Syrian Press Highlights 02 Apr 07

The following are highlights of the Syrian press on the internet on 2 April.

Pelosi’s visit

Tishrin welcomes US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Damascus tomorrow and says in a 500-word editorial by Izz-al-Din al-Darwish: “Everyone, both in and outside the United States knows that Syria is open to dialogue with Americans in the administration, Congress, and other institutions. Syria is interested in listening to the Americans’ views and also interested in ensuring that they know its true stands.” Al-Watan cites a ranking Syrian official saying US House of Representatives’ Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Syria tomorrow will provide an opportunity for Syria to express its positions and explain that it has never been part of the problems of the region.

Visit to Syria by three Republican representatives

While the three official newspapers publish only the brief Syrian News agency reports on the meetings that Republican House of Representatives members Frank Wolf, Joe Pitts, and Robert Aderholt separately held with President Bashar al-Asad and Foreign Minister Walid al-Mu’allim in Damascus on 1 April, the independent Al-Watan refers to the statement that the three representatives issued after the meeting and describes it as a slap in the face of the hoped-for Syrian-American dialogue. The paper says the representatives’ statement reiterated the US Administration’s demands of Syria and brought us back to square one.

Olmert statements on Syria negotiations

In a 700-word article in Tishrin, Ahmad Suwwan says Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert “lied” when he blamed Syria for the failure of the previous negotiations. The writer reviews the progress of the negotiations from the beginning and blames their failure on the Israeli positions, stressing that in all the rounds of negotiations “Syria was serious in the achievement of peace based on the exchange of land for peace and Israel’s full withdrawal to the 4 June 1967 line.” He says the negotiations accomplished about 80 per cent of the solution. If Olmert is serious about the revival of the peace negotiations, he says, then only 20 per cent of the solution is left to be discussed if the negotiations resume from where they left off, “which is the only way for peace.”

UN secretary-general remarks on weapon smuggling

In a 600-word article in Al-Thawrah, As’ad Abbud advises UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon not to hasten to adopt positions or make statements based on media reports or preconceptions and before getting the complete picture, especially when it comes to the Middle East. He faults Ban on his remark in the Arab summit that he supports Lebanese Prime Minister Al-Sanyurah, who represents part of the Lebanese, and his disregard for the Lebanese president who was representing all the Lebanese in the summit. He also criticizes the secretary-general for his announcement in Lebanon that he “saw pictures on the smuggling of weapons to Lebanon.” Noting that Al- Sanyurah himself announced on the same day that he had no evidence of smuggling of weapons, the writer urges Ban to be careful in his judgments, especially when it comes to pictures. He reminds him of Colin Powell’s pictures in the Security Council before the Iraq war, the pictures that resulted in “the biggest crime in history.” Arab Summit

In a 500-word article in Al-Thawrah, Muhammad Khayr al-Jammali says the Arab summit in Riyadh “succeeded in laying the foundations for breaking the state of Arab stagnation and impotence through the adoption of clear and daring positions towards most of the pan-Arab issues and the concerns of the Arab people, from the Palestinian question to the plight of Iraq to the unjust American pressure on Syria and Lebanon.” The writer calls for translating the summit resolutions into actions and tangible facts on the ground.

Other issues

Against the German chancellor’s statements in the Palestinian territories, Umar Jaftali says in a 400-word article in Tishrin that Europe’s political activity remains largely “subservient” to the policies and wishes of the US Administration, “which is biased towards Israel.” The writer criticizes Europe’s decision to deal only with some Palestinian ministers to the exclusion of others and Europe’s call on the Palestinian government to meet certain conditions that Israel does not meet. And as a champion of democracy and human rights, the writer says, the EU must deal with the Palestinian government as one team “because it is a national unity government produced by genuine election.”

Al-Watan reports that the State Security Court sentenced three detainees to various prison terms.

Within its interviews with the leaders of the parties of the National Progressive Front on the upcoming People’s Assembly election, Al-Ba’th publishes a 1,500-word interview with Ghassan Ahmad Uthman, secretary-general of the Democratic Arab Union Party. He says the Syrian democratic experience always expressed the Syrian people’s objectives and ambitions. He says he is confident the next People’s Assembly will be an effective tool to introduce advanced legislation to advance the development and modernization process in the country. Syria Times cites the finance minister explaining Syria’s efforts to join the World Trade Organization and continue the economic reform process. Al-Watan publishes a 1,400 word interview with the new chief of the State Planning Agency on the Syrian economy and the future plans.

Sources: As listed

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