Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02AMMAN4244
2002-07-31 09:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

JORDAN: MEDIA REACTION ON KING'S ASPEN SPEECH,

Tags:  KMDR JO 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004244

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 KING'S ASPEN SPEECH,
U.S. REGIONAL POLICY


SUMMARY

JORDANIAN DAILIES ON JULY 31 ALL LED WITH KING
ABDULLAH'S SPEECH AT ASPEN, BUT NOT HIS MEETING WITH
ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER SHIMON PERES. REPORTS ALSO
INCLUDED THE PALESTINIAN "COMMANDO" OPERATIONS AND THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF AN OFFICE TO IMPROVE THE IMAGE OF THE
U.S. ABROAD.

MANY EDITORIAL WRITERS PRAISED THE KING'S "UNEQUIVOCAL
DEFENSE OF THE NATION'S INTERESTS," WHILE OTHERS DEALT
CRITICALLY WITH DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF U.S. POLICY IN THE
REGION.


NEWS REPORTS

ALL JORDANIAN DAILIES ON JULY 31 REPORTED PROMINENTLY
KING ABDULLAH'S SPEECH AT ASPEN, BUT NOT HIS MEETING
WITH ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER SHIMON PERES. DAILIES
HIGHLIGHTED TWO ELEMENTS FROM THE SPEECH: THAT IT IS
TIME TO ESTABLISH JUSTICE AND PEACE FOR THE PALESTINIAN
AND ISRAELI PEOPLE, AND THAT THE ARABS' CONFIDENCE IN
THE INFLUENCE OF THE U.S. IS LOW.

DAILIES ALSO REPORTED THE PALESTINIAN "COMMANDO"
OPERATIONS, IN WHICH "TWO MARTYRS" FELL.

SEMI-OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI WAS THE
ONLY DAILY TO QUOTE THE WASHINGTON POST'S ARTICLE
CLAIMING THAT PRESIDENT BUSH HAS DECIDED TO OPEN AN
OFFICE "TO IMPROVE AMERICA'S IMAGE ABROAD."


EDITORIAL COMMENTARIES

-- A VOICE OF MODERATION
THE LEADER COMMENTARY IN CENTRIST, INFLUENTIAL AMONG
THE ELITE ENGLISH DAILY JORDAN TIMES ON JULY 31 READ:
"DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE UN AND IRAQ IS THE KEY TO
RESOLVING THE CONFLICT WITH IRAQ. WAR MUST NOT BE AN
OPTION. HARDLINERS IN THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION WHO ARE
PROMOTING THE MILITARY APPROACH ARE OFFERING A RECIPE
FOR DISASTER. THE KING WILL BE PRESENTING SOLID VIEWS
ON HOW TO PEACEFULLY RESOLVE THE TWO MOST EXPLOSIVE
ISSUES IN THE REGION. THEY ARE ARGUMENTS THAT THE U.S.
PRESIDENT WOULD DO WELL TO TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY."

-- IRAN AND SYRIA NEXT
PROMINENT DAILY COLUMNIST URAIB AL-RANTAWI WROTE IN
CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR ON
JULY 31: "THE HAWKISH CURRENTS IN WASHINGTON AND TEL
AVIV NO DO NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT SYRIA AND
IRAN MAY BE AT THE TOP OF THE AMERICAN/ ISRAELI WAR
AGENDA AFTER IRAQ. IN FACT, THERE IS ALREADY TALK
WITHIN THESE CURRENTS ABOUT A `MULTI-TRACK WAR.' IT
WOULD APPEAR THAT WASHINGTON'S HAWKS HAVE REACHED THE
CONCLUSION THAT ISRAEL'S DIRECT ENTRY INTO FUTURE WARS
IS NO LONGER A BARRIER AGAINST THE DECISION TO WAGE
WAR. IF THIS PESSIMISTIC SCENARIO COMES TRUE THEN THE
RESHUFFLING OF CARDS TOWARDS CHAOS WILL BE COMPLETE AND
THE REGION WILL TRULY JUMP INTO THE UNKNOWN."

-- REFORMING THE AMERICAN "AUTHORITY"
COLUMNIST USAMA AL-SHARIF WROTE IN CENTER-LEFT,
INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR ON JULY 31: "THE
AMERICAN PRESS NOW WAILS ABOUT THE NEED FOR TOTAL
REFORM IN CONGRESS, THE WHITE HOUSE, AND WALL STREET
BEFORE THE ECONOMY COLLAPSES TOTALLY. BUT PRESIDENT
BUSH DOES NOT SEEM TO TAKE THESE DEMANDS SERIOUSLY
BECAUSE HE IS OBSESSED WITH FIGHTING TERRORISM AND
CONVERTING HIS COUNTRY INTO AN IMPREGNABLE FORTRESS. IN
FACT, HE IS BEHAVING LIKE A HIJACKER WHO IS PILOTING
HIS HIJACKED AIRPLANE DELIBERATELY TO CRASH IT AGAINST
THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY. INTERESTINGLY, ARAFAT CAN
TODAY VINDICATE HIMSELF BY ASKING MR. BUSH TO PUT HIS
OWN HOUSE IN ORDER BEFORE ADDRESSING ADVICE ABOUT
REFORMING THE PNA." GNEHM