MEDIA REACTION ON MIDDLE EAST DEVELOPMENTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 005348

SIPDIS

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TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON MIDDLE EAST DEVELOPMENTS

Summary

-- Lead stories in the Jordanian media over the past
few days, September 13-17, focuses on a number of
developments related to Iraq and Peace Process issues.
Highlighted stories focus on Iraq's "unconditional"
approval of return of the weapons inspectors to Iraq;
the Saudi Foreign Minister's remarks about Saudi
willingness to cooperate in "any U.N.-endorsed strike
on Iraq"; and President Bush's address to the U.N.
General Assembly about Iraq.

Editorial Commentary

-- "Rhetorical stances will not solve the region's
crisis"

Semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Ra'i
(09/17) editorializes: "Moving the Iraqi file to the
United Nations constituted a positive step for
American diplomacy. This means that the Arabs must
not simply rebut with rhetoric and speeches that were
used during the Cold War, and before (the attacks of)
September 11 and its repercussions. Arabs must
instead search boldly and realistically for a new form
of rhetoric that protects their principles and their
rights and that establishes a new and balanced
formula that does not fall to the favor of the
interests of opponents and enemies."

-- "Before the countdown to war begins"

Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(09/17) editorializes: "The bad omen already clear in
the Iraqi issue now is how the situation in the
Palestinian territories could develop should a war in
the Gulf region start again. It is expected that
Sharon would take advantage of the war atmosphere to
the maximum in order to implement his hellish plans
against the Palestinian people, including the transfer
of as many Palestinians as he could. We call on the
Arab leaders to make good use of the time left, before
the United States begins its final countdown to this,
to intensify their diplomatic efforts and their
international contacts not only to spare Iraq the
destruction and division, but also to spare the
Palestinian people the tragedy of another transfer."

-- "Check on implementation"

Centrist, influential among the elite, English daily
Jordan Times (09/17) editorializes: "In his address
to the 57the session of the U.N. General Assembly,
U.S. President George Bush lashed out at the U.N.
system for lacking what he called "backbone" in
standing up to Iraq. By describing the United Nations
as inept and ineffective, he called on the
international organization to get its act together
against the dangers posed by the Iraqi regime or let
the United States do the job! By taking on the United
Nations as well as Iraq, the U.S. President opened a
Pandora's box on an issue that goes beyond Iraq and
its alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction
and touches other imminent regional threats. Do we
dare ask why the resolutions on the Palestinian
question remain ink on paper? Is it not true that
these resolutions have yet to be implemented because
of Washington's opposition to them? That is why in
addressing the issue of the ineffectiveness of the
U.N. system we must not single out Iraq but also point
to other disputes over which the U.N. system failed to
demonstrate the necessary brawn to deal with them."

-- "Will America let the Security Council establish
security?"

Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(09/14) editorializes: "The United States insists on
letting the world hear the drums of war beating
against Iraq. Most world countries were relieved
about the American move to transfer the crisis with
Iraq to the United Nations. This means that
Washington, for the time being at least, has given up
on the idea of striking Iraq unilaterally. Let the
U.S. administration then allow the Security Council to
act upon their international responsibilities and
commitment to world peace. Let Washington allow the
Security Council itself to decide the extent of Iraq's
commitment to implementing Security Council
resolutions and recommendations and then decide
whether to use force. We wonder, is it in the
interest of world peace and security to jump over the
dead bodies of Palestinians and their rights to be
free and independent from the claws of nuclear
empowered state and focus on an Arab country besieged
for the past twelve years in order to search for
weapons of mass destruction that have already been
eliminated in a world war?" GNEHM