Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02AMMAN3793
2002-07-10 14:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

JORDAN: MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ, OCCUPIED

Tags:  KMDR JO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003793

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR,
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD
USAID/ANE/MEA
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL
USCINCCENT/CCPA, USCENTCOM REAR MACDILL AFB FL
NICOSIA FOR ILMG
STATE PASS TO AID

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN: MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ, OCCUPIED
TERRITORIES

SUMMARY

NEWS REPORTS IN JORDAN'S DAILIES CONCENTRATED ON THE
KING ABDULLAH-PRESIDENT PUTIN'S AFFIRMATION THAT THEIR
COUNTRIES REJECT MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ,
PRESIDENT BUSH'S CONFIRMATION THAT THE U.S. WILL WORK
BY ALL MEANS TO CHANGE THE IRAQI REGIME, THE JORDANIAN
GOVERNMENT'S ATTEMPT TO CALM THE CONTROVERSY
SURROUNDING ITS DECISION TO FACILITATE THE PASSAGE OF
PALESTINIANS FROM THE WEST BANK TO JORDAN, AND AN
INTERVIEW WITH JORDAN'S AMBASSADOR DESIGNATE TO THE
U.S.

EDITORIAL WRITERS COMMENTED ON THE PRESIDENT'S REMARK
ON IRAQ AND THE SITUATION IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES


NEWS REPORTS

JORDANIAN DAILIES ON JULY 10 ALL LED WITH REPORTS ON
THE STATEMENT BY KING ABDULLAH AND RUSSIAN PRESIDENT
PUTIN, IN WHICH THEY AFFIRMED THEIR COUNTRIES'
REJECTION OF A MILITARY STRIKE AGAINST IRAQ.

DAILIES ALSO QUOTED PRESIDENT BUSH'S ASSERTION THAT THE
U.S. IS WORKING BY ALL MEANS TO CHANGE THE IRAQI
REGIME.

CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR
CARRIED A FEATURE ON THE IRAQI PRODUCTS FAIR IN AMMAN
THAT ATTRACTED A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, ACCORDING TO
THE REPORT.

THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR COMMENTED FOR THE SECOND TIME
IN THREE DAYS ON THE JORDANIAN GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO
FACILITATE THE PASSAGE OF PALESTINIANS COMING FROM THE
WEST BANK. HE STRESSED THAT PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO
HUMANITARIAN CASES AND THAT JORDAN WILL CONTINUE
WORKING TO SUPPORT THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR
INTERVIEWED JORDAN'S AMBASSADOR DESIGNATE TO THE U.S.
KARIM QAWAR, WHO SAID THAT THE WOULD WORK TO EXPAND
JORDAN-U.S. RELATIONS IN ALL FIELDS.


EDITORIAL COMMENTARIES

-- BUSH RAISES THE RED CARD
PROMINENT DAILY COLUMNIST DR. FAHED AL-FANEK WROTE IN
SEMI-OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI ON JULY
10: "BUSH IS DOES NOT RAISE THE RED CARD AS A FAIR
INTERNATIONAL REFEREE, BUT AS THE LEADER OF THE MOST
POWERFUL NATION ON EARTH, WHICH GIVES HIM NON-
NEGLIGIBLE WEIGHT. AT THE SAME TIME, NO ARAB REGIMES
WILL DEFEND ARAFAT'S LEADERSHIP OF THE PALESTINIANS
BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO UPSET THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT OR
BET ON A LOSING HORSE. ARAFAT SAID WHILE UNDER SIEGE
IN RAMALLAH THAT HE WOULD NOT BE AN EXILE OR A
PRISONER, BUT A MARTYR. BUT MARTYRDOM IS NOT LIMITED
TO LAYING DOWN ONE'S LIFE. IT CAN INCLUDE FORSAKING
ONE'S POSITION. FRIENDS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE ARE
BORED WITH THEIR OWN WARNINGS AGAINST THE MONOPOLY OF
POWER AND CORRUPTION THAT THREATENED THE FUTURE OF THE
PALESTINIAN ENTITY. THESE WARNINGS WERE IGNORED,
PERMITTING THE ENEMIES OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE TO USE
THE SITUATION CREATED BY ARAFAT TO DESTROY THE
PALESTINIAN DREAM."

-- NORMALIZATION WITH THE ENEMY BARS THE ROAD TO PEACE
TAHER AL-ADWAN, CHIEF EDITOR OF INDEPENDENT, MASS-
APPEAL ARABIC DAILY AL-ARAB AL-YAWM WROTE ON JULY 10:
"WHAT PRESIDENT BUSH DESCRIBED AS PROGRESS IN
PALESTINIAN REFORMS DOES NOT MATCH THE REALITY OF THE
SITUATION BECAUSE TALK OF REFORMS UNDER OCCUPATION IS
LIKE HAVING HAPPY DREAMS IN THE MIDDLE OF A GRAVEYARD.
THE PALESTINIAN-ISRAELI MEETINGS ARE NOT STEPS TOWARDS
A PEACE PROCESS, BUT FORCED PALESTINIAN NORMALIZATION
WITH THE OCCUPATION. THIS PALESTINIAN AND ARAB
NORMALIZATION WITH THE PRESENT REALITY WILL ONLY TEMPT
SHARON TO CONTINUE DESTROYING THE PEACE PROCESS WITH
THE PALESTINIANS. THE RETURN TO THE PEACE PROCESS WILL
NOT START WITH PALESTINIAN REFORMS BUT WITH
INTERNATIONAL LEGITIMACY AS EXPRESSED IN SECURITY
COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS FROM 242 TO 1397. IGNORING ISRAELI
SAVAGERY THAT IS JUSTIFIED BY THE NEED TO KEEP ISRAEL
SAFE WILL ONLY SPELL DANGER TO THE WHOLE REGION."

-- AMERICAN THREATS TO STRIKE IRAQ
THE LEADER COMMENTARY IN CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL
ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR ON JULY 10 SAID: "PRESIDENT
BUSH HAS STARTED AGAIN TO ISSUE THREATS OF A MILITARY
STRIKE AGAINST IRAQ. THIS TIME HE DOES NOT BOTHER TO
GIVE ANY PRETEXTS, BUT STATES OPENLY THE OBJECTIVE THAT
THE U.S. KEPT HIDING AND DENYING FOR 12 YEARS, WHICH IS
TO REPLACE THE IRAQI REGIME BY ONE MADE IN AMERICA. WE
REALIZE THAT OUR VOICES WILL BE DROWNED BY THE NOISE OF
AMERICAN WEAPONRY, BUT STILL WE WARN THAT THE RESULT OF
THE NEW AGGRESSION WILL HURT NOT ONLY 20 MILLION
IRAQIS, BUT ALL ARABS. IT WILL NOT SERVE EVEN THE
INTERESTS OF THE U.S. NOR ANYONE EXCEPT PERHAPS ISRAEL,
WHICH CONTINUES TO URGE WASHINGTON TO DESTROY IRAQ AND
WEAKEN THEN ARABS." GNEHM