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