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Viewing cable 06DAMASCUS86, Damascus Media Reaction: Khaddam, Mubarak/Chirac Summit,

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06DAMASCUS86 2006-01-05 12:36 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Damascus
VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0086/01 0051236
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (508)
O 051236Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6479
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5707
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3606
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2068
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 6843
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0697
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4201
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0434
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6585
UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000086 
 
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: Khaddam, Mubarak/Chirac Summit, 
Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Iraq (1/5) 
1. Summary: Syrian papers today reported that the Finance 
Ministry has frozen the assets of Khaddam's wife, sons, 
grandchildren and their husbands and wives with the aim of 
 
securing the sum which will be revealed by the judicial 
investigation. The decision came in response to the deliberation 
in the last session of the People's Assembly. During that 
session, Syrian MPs asked to freeze Khaddam's assets and 
investigate the sources of his money, in addition to the decision 
of the cabinet to open Khaddam's corruption file. 
Papers also reported President Mubarak's meeting with President 
Chirac, saying that talks focused on the situation in the Middle 
East, particularly Syria and Lebanon, quoting Jerome Bonnafont, 
Spokesman for the French Presidency, who added "France calls on 
all countries concerned to respect international resolutions and 
offer full cooperation to the International Investigation 
Commission." 
On developments in the Palestinian territories, papers reported 
a statement by Mofaz, Israeli Minister of War, that Israel is 
ready to negotiate with Hamas if it wins in the Palestinian 
election, provided that it abandons its arms and turns into a 
political movement. 
 
As for Iraq, papers reported that the Bush Administration does 
not intend to request that Congress allocate funds for 
reconstruction in Iraq and that the White House hopes that the 
world community will contribute to this process. 
 
End summary. 
 
2. Selected Headlines: 
 
"Seizure of assets of Khaddam, wife, sons and grandchildren" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/5) 
 
"Lebanese criticism of declarations for aggravating tension with 
Syria. Al-Hoss: Why the insistence upon acquitting Israel of the 
assassination crimes? Lebanese scholar Fadhlallah: Lebanon is an 
open stage for contradictions in accordance with US desires" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 1/5) 
 
"Lebanese circles: Israel is the sole beneficiary of the 
repercussions of crimes in Lebanon" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
1/5) 
"Mubarak and Chirac discuss the situation in the Middle East" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 1/5) 
 
"Palestinian elections: Israeli occupation will negotiate with 
Hamas if it wins in the Palestinian election, provided that it 
abandons its arms. Abbas denies any disagreement with Palestinian 
factions" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/5) 
 
"Palestinian militants break through the Rafah border crossing. 
The Palestinian Authority proposes collecting Palestinian 
factions' arms for the safety of the elections"  (Government- 
owned Al-Ba'th, 1/5) 
 
"Bush does not intend to request that Congress allocate funds for 
reconstruction in Iraq" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 1/5) 
 
"Scores of Iraqis killed in a series of explosions. Bush: Troops 
will be reduced at the end of the year if political and security 
progress is achieved"  (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/5) 
 
3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
"The Hour of Truth Is Approaching" 
---------------------------------- 
Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(1/5): "President Bush's administration gives itself the right to 
interfere in the affairs of other nations and uses the United 
Nations to serve its own purposes.... The US Administration 
justifies deliberate killing as an element of the fight against 
terrorism, assassination crimes as acts of self-defense, and 
destruction of peoples and countries as a legitimate effort to 
/ 
/ 
/ 
/ 
/ 
 
spread democracy and freedom.... 
"In the age of American power, politics has become the art of 
lying and the ability to fabricate accusations and obliterate 
facts.... 
"We still remember the US lies about the Iraqi war.... The US is 
ready to repeat the same scenario against Syria.... 
"Today the picture is repeated and the scene remains the same: 
lies, fabrications, accusations, false witnesses who receive 
their 'wages' in advance, and a group of rancorous people, 
renegades from Arabism, and applauders of Washington and Tel Aviv 
-- all in a vicious onslaught against Syria in an attempt to harm 
it and its policies and national and pan-Arab positions because 
of its opposition to the American and Zionist plans." 
"This campaign will not succeed.... We are not worried about 
Syria's future. We are not frightened by the threats and lies 
within this onslaught, despite its ferocity. This is because we 
count on a moment of truth that will inevitably come. Then, not 
only will Bush and his senior aides be compelled to admit 
mistakes and lies, but also all those pitiful ones who sold 
themselves to the devil in return for a handful of dollars and 
promises of posts and privileges that will never come." 
-------------------- 
"Culture of Chisels" 
-------------------- 
Khalid al-Ashhab, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
commented (1/5): "While military force can occupy and control 
lands, it cannot create a new culture.... 
"The United States has so far won its war on terror. It overthrew 
two political regimes by steel and fire. But despite steel and 
fire, it failed to establish an alternative cultural system in 
Afghanistan, Iraq, or even Russia.... 
"If American military power occupies Iraq and Afghanistan in 
full, and besieges other countries and societies, such as Russia, 
why are the power of American culture and the geography of its 
occupation confined to the Green Zone in central Baghdad, to the 
periphery of Karzai's palace in Kabul, and to Russia's outside 
border? 
"Chisels cannot play the role of words. This means that 
multipolarism still exists in the fabric of international 
relations despite the ferocity of the 'democratic' American 
onslaught and despite the domination and hegemony of power.... 
"The prevailing culture in the world today shows the dirty 
American face in the Arab region, Europe, and Latin America...." 
Seche