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Viewing cable 06DAMASCUS63, Damascus Media Reaction: Khaddam's Statements to Al-

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06DAMASCUS63 2006-01-04 13:20 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Damascus
VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0063/01 0041320
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 041320Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6452
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5705
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3603
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2066
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 6841
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0690
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4199
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0432
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6583
UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000063 
 
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's Statements to Al- 
Arabiya, Al-Ghajar village, Palestinian Territories, Iraq (1/4) 
 
 
1.  Summary: Al-Ba'th reported a statement issued by the Khaddam 
family in the Syrian region of Banias expressing "rejection and 
denunciation" of Abdul-Halim Khaddam's statements to Al-Arabiya 
and saying that the former VP expressed his personal views only. 
The statement says the family members stand on the side of their 
people against "the campaign of pressure and fabrications that 
target Syria as a result of its firm and principled positions in 
defending the nation's dignity and rights." 
Papers also reported President Mubarak's visit to Jeddah to meet 
King Abdullah for talks on the situation in Syria in light of the 
UN commission's request to interview President 
Bashar Asad and FM Sharaa, after former Syrian VP Khaddam's TV 
interview last week in which he alleged that Asad had threatened 
Hariri several months before his assassination. 
 
Syrian papers also reported that Israel is planning to build a 
wall between the two halves of al-Ghajar village, a divided 
village on the Syrian-Lebanese border under Israeli occupation. 
Israel is planning to evacuate some of the inhabitants from their 
houses. It is inhabited mainly by Alawites, most of whom have 
obtained Israeli citizenship, even though they consider 
themselves Syrians. In Beirut, Lebanese President Emile Lahoud 
urged Foreign Minister Fawzi Salukh to "move rapidly to oppose 
this new Israeli plan, which forms part of Israel's repeated 
aggressions against the sovereignty of Lebanon". Hundreds of al- 
Ghajar residents demonstrated in their village, calling on the 
Lebanese government and Hizbollah to prevent Israel form building 
the separation wall. Al-Ghajar witnessed fierce fighting in late 
November when three members of Lebanon's Shiite militia Hizbollah 
were killed after they launched an attack on Israeli troops in 
the village, in an apparent bid to kidnap soldiers. Israeli jets 
subsequently fired missiles on three suspected Hizbollah 
positions, on the outskirts of al-Ghajar. The village is an 
extension of the Syrian Golan Heights plateau, which Israel 
occupied during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and then annexed in 
1981. 
 
End summary. 
 
2.  Selected Headlines: 
"PM Ottri: Khaddam was against democracy and the march of reform" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 1/4) 
"Lebanese and Iranian newspapers: Khaddam's statements serve 
Israel and America" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 1/4) 
"King Abdullah and President Mubarak discuss current developments 
in the Arab arena" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 1/4) 
"The Syrian people of al-Ghajar village demonstrate against 
dividing their village and demolishing their houses and address a 
message to UN SecGen Annan: The Israeli decision contradicts 
international law and the Geneva Convention.... We are not 
settlers, but Syrian Arabs.... We will not give up one iota of 
our land" (Government-owned Tishreen, 1/4) 
"President Lahoud of Lebanon calls for confronting the Israeli 
plot in al-Ghajar. Former PM Al-Hoss denounces Lebanese voices 
rushing to acquit Israel [of crimes perpetrated in Lebanon]" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 1/4) 
"Over 14 Iraqis killed in a US raid against Beiji, including 
children. Sister of the Iraqi Interior Minister is kidnapped. Two 
US marines killed in a helicopter crash near Baquba. The 
electoral commission acknowledges forgery in elections" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 1/4) 
"Palestinian warnings against the danger of the Israeli 
excavations under al-Aqsa Mosque" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
1/4) 
3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
"The Story of General Petain and General de Gaulle" 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (1/4) on former Vice President Abdul-Halim Khaddam's 
statements to Al-Arabiya TV: "Are the chapters of the major 
conspiracy against Syria being finalized...? 
"There are cascades of dollars pouring on the heads of all the 
individuals and groups that have agreed to play preset roles in 
this conspiracy.... The truth will one day come out and expose 
those who have worked to fabricate lies against Syria and 
conclude suspicious deals to betray it.... 
 
 
 
 
and saying that the former VP expressed his personal views only. 
The statement says the family members stand on the side of their 
people against "the campaign of pressure and fabrications that 
target Syria as a result of its firm and principled positions in 
defending the nation's dignity and rights." 
Papers also reported President Mubarak's visit to Jeddah to meet 
King Abdullah for talks on the situation in Syria in light of the 
UN commission's request to interview President 
Bashar Asad and FM Sharaa, after former Syrian VP Khaddam's TV 
interview last week in which he alleged that Asad had threatened 
Hariri several months before his assassination. 
 
"It was no surprise to see a person without identity or 
affiliation coming out from the ranks to try to stab Syria in the 
back to serve the American-Zionist plan in return for dollars, 
instant 'privileges', and post-dated promises.... The homeland 
remains bigger than those individuals who race to harm Syria.... 
"Let's recall the story of French General Henri-Philippe Petain, 
who went down in history as a traitor for selling out his country 
to the Nazis in World War II, and General de Gaulle, who 
struggled for French freedom and reaped the fruit of victory.... 
There is a lesson in this story that should be considered...." 
----------------------------------- 
"Dwarfs at the Time of Resistance" 
----------------------------------- 
Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(1/4): "What hurts our people most is to see a known corrupt 
person discussing corruption, shirking his responsibilities, and 
claiming innocence, transparency, and chastity -- traits that he 
never enjoyed.... 
"The timing of Khaddam's statements is incomprehensible.... 
Khaddam's statements coincided with the appointment of a new 
chief for the IIC -- which has lost a lot of its credibility -- 
and with meetings that took place between Khaddam and Israeli FM 
Shallom in Paris and with officials from international 
intelligence services, including Mossad agents.... 
"Will retaliation for a position or privileges come at the 
expense of people and homeland? The Syrian people will not 
forgive those who have harmed Syria -- homeland and people -- and 
worked with parties hostile to it...." 
------------------------------- 
"A Debased Commodity Shows its True Character" 
------------------------------- 
Dr. Turki Saqr, a columnist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(1/4): "I laughed when I heard the hypocrite Khaddam saying he 
used to call for public freedoms and political pluralism in the 
Syrian leadership meetings. 
"I knew Khaddam for more than 25 years as an official who 
practiced repression and destructive guidance to kill public 
liberties in general and press freedoms in particular. 
"Khaddam went mad when I and other journalists wrote in Al-Ba'th 
newspaper about a number of corruption cases, some involving his 
sons, in the early nineties.... Khaddam applied much pressure and 
used threats against me and other editors of the Al-Ba'th 
newspaper. In the Ninth Ba'th Party congress Khaddam did not 
allow me to discuss freedom of the press and expression and 
restrictions on the Syrian journalists. When I started talking he 
stopped me and uttered expressions that reflected a despotic 
mentality that completely disregards other voices and views. 
"Khaddam was also the one who hindered the implementation of the 
Al-Ta'if agreement in Lebanon, as this served his personal 
interests...." 
Seche