Cablegate: Syria/Eu, Syria/South Africa, Syria/Germany,

VZCZCXYZ0010
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0412/01 1201341
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 301341Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3401
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6767
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4497
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3118
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7642
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1715
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5051
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1258
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7383

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000412

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ARN, INR/IC/CD, INR/R/MR:STHIBEAULT AND
JMCCARTER, VOA NEWS CA, NEA/PPD:CBOURGEOIS, AZAIBACK, AND
AFERNANDEZ, IIP/G/NEA-SA MDAVIDSON
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC
CENTCOM FOR CCPA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR PREL KPAO OPRC SY
SUBJECT: Syria/EU, Syria/South Africa, Syria/Germany,
Lebanon, Palestinian Territories (4/30)

1. Summary: Syrian papers on Apr. 30 reported President Asad's
meeting on Apr. 29 with Louis Michel, European Commissioner for
Development and Humanitarian Aid. Talks focused on the situation of
Iraqi refugees in Syria, and Michel praised Syria's role in
accommodating and supporting them. President Asad reiterated the
importance of increasing coordination among Syria, the Iraqi
government and the European Commission to improve the situation of
Iraqi refugees and ensure them the necessary services, particularly
in education and health. Michel stressed the European Commission's
readiness to offer expertise and technical and financial aid, in
coordination with the Syrian government, to support Iraqi refugees.

Papers also reported VP Shara's and FM Mouallem's meetings on April
29 with South African Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad. Talks
focused on current regional and international developments.
Viewpoints were identical on the necessity of boosting bilateral
ties between the two countries and continuing consultation and
coordination between them.
Minister Mouallem stressed the importance of South Africa's role,
through its non-permanent membership on the UN Security Council, in
achieving security and stability in the region. Mr. Pahad hailed
Syria's role in the Middle East, pointing out the importance of
achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region based on
international resolutions.

Papers also reported VP Shara's meeting on Apr. 29 with a German
parliamentary delegation, headed by MP Joachim Hoerster. Talks
focused on the latest developments in the region, the peace process
and obstacles facing it. Shara confirmed Syria's commitment to
cooperate in efforts to achieve stability in the region based on UN
resolutions. Mr. Hoerster confirmed the important role that Syria
could play in treating issues of the region, showing readiness to
develop bilateral relations between Syria and Germany. "My visit to
Syria aims at inspecting the conditions of Palestinian and Iraqi
refugees in Syria," Hoerster added.

Independent Al-Watan quoted informed sources as saying that US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to the region aims at

SIPDIS
besieging the Palestinian resistance. The sources criticized the
Arab designation of Jordan and Egypt to talk to Israel about
accepting the Arab peace initiative.

End of summary.

2. Selected Headlines:

"President Asad reviews the status of Iraqi refugees in Syria with
EU Commissioner Louis Michel. President Asad confirms continuing
coordination among Syria, Iraq and the EU Commission. The European
Commissioner: Humanitarian action is a prelude for political
dialogue. Syria is unique in its generosity" (Government-owned
Al-Ba'th, 4/30)

"VP Shara and FM Mouallem discuss current developments and means of
boosting bilateral cooperation on all levels, with South African
Deputy FM Aziz Pahad" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 4/30)

"VP Shara discusses the peace process with a German parliamentary
delegation" (Government-owned Tishreen, 4/30)

"FM Mouallem denies allegations of arms smuggling and says that
Syria supports consensus among the Lebanese" (Government-owned
Al-Ba'th, 4/30)

"Iran announces its participation in the Sharm
al-Sheikh Conference; Larijani in Baghdad" (Independent al-Watan,
4/30)

"Olmert unleashes threats against the Palestinian resistance.
Israel confiscates more Palestinian land" (Government-owned
Tishreen, 4/30)

3. Editorial Block Quotes:

---------------------

"The Mission Is Over"

---------------------

Ali Nasrallah, a columnist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote
(4/30): "Four years ago US President Bush announced the end of
military operations in Iraq with a banner in the background saying
mission
accomplished.... The US president appears to be one of
history's strangest and rarest coincidences; he stands today to
threaten the Congress with a veto against a bill linking the funding
of the still-continuing war to a withdrawal timetable....

"The Congressional bill is logical and realistic.... It provides a
genuine opportunity to change the course of the war and find a way
out of the stalemate and the quagmire in which the Bush
administration sank after it wasted other opportunities, the latest
being the recommendations of the Baker-Hamilton Committee...."

---------------------------

"Syria Harbors Pan-Arabism"

---------------------------

Sa'dallah Barakat, a columnist in government-owned Al-Ba'th, said
(4/30): "Damascus' hosting of the Arab and Islamic Media Conference
for Supporting the Palestinian People is yet further proof that
Syria continues to play its pan-Arab role and to support the
Palestinian people against the Israeli occupation....

"Those who have applied pressure on Syria to isolate it and force it
to deviate from its pan-Arab positions and principles are once again
disappointed....

"Syria is sure that its approach and positions are correct. Those
who organized the campaigns of distortion and pressure against Syria
came out empty handed, and here they return to hold dialogue with it
and to listen to its wise advice for the good of the peoples of the
region and world peace...."

--------------------------------------------- -----

"Rice's visit to the Region Is Aimed at Besieging
the Palestinian Resistance"

--------------------------------------------- -----

An unsigned article in independent Al-Watan on (4/30) reads:
"Informed sources have stressed that the US Secretary of State's
visit to the region, and her meeting with the foreign ministers of
Arab countries that believe in peace and normalization with Israel,
was a workshop to draft new political initiatives aimed at curbing
Palestinian resistance lead by HAMAS ....

"The sources said Rice stressed to those who met with her that the
United States was unable to apply pressure on the current Israeli
government and that she knew the real solution lay in withdrawal to
a modified 1967 border. But she claimed that many obstacles still
stood in the way and that Arabs needed to encourage the activity of
the peace forces in Israel and save the current government from
collapse.

"The sources said that the decision to designate Egypt and Jordan to
make moves toward Israel and persuade it to accept the Arab
initiative reflected Arab despair regarding their ability to impose
Arab rights on the Israeli side. They said the decision renders a
service to Egypt and Jordan, which have established normal relations
with Israel and support Arab normalization with it, but it is
drawing wide criticism from local popular circles and elites....

"The sources expressed their belief that assigning them this mission
serves the interest of the Israeli side, which considers the two
countries the leaders of the moderate Arab forces in the approach to
the Palestinian cause. The sources ruled out any tangible results
from these moves, which do not rise to the level of obtaining

Palestinian rights. They noted that Egypt and Jordan failed to
attain their own rights in full and were forced to make painful
concessions from their rights of sovereignty, land, and otherwise to
sign the peace agreements.

"The sources warned that the two countries will at best work to
persuade the Palestinian side to follow their example, and that the
other Arab countries that are enthusiasti
Israel will use this as an excuse to legitimize the normalization,
which they seek and which some of them are secretly practicing these
days.

"At the same time, the sources praised the experience of the
Lebanese and Palestinian resistance, which proves that there is
another, more effective option that can be adopted collectively to
realize Arab objectives, instead of wasting time and trusting the
biased mediator that has a strategic alliance with Israel."

Corbin

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