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Viewing cable 06DAMASCUS1457, Damascus Media Reaction: Arab Summit, HAMAS (3/30)

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06DAMASCUS1457 2006-04-02 11:20 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Damascus
VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #1457/01 0921120
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021120Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8047
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5851
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3732
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2221
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 6942
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0864
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4306
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0533
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6678
UNCLAS DAMASCUS 001457 
 
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: Arab Summit, HAMAS (3/30) 
 
1. Summary: Syrian papers continued to report on the Arab Summit 
in Khartoum and its final communique, which covered the 
following key points: 
 
On Palestine, the summit renewed commitment to the 2002 Arab 
peace initiative, which offered Israel a comprehensive peace in 
return for withdrawal from Arab lands. 
 
On Iraq, the summit renewed solidarity with Iraqis and their 
elected government and called for respect for Iraq's 
sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. 
 
On Darfur, the summit confirmed support for the African Union 
peacekeeping mission in Darfur and underlined rejection of 
deploying other troops in Sudan without the Sudanese 
government's permission and the UN peacekeepers' recommendation. 
 
On nuclear issues, the summit called on the international 
community to declare the Middle East a WMD-free zone, 
particularly of nuclear weapons, and to force Israel to sign the 
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and open all its nuclear 
activities to the International Atomic Energy Agency. 
 
On terrorism, the summit condemned all forms of terrorism and 
called crimes committed by terrorist groups "grave violations of 
human rights that represent a threat to the national security 
and stability of Arab countries." 
 
On Syria, the summit expressed solidarity with Syria in the face 
of international pressure and the US sanctions imposed in 2003. 
 
On Lebanon, the summit supported the Lebanese political process 
and the Lebanese resistance group Hizbollah, and called for the 
truth about the 2005 assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri and 
other recent assassinations, and expressed support for 
prosecution of the perpetrators. 
 
On religion, the summit stressed the need for co-operation, 
dialogue and mutual respect among peoples and cultures. It 
expressed absolute rejection and condemnation of any insult to 
the Prophet Mohammed and any religion or its symbols and called 
on nations to pass laws that ban such actions. 
 
End of summary. 
 
2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"The Khartoum Summit concludes deliberations. The final 
communique rejects US sanctions on Syria and supports its right 
to restoration of the occupied Golan, reiterates the importance 
of a full Israeli withdrawal to the June 4, 1967, line, 
rejects unilateral steps, respects the Palestinian choice, 
supports Lebanon in the face of Israeli assaults, supports 
Lebanese national resistance, supports the unity of Iraq and the 
Arab role in determining Iraq's future" (Government-owned Al- 
Thawra, 3/30) 
 
"Foreign Minister Walid al-Mu'allem accentuates the importance 
of President Asad's participation in the Arab Summit in 
Khartoum. Al-Mu'allem: We are satisfied with the positive 
results of the Arab summit" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 3/30) 
 
"The HAMAS cabinet sworn in. Washington suspends contacts with 
the Palestinian Authority" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 3/30) 
 
"Olmert receives first congratulation on the election of his 
party in the Knesset from Bush: Our main plan is unilateral 
disengagement from Palestinians" (Government-owned Tishreen, 
3/30) 
 
"Minister of Information Mohsen Bilal discusses with Italian 
Ambassador in Damascus, Francesco Cirolli, bilateral relations 
in the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean family" (Government- 
owned Al-Thawra, 3/30) 
 
3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
------------------- 
 
"Mere Postulations" 
 
------------------- 
 
Khaled al-Ashhab, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (3/30): "In light of the current Arab situation, no one 
expects the impossible from the Arab summit, but the Arab 
peoples hope their leaders will adhere to the basics, which 
constitute the last line of defense for the Arab nation.... 
These basics are represented by solidarity among all Arab 
countries, moral and political support for the resistance, and 
rejection of foreign dictates.... 
 
"Arabs should realize that all of them, without exception, are 
targeted.... Foreign agendas are being implemented through plans 
like the Greater Middle East Initiative, war on terrorism, and 
calls for democratization and human rights...." 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
"The Lesson of Palestinian Resistance" 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
Ahmad Sawwan, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (3/30): "Syria will continue to support the Palestinian 
people and their rights because the Palestinian issue is a 
national issue for every Syrian.... 
 
"When Syria says that HAMAS's electoral victory is a factor of 
power for Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims, it reveals a basic 
and important fact, namely, that accepting the conditions and 
dictates of occupation and all agreements of capitulation would 
harm the Palestinian cause gravely, not only because it is a 
case of national liberation for the Palestinian people, but also 
because it is the essence of the Arab-Israeli conflict. This 
dictates that HAMAS's winning of the Palestinian people's 
confidence be used to escalate the resistance and the struggle 
against the occupation and to reject all plans that do not 
ensure the attainment of all legitimate national rights of the 
Palestinian people, primarily the end of the occupation, the 
return of refugees, and the establishment of a Palestinian 
state." 
 
Seche