation, or, rather, a deliberate false charge. Syria 
does not want to cause harm to its brothers in Iraq.... 
"UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who is supposed to be the 
main figure responsible for the multinational forces in 
Iraq, said in a clear voice in a televised interview that he 
has no evidence to show that armed men infiltrate Iraq from 
across the Syrian border. 
"With regard to Rice's statements on Syria and what she 
concocts against it, they outdo President Bush's statements 
by a great deal. Many people said that Rice would be more 
rational, given her knowledge and academic position. 
However, this view seems to have disappeared in front of the 
sweeping flood of the neo-conservatives...." 
"They Have Got the Wrong Address" 
Muhammad Ali Buza, an editorialist in government-owned Al- 
Thawra, wrote: "President Asad, in his speech, clearly 
diagnosed the problem with some of the superpowers and the 
reasons behind the vicious campaigns and pressure against 
Syria.... 
"The Asad speech exposed the nature of the onslaught and the 
plan that targets this region and this nation.... It is 
therefore natural for Bush and Rice to attack and distort 
the speech and to reiterate the fabricated accusations and 
provocative statements.... 
"Threats do not frighten or intimidate us, because we are 
innocent and have a just cause. The Asad speech had the 
firmness, decisiveness, pride, position, and political 
wisdom that make it harmonious with the sentiments of the 
Arab public, expressing this public's aspirations and its 
will to resist and stand fast as the way to face the 
challenge and prevent chaos." 
"Pressure of Waiting" 
Ali Qasim, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
said: "Detlev Mehlis' rejection of all invitations to visit 
Syria raises questions about the credibility of the 
investigation.... The investigation commission has not been 
active in the past few days.... Maybe Mehlis wants to stall 
for time until 15 December to ask for another extension and, 
consequently, keep the region under the pressure of waiting 
additional months, during which the United States will have 
prepared other files to push into the crisis." 
"Many people believe that this is the reason behind the 
investigation commission's sluggishness in responding to the 
Syrian calls and rejecting Syria's proposals for 
cooperation.... The UN secretary general and the Security 
Council member states need to play their roles and examine 
the reasons that drive the commission to slow its work and 
reject the Syrian proposals...." 
Seche