US embassy cable - 05DAMASCUS6392

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAMASCUS 006392 
 
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: OIC Summit, Syria, 
Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Palestinian Territories (12/8) 
 
 
1. Summary: Syrian papers today focused on the summit of the 
Organization of Islamic Conference in Mecca. Papers reported 
FM Shara's representation of President Asad and the meetings 
he held on the sidelines of the conference with Iraqi 
President Talabani, King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa of 
Bahrain, Arab League SecGen Amr Mousa, and Palestinian PM 
Ahmad Ahmed Qurei. Headlines featured the address of Saudi 
Arabia's King Abdullah at the opening session in which he 
called for moderation, saying "Islamic unity can't be 
achieved through the spilling of blood, as claimed by 
deviant people with their dark ideas." Speeches delivered at 
the opening session of the Islamic Summit underlined the 
importance of enhancing solidarity with all OIC countries to 
face challenges and threats targeting them. They also 
highlighted the necessity of resisting all extreme trends 
against Islam as well as deepening cooperative relations 
among Islamic countries in all domains. 
 
All papers reported that Syrian anti-terrorism forces seized 
a bomb-making factory in Aleppo containing all necessary 
materials and tools to make bombs as well as the means for 
training in terrorist operations and carrying out bombings 
against public installations, government buildings, and 
security offices. They anti-terrorism forces also stormed 
the hideout of a terrorist Takfiri group [those who accuse 
other Muslims of being infidels] and critically wounded two 
of its members. The documents that the forces seized from 
the group enabled them to uncover plans for monitoring 
government officials and buildings and public installations. 
Before they died of their critical wounds, the two wounded 
terrorists admitted, that the Takfiri group intended to 
establish contacts with similar groups operating in the 
countries neighboring Syria. They also admitted that they 
planned to rob banks, shops, and financial establishments to 
finance their terrorist operations. In their recent 
operations against Takfiri terrorists, the anti-terrorism 
forces seized several weapons and explosive caches in 
various hideouts in Aleppo Governorate and the Damascus 
suburbs. Some of the weapons entered the country from 
Lebanon. They were seized during an attempt to take them 
back to Lebanon, fleeing from the security pursuit. 
 
End of summary. 
 
2. Selected Headlines: 
 
"Foreign Minister Al-Shara represents President Asad at the 
opening session of the extraordinary Islamic Summit in 
Mecca. Shara reviews developments in Iraq with Iraqi 
President Talabani and agrees to intensify contacts. Shara 
reviews current developments and the situation in the 
Palestinian territories with King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa 
of Bahrain, Arab League SecGen Amr Mousa, and Palestinian PM 
Ahmad Ahmed Qurei" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 12/8) 
"Anti-terrorism forces seize a bomb-making factory and storm 
hideouts of terrorist Takfiri group in Aleppo and Damascus 
suburbs. Terrorists monitored government officials and 
buildings and public installations. Military rifles, machine 
guns, bombs, explosive materials, detonators, and various 
communication devices were seized. Some of the weapons 
entered the country from Lebanon and were seized during an 
attempt to take them back to Lebanon, fleeing from the 
security pursuit" (Government-owned Tishreen, 12/8) 
"Berri [Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament]: Pressure on 
Syria has nothing to do with the Al-Hariri assassination. 
New York Times: The international investigation is cracking" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 12/8) 
"Al-Chaalan [former Iraqi Defense Minister]: Syria has 
embraced thousands of Iraqis; aggression toward Syria is a 
violation of Arab values" (Government-owned Tishreen, 12/8) 
"Bush highlights Iraqi reconstruction to counter deep 
mistrust of his policy. Death toll rises to 40 in Iraqi 
Police Academy bombings" (Government-owned Syria Times, 
12/8) 
"An Israeli raid on Gaza; One Palestinian martyred, 8 
injured. Scores of Palestinians arrested in the 1948 
territory. The Palestinian Legislative Council amends the 
election law" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 12/8) 
 
"Tehran takes US threats seriously. Ivanov [Russian Minister 
of Defense]: We have full right to sell weapons to Iran" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 12/8) 
 
3. Editorial Block Quotes: 
"A professional political Charlatan" 
Khalid al-Ashhab, an editorialist in government-owned Al- 
Thawra, on (12/8) attacked Walid Junblatt, leader of the 
Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party, without naming him: 
"He is a charlatan and a backstabbing ally who for over 30 
years loudly applauded Syria's role in Lebanon's security 
and stability and talked about the brotherhood of blood and 
fate and the strategic alliance and then suddenly made a U- 
turn in a way that can only be interpreted in the chemistry 
of treachery and the policy of betrayal.... 
"His [Junblatt's] statement that Syria is threatening 
Lebanon's security and stability means that in the past 30 
years he was one of two things:  A professional political 
charlatan who lied to and misled his people through his 
secret or public alliance with the party that -- as he 
 
SIPDIS 
claims today -- sabotages Lebanon and threatens its security 
and stability, in which case he deserves to be stoned by the 
Lebanese people before anyone else; or he is a nave idiot 
who has been tricked for 30 years by a simple political 
game, in which case he does not deserve to be a leader, a 
symbol, or a representative of a people or part of a 
people...." 
"'Shebaa' Is a Crack in the Wall of Lebanese Isolationists" 
Ali Al-Siwan, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (12/8): "The isolationist Lebanese who bet on 
Detlev Mehlis to harm Syria will always continue their anti- 
Syria efforts.... 
"These Lebanese approach the issue of the Shebaa Farms from 
the perspective of collusion with the enemy and abandonment 
of pan-Arab commitments. They deny Hizbollah's sacrifices 
and Syria's efforts to save Lebanon from sedition and 
partition.... 
"These Lebanese isolationists are arguing about the identity 
of the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms -- whether Syrian or 
Lebanese -- in an attempt to withdraw Lebanon from the Arab- 
Zionist conflict.... 
"These Lebanese are in a dilemma: They do not want to accept 
that Shebaa Farms is Lebanese territory, so that these farms 
will not remain an excuse for Hizbollah to keep its weapons. 
At the same time, they do not want to take into 
consideration Syria's reasoning for delaying the demarcation 
of the Lebanese-Syrian border until after the liberation of 
the farms from the Israeli enemy, so that the June 4, 1967 
border will not remain an excuse in Syria's insistence upon 
international legitimacy in any significant peace 
process...." 
"Tehran's Strength Is in its Solid Position" 
Hanan Hamad, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (12/8): "Tehran's reaction to the recent Israeli 
threat against Iranian nuclear installations was stronger 
than usual.... 
"Israel and the United States know that Iran is not an easy 
target.... Iran has used its strong cards skillfully, 
forcing the other side to withdraw threats to refer its 
nuclear file to the Security Council and even to negotiate 
with it over security in Iraq.... 
"Iran is an example that must be followed in confronting the 
tyranny of force and adhering to the power of resolve...." 
 
Seche