PRESIDENT BUSH'S RAMADAN GREETING:

UNCLAS AMMAN 006520

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA, DAS CHENEY; NEA/P, ANNE CASPER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KMDR JO
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT BUSH'S RAMADAN GREETING:
DISTRIBUTION AND MEDIA COVERAGE

REF: STATE 220289


1. PRESIDENT BUSH'S NOVEMBER 5 RAMADAN GREETING
RECEIVED WIDE MEDIA PLACEMENT IN JORDAN. PA AMMAN
DISTRIBUTED THE STATEMENT TO EACH OF THE LOCAL
DAILIES, FOLLOWED BY PERSONAL PHONE CALLS TO EDITORS-
IN-CHIEF, RESULTING IN PLACEMENT IN EACH OF JORDAN'S
ARABIC AND ENGLISH DAILIES TODAY, NOVEMBER 6.
HEADLINES READ: "BUSH CONGRATULATES MUSLIMS ON THE
BEGINNING OF THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN" (AL-DUSTOUR
AND AL-RA'I); "BUSH OFFERS HIS BEST WISHES TO MUSLIMS
ON THE OCCASION OF THE BEGINNING OF THE HOLY MONTH"
(AL-ARAB AL-YAWM); "U.S. PRESIDENT GREETS MUSLIMS ON
RAMADAN" (JORDAN TIMES). ADDITIONALLY, THE PETRA NEWS
AGENCY, JORDAN'S OFFICIAL WIRE SERVICE, CARRIED A
REPORT ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT, QUOTING
EXCERPTS FROM THE MESSAGE.


3. ELECTRONIC MEDIA COVERAGE: RADIO SAWA, JORDAN'S
MOST POPULAR RADIO STATION AMONG YOUTH AUDIENCES,
REPORTED THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT THROUGOUT THE DAY
AT EACH OF ITS QUARTER HOUR NEWS BULLETINS. PA AMMAN
ALSO MADE THE STATEMENT AVAILABLE TO THE JORDAN
TELEVISION AND RADIO SERVICES AND WILL MONITOR THOSE
OUTLETS FOR PLACEMENT.

GNEHM