Cablegate: Damascus Media Reaction: Syria/Canada, Syria/Lebanon,
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OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHDM #5345/01 3331502
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291502Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2528
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6403
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4201
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2796
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7382
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1414
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4766
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0981
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7116
UNCLAS DAMASCUS 005345
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/Canada, Syria/Lebanon,
EU-Med Conference, Syria/South Africa (11/29)
1. Summary: Syrian papers on November 29 reported that the Foreign
Ministry summoned the Canadian ambassador to Damascus, Mark
BelliO1, to protest Canada's vote against the two resolutions
adopted by the UN Human Rights Council regarding the Israeli
violations in the occupied Syrian Golan and the Palestinian
territories. "This negative voting obviously contradicts all claims
of human rights protection and will encourage Israel to commit more
crimes in the occupied Arab lands," a Ministry statement said.
Papers also reported that on November 28 the military commander of
the takfiri Tawhid and Jihad Organization, Umar Abdallah, alias Umar
Hamra, a Syrian national about 28 years old, tried to cross from
Syria to Lebanon at the Judaydat Yabus border post using a fake ID.
When confronted, he opened fire on members of the Syrian Public
Security with a pistol and tried to escape. While being chased, he
detonated an explosive belt he was wearing, killing himself and
wounding two Public Security personnel. Authorities immediately
rushed to the scene and launched an investigation. Abdallah had
nine fake identity cards in his possession.
Papers continued to feature more Arab and foreign condemnations of
the assaults against Syrian workers in Lebanon and cited a statement
by resigned Lebanese Minister of Labor Trad Hamadeh, who said that
"such acts and behavior are condemned and unacceptable to the
Lebanese; we must punish all those who committed these hostile
acts." Hamadeh called upon all Lebanese media to expose everyone
who tries to harm Syrian workers in Lebanon, in order to protect
their security, lives and interests in Lebanon.
Government-owned Tishreen reported Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal
al-Meqdad's meeting with South African Intelligence Minister Ronnie
Kasrils on Nov. 28. Kasrils described Syria as a regional power
whose role is active and important to establish security and
stability in the region, saying that all world powers must benefit
from Syria's role because Syria can help a lot. "We are happy that
the USA, Europe and Britain have begun to realize Syria's
significant role in the region," Kasrils stated to SANA, noting that
his country rejects every policy that aims to isolate states and
peoples instead of enhancing dialogue among them.
End of summary.
2. Selected Headlines:
"The Foreign Ministry summons the Canadian ambassador to Damascus,
Mark Belli[O2], to protest the negative position adopted by his
country at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva" (Government-owned
Al-Ba'th, 11/29)
"Foreign Minister Walid al-Mouallem meets Spanish FM Miguel Angel
Moratinos and takes part in the EU-Med Conference discussions.
Al-Mouallem: The absence of serious peace initiatives in the region
undermines genuine efforts to prevail[O3] stability and prosperity
in it" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/29)
"International Trade Unions Federation condemns assaults against
Syrian workers in Lebanon" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/29)
"Syria announces that Umar Hamra, the terrorist and military
official of the takfiri Tawhid and Jihad organization blew himself
up at the Syrian-Lebanese border when he was intercepted by Syrian
security forces" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/29)
"Kofi Annan and Jimmy Carter call for openness towards Syria and
Iran" (Government-owned Tishreen, 11/29)
3. Editorial Block Quotes:
------------------
"Raising Sedition"
------------------
Ali Qasim, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote
(11/27): "There are indications that the actual objective of
Minister Al-Jumayyil's assassination was to create domestic strife
and drag Lebanon into a civil war, allowing some people to regain
their old glory as warlords and enabling others to maintain their
status as warlords after the breakdown of their popular base and the
disintegration of the state of mobilization, which was exploited in
the worst possible way to serve personal objectives, with the
Lebanese people as the real losers....
"Government forces are pushing the Lebanese situation toward further
tension to cover their growing bankruptcy.... The Lebanese people
must be cautious and must block the efforts of those who try to
tamper with civil peace....
"The governing team in Lebanon is being used to realize Israeli
objectives and save American plans from the failure they are
facing."
--------------------------------------------- ----------
"Ja'ja Predicts, and the Lebanese Government Lets Pass"
--------------------------------------------- ----------
Isam Dari, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote
(11/29): "Shortly before Al-Jumayyil's assassination, Samir Ja'ja,
leader of the Lebanese Forces Party, predicted that assassinations
against ministers and parliament members would take place, saying
that he got his information from government sources....
"The government deliberately ignored Ja'ja's predictions because it
needed a scapegoat for what was happening at the Security
Council....
"Those who planned and implemented the crime are logically known but
they are still unknown to the February 14 groups, which wanted to
use the crime to continue releasing their venom and hatred toward
Syria and to break the back of the opposition by fracturing it and
preventing it from organizing popular moves to bring down the
Feltman-Al-Saniora government...."
--------------------------------------------- ----------
"Syrian Workers in Lebanon, a Trick Used Another Time!"
--------------------------------------------- ----------
As'ad Abbud, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote
(11/29): "Those who attack Syrian workers in Lebanon are tools
charged by the political novices in Lebanon, from the dirty trio of
Sa'd al-Hariri, Walid Junblatt, and Samir Ja'ja, to the media
outlets, to the 'tea' group" [REFERENCE to acting Interior Minister
Ahmad Fatfat and his security agencies; the security men who were
stationed in Marj Uyun barracks during the recent Israeli invasion
of south Lebanon reportedly offered tea to the Israeli soldiers when
they entered the barracks.]
"What prevents those who offer tea to the invading occupation forces
while their country is bleeding on all sides and its children are
dying under the rubble, from hurting Syrian workers...?
"What justifies the presence of Syrian workers in Lebanon...? The
Syrian Ministry of Labor is to blame for its failure to secure jobs
for these Syrian workers who endanger their lives by seeking jobs in
Lebanon...."
Corbin
[O1]Check spelling
[O2]spelling?
[O3]Wrong verb. Prevail can't take an object.