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Viewing cable 05DAMASCUS6687, Damascus Media Reaction: Syria/Turkey, Lebanon,

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
05DAMASCUS6687 2005-12-28 14:36 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Damascus
VZCZCXYZ0033
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #6687/01 3621436
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 281436Z DEC 05
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6368
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5687
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3591
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2050
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 6834
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0674
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4186
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0421
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6572
UNCLAS DAMASCUS 006687 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ARN, INR/IC/CD, INR/S:STHIBEAULT, AND 
JMCCARTER, 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/Turkey, Lebanon, 
Palestinian Territories, Iraq (12/28) 
1. Summary: Syrian papers today highlighted President Asad's 
interview with Turkish TV Sky News. President Asad said that 
Syrian-Turkish ties are progressing in a constant and firm 
 
way and there is a conviction among Turkish institutions, 
and many countries, that what is happening to Syria now is 
unfair and that these pressures are for political 
objectives. 
 
Talking about the economic aspects of ties with Turkey, Asad 
noted that the economic treaties were of course moving 
forward although sometimes there might be obstacles due to 
bureaucratic mechanisms either in Syria or Turkey, saying 
that these obstructions might sometimes delay 
implementation. 
 
Asad said Turkish policies have moved towards openness 
regarding neighboring countries for many years and Syria did 
not feel any change in content. 
 
Asad said that Turkey made a very courageous suggestion 
regarding the UN International Investigation Commission 
questioning Syrian officials, noting that Turkey offered the 
site of Ghazi Eintab to hold the inquires there while no 
other state made a similar offer, which we appreciate, and 
added that he does not believe that a change in ties between 
Turkey and Syria might have led to such a suggestion. 
 
"The Turkish suggestion was not accepted by the UNIIC but 
Syria approved it and considered it very good," Asad said. 
 
On the two Mehlis reports, Asad said "by all means we have 
notes on the first and second reports, and perhaps we have 
conclusions. The report is a narrative of meetings with 
persons, real and false witnesses, but in the end, the 
report said it is not over. The most serious outcome was 
that each report, which was not final, became the basis for 
UNSC decisions." 
 
Agreeing that what is happening in Lebanon puts 
international pressure on Syria, Asad said "Yes, the truth 
is that the issue is clearly political and has no relation 
to the criminal actions taking place in Lebanon," noting 
that "what we expect is that the report would be 
professional, and that means to learn in the end who 
committed the crime of killing Hariri." 
 
"We in Syria think that when this report reaches the final 
result, it will acquit Syria, that is, if it is objective, 
and free of political pressure. But regarding finger 
pointing at Syria, I have said before, of course we reject 
these accusations and condemn these crimes," Asad said. 
 
Asad emphasized that Hariri was a friend of Syria and was 
cooperative with her till the end, noting that he had made 
statements to this effect, although those who accuse Syria 
say that Syria threatened him on the subject of the 
extension of Lahoud. Asad countered that Hariri responded to 
the Syrian demand and that means Hariri had no position 
against Syria to say that he had differences with her." 
 
 "I previously declared in a clear way that if there was a 
Syrian involved in any criminal action of these operations, 
he would be tried. This is, as I said in a previous 
interview, considered treason in Syrian law," Asad said. 
 
On democratic reform in Syria, Asad added that it is 
impossible to say that this development must be rapid, 
because the issue is related to human and financial 
capabilities, as well as the political conditions the region 
and Syria are passing through. 
 
"We are under siege in everything; in technology, even the 
companies that might help us in the process of development 
are being prevented from coming to Syria," President Asad 
elaborated. 
 
On the US occupation of Iraq and the border issue, Asad said 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
that Syria has an interest in controlling borders 
independent of the US demand, adding that the Syrian-Iraqi 
borders are an old problem. 
 
"Syria has adopted procedures to control borders with Iraq, 
but if you look into the other side of the borders, you will 
notice that there no US and Iraqi measures to do likewise," 
the President added. 
On relations with the Iraqi people, Asad said that the 
Iraqis understand Syria's stance and know very well that 
Syria has no relation to terrorist infiltration into Iraq. 
 
"Terrorists are coming from other states, but the accusation 
comes to Syria... internationally, there has been more 
understanding of Syria's stance during recent months, 
particularly after the issuance of the first and second 
reports on Lebanon. So our image now is better than before; 
political games can't continue when they are based on 
illusions. They are ephemeral," Asad said. 
 
On Iraq's future and the elections, the President said that 
its future depends on the constitution and what is proposed 
regarding federalism. 
"We consider that the essence is the unity of Iraq, the 
essence of future... the essence of the region's future is 
not only Iraq, but Syria, Turkey and the other states, and 
even remote countries, whose future and stability depend on 
the future of Iraq," President Asad noted. 
 
"Any federalism built on a sectarian or racial basis will 
lead to sedition in Iraq, or to the instigation of public 
disorder among Iraqis... If there is a need or necessity for 
federalism in Iraq, it should be based only on a national 
factor," the President added. 
 
On the Syrian view of the Kurdish issue inside Syria, 
President Asad said "Kurds are a basic part of our social 
body in our region. This part is not artificial, but we 
should disentangle terrorist acts and extremist parties from 
the Kurdish issue." 
 
On the peace process, the President noted that we don't see 
any interest on the part of the Israeli government, or any 
popular Israeli inclination to peace. 
 
"Syria is still committed to the peace process based on the 
UN and Security Council resolutions... The current US 
administration doesn't show any interest or wish for peace, 
particularly on the Syrian track," Asad said. 
 
He added that if the third party (the US) and the Israeli 
party are not interested in the peace process, we don't 
expect there will be any serious move soon. 
 
In this context, Asad expressed support for a Turkish role 
in this issue. 
 
On Iran, the President said that Iran has the right to 
possess nuclear materials for peaceful purposes, but 
wondered what about the Israeli nuclear weapons... 
 
"Syria's permanent stance is to make the Middle East a WMD- 
free zone. Syria submitted a proposal in 2003 to the UN 
Security Council to free the region from (WMD)," President 
Asad added. 
End summary. 
2. Selected Headlines: 
"In a comprehensive interview with Turkish TV Sky News, 
President Asad: Our relations with Turkey are progressing in 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
a constant and firm way. The most serious outcome was that 
each report, which was not final, became the basis for UNSC 
decisions. Any federalism built on sectarian or racial 
basis, will lead to sedition in Iraq. We do not see a US and 
Israeli interest in the peace process. We are proceeding 
with the reform process; it will not stop" (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 12/28) 
"Hizbollah and Palestinian factions deny firing katousha 
missiles to the north of occupied Palestine" (Government- 
owned Tishreen, 12/28) 
 
"Two US pilots and one marine killed near Baghdad. Iraqi 
demonstrations continue in rejection of the election 
results" (Government-owned Tishreen, 12/28) 
 
"Israeli occupation forces shell northern Gaza and ignore 
random settlements. The Palestinian Authority rejects voting 
without Jerusalem even if elections are postponed and calls 
on Palestinian factions to adopt a similar position" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 12/28) 
 
3. Editorial Block Quotes: 
"Memories of a Passing Year" 
Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (12/28): "It is regrettable that Arab solidarity was 
in its worst shape in 2005, with every Arab country giving 
its individual interest precedence over the collective 
interests of the Arab nation.... Even the Palestinian cause 
is no longer among the priorities of the Arab nation..." 
"The fabricated international crisis with Syria then came as 
an opportunity for the Arabs to evade their duty and the 
remaining sense of nationalism, although everybody knows 
that Syria is paying the price of its national and pan-Arab 
positions, and that everyone is targeted by the Greater 
Middle East conspiracy and the American-Zionist plan against 
the entire region. 
"The degeneration and shallow thinking of some Lebanese, for 
example, drove them to launch a campaign against the Arab 
League SecGen for his effort to improve Syrian-Lebanese 
relations.... They are publicly calling for 
internationalization instead of Arabization. They are 
pinning their hopes and the ambitions of their suspicious 
leaderships on the American factor in particular and the 
Western factor in general. 
"We hope that 2006 will be a better year for Arab 
solidarity." 
"Colombo and Revelation of Truth" 
Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (12/28): "What is more astonishing is the calls 
unleashed by Lebanese political and media quarters 
identified with a very well-known bloc calling for an end to 
the Syrian media campaign against Lebanon. What is even more 
astonishing is the lie by this bloc that Syria is behind the 
assassinations in Lebanon, a lie that drove some Lebanese 
leaders to ask help from other Lebanese parties and from the 
outside world to get Syria to stop the assassinations. With 
regard to the assassinations, the political bankruptcy of 
this bloc made it imagine things that happen only in 
Hollywood's science fiction movies.... 
"The heroes of this bloc showed exceptional skills in 
identifying the culprits immediately after every 
assassination and installing themselves as judges and 
issuing irreversible verdicts, as they consider themselves 
the exclusive agents of the American master, the patron of 
the international school of lies, which justifies wars based 
on lies.... 
"The call for ending the Syrian media campaign is 
ludicrous.... The media machine of this Lebanese bloc has 
been involved in a vicious and unprecedented media campaign 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
against Damascus for the past 10 months, while the Syrian 
media were silent. But they proceeded with their dirty 
campaign and even encroached upon the symbols of Syria. 
Things came to a head and the Syrian media had to react, not 
to respond to the trivialities and the rancorous campaigns, 
but to expose the champions of this bloc and the grave and 
malicious objectives of this campaign, which serves nothing 
but the American Greater Middle East plan and the Zionist 
project...." 
"In the Heart of Israeli Strategy" 
Muhammad Ali Buza, an editorialist in government-owned Al- 
Thawra, said (12/28): "The Lebanese Druze leader Walid 
Jumblat, through his campaign against the Arab League SecGen 
for his efforts to end the Syrian-Lebanese tension, has 
divorced Arabism and is now in the heart of the Israeli- 
American strategy. 
"Jumblat has showed his real self as a sick man driven by 
complexes and a stupid opportunist who does not master the 
art of politics and the reading of history as much as he 
masters the language of street profanities, forging facts, 
trading in blood, rendering services paid for generously and 
in advance to the new masters at home and abroad, playing 
the exposed set role in the management of the crisis, and 
dragging Lebanon and the Lebanese into the traps of sedition 
and the conspiracy of internationalization and trusteeship. 
"Jumblat and his brokers and those who falsely raise the 
slogans of freedom and independence in Lebanon are not 
interested in knowing the truth about the Al-Hariri 
assassination or receiving any Arab official or initiative 
to correct relations between Lebanon and Syria.... They are 
interested in receiving Condaleeza Rice, US Ambassador 
Feltman, and other figures of trusteeship, interference, and 
internationalization. They are interested in opening the 
country's doors wide for the CIA, Mosad and their agents. 
They are interested in receiving instructions and guidance, 
and indeed implementing them on the ground, to lead Lebanon 
astray, drown it in fires and chaos, strip it of the 
resistance card and weapons, and besiege Syria as a prelude 
to marketing the Greater Middle East plan in the region...." 
Seche