Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02AMMAN7308
2002-12-17 06:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

JORDAN: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION ON MEPI

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 04 AMMAN 007308

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: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION ON MEPI

SUMMARY

-- THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE MIDDLE EAST PARTNERSHIP
INITIATIVE (MEPI) RECEIVED EXTENSIVE COVERAGE IN THE
JORDANIAN PRESS OVER THE WEEKEND, DECEMBER 13-16. THE
SPEECH RECEIVED FRONT-PAGE COVERAGE IN ALL OF JORDAN'S
ARABIC DAILIES ON THE 13TH, WITH REPORTING BASED ON
WIRE SERVICE REPORTS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE INITIATIVE
HAS BEEN A MAIN SUBJECT FOR JORDANIAN COMMENTATORS.
EARLY REPORTING CARRIED STATEMENTS BY JORDAN'S KING
ABDULLAH II WELCOMING THE INITIATIVE, AND INDICATING
THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF JORDAN SUPPORTS THE MAIN AIMS OF
THE INITIATIVE AS A MEANS TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN THE
MIDDLE EAST. COMMENTARY HAS BEEN MIXED, WITH MANY
WRITERS WELCOMING THE INTRODUCTION OF THE IDEAS
INFORMING THE INITIATIVE INTO PUBLIC DEBATE, WHILE
REMAINING SUSPICIOUS OF ULTIMATE U.S. MOTIVES AND
CALLING FOR GREATER "BALANCE" IN U.S. POLICIES TOWARD
THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT.

EDITORIAL COMMENTARY

-- "MEPI AND THE NEED FOR REFORM"

PROMINENT DAILY COLUMNIST URAIB AL-RANTAWI WROTE IN
CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR
(12/14): "THE NEED FOR POLITICAL, ECONOMIC,
ADMINISTRATIVE, AND FISCAL REFORM IN THE ARAB WORLD IS
REAL, EVEN IF IT IS THE AMERICANS THAT TELL US ABOUT
IT. WE SHOULD NOT SUSPEND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS WAITING
FOR A SOLUTION TO THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT."

-- "THE ROAD MAP TO DEMOCRACY"

DAILY COLUMNIST JAMIL AL-NIMRI WROTE IN INDEPENDENT,
MASS-APPEAL ARABIC DAILY AL-ARAB AL-YAWM (12/14): "WE
WELCOME THIS POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE POSITION BECAUSE
WE VALUE DEMOCRACY AND YEARN TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY IT.
WE CHALLENGE THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION TO IMPLEMENT
THIS INITIATIVE AS A PACKAGE, AND WE SHALL ASSUME THAT
POWELL'S WORDS SPRING FROM A CONVICTION. BUT WE MUST
REPEAT TO THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION FOR THE THOUSANDTH
TIME THAT THE KEY TO GAINING THE CONFIDENCE OF THE ARAB
PEOPLES IS THROUGH SOLVING THE PALESTINIAN PROBLEM.
THIS IS NOT NEW, SO WILL THE DIALOGUE OF THE DEAF
CONTINUE? ARAB INTELLECTUALS ARE NOW CONVINCED THAT
THE PROBLEM IS NOT ONE OF CONVINCING THE AMERICAN
ADMINISTRATION, BUT THE LACK OF AN AMERICAN WILL THAT
IS INDEPENDENT OF ISRAEL'S WISHES. IN THIS CONTEXT, ANY
PRESSURE ON ARAB REGIMES WILL FAIL BECAUSE IT WILL BE
SEEN AS ZIONIST PRESSURE FOR SUSPECT REASONS, AND EVEN

DEMOCRATS WILL FEEL THE NEED TO ATTACK IT."

-- "MEPI, AN ATTEMPT TO FILL THE GAP OF HOPE"

RAMADAN RAWASHDEH WROTE IN SEMI-OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL
ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI (12/14): "INTERNATIONAL POLITICS IS
NO LONGER CONCERNED WITH WHAT IS CALLED NATIONAL
SOVEREIGNTY, BECAUSE GLOBALIZATION ALLOWS THE FLOW OF
FUNDS AND INFORMATION WITHOUT CENSORSHIP OR BORDERS AND
WITHOUT THE CONTROL OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS
LOSING MUCH OF ITS PREROGATIVES TO BUSINESS GROUPS,
CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTIONS, AND THE FREE MEDIA."

-- "THE AMERICAN PROGRAM TO REFORM AND IMPROVE LOGIC"

DAILY COLUMNIST MAZEN AL-SAKET WROTE IN CENTER-LEFT,
INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR (12/14): "THE
PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT SHOULD NOT BE A COVER TO ADDRESS
THE CAUSES OF HATRED AND ENMITY TOWARDS AMERICAN
POLICY. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD START WITH
UNDERSTANDING THAT ARABS HAVE INDEPENDENCE AND RIGHTS."

-- "TALK AND CONVICTIONS"

PROMINENT DAILY COLUMNIST TARIQ MASARWAH WROTE IN SEMI-
OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI (12/14):
"SECRETARY POWELL MERITS APPLAUSE BECAUSE, AFTER A YEAR
OF HEARING THE UNITED STATES THREATEN WAR, HE CHOSE A
DIFFERENT LANGUAGE. WE WISH SINCERELY THAT HIS CALL IS
SINCERE, BUT WE ARE CONVINCED THAT IT IS NOTHING BUT A
SPECIOUS PROPAGANDA EXERCISE TO EMBELLISH THE IMAGE OF
THE UGLY AMERICAN. IT IS NOT A CALL FOR GOOD, BUT A
WAVING OF THE STOUT STICK. IS DEVELOPMENT IN PALESTINE
TO BE ACHIEVED BY REOCCUPYING THE LAND AND DESTROYING
THE PALESTINIANS' AUTHORITY? IS IT POSSIBLE THAT HE
SEEKS WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF IRAQIS, WHEN HE
IS THE SUCCESSOR OF THE SECRETARY WHO SAID OPENLY THAT
THE DEATH OF HALF A MILLION IRAQI CHILDREN IS
ACCEPTABLE? CAN THE LEBANESE BE ASKED TO COOPERATE
WITH AN INITIATIVE THAT DICTATES TO THEM AND THAT DUBS
THE HEROES THAT LIBERATED THE SOUTH OF LEBANON AS
TERRORISTS? WOULD THIS NOT BE A CALL FOR THE RETURN OF
THE OCCUPATION?"

-- "WHO IS PREVENTING PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS?"

DAILY COLUMNIST MAHMOUD AL-RIMAWI WROTE IN SEMI-
OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI (12/14):
"SINCE SECRETARY POWELL'S INITIATIVE CALLS FOR REFORMS
IN THE ARAB WORLD, WE SHOULD TAKE NOTE THAT PEOPLE OF
THE REGION SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE ELECTIONS.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXPOSE THE ONGOING (US-ISRAELI)
COLLUSION THAT PREVENTS THE PEOPLE OF THE WEST BANK AND
GAZA FROM HAVING THEIR ELECTIONS. THIS CONSTITUTES A
FLAGRANT CONTRADICTION WITH THE AIMS OF THE PRESENT
INITIATIVE."

-- "ONE MORE ABOUT MEPI"

DAILY COLUMNIST URAYB RINTAWI IN CENTER-LEFT
INFLUENTIAL AL-DUSTOUR ARABIC DAILY COMMENTED FOR A
SECOND CONSECUTIVE DAY ON MEPI (12/15). HE VIEWS THE
THREE "PILLARS" OF THE INITIATIVE, ECONOMIC REFORM,
POLITICAL REFORM AND EDUCATIONAL REFORM, AND SAYS THAT
THAT THE AMERICAN VIEWPOINT OF THE ARAB WORLD IN THESE
FIELDS IS JUSTIFIED. ON THE ECONOMIC FRONT, RINTAWI
SAYS THAT THE "ARAB IMAGE THAT SECRETARY POWELL
PORTRAYED IS AS SHAMEFUL AS IT CAN BE" AND GOES ON TO
REVIEW THE SECRETARY'S STATISTICS ABOUT THE
DETERIORATION OF ARAB ECONOMIES. ON THE POLITICAL
FRONT, RINTAWI SAYS THERE IS MUCH TO BE DONE. ON THE
EDUCATION FRONT, RINTAWI SAYS THE SAME THING. RINTAWI
MOVES ON TO JORDAN AND SAYS THAT THE SECRETARY POWELL
DID NOT MENTION JORDAN WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT PROMISING
COUNTRIES IN THE FIELD OF DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM AND
WONDERS WHETHER "THE PROBLEM IS WITH POWELL OR WITH
US".

-- "POWELL AND THE ARABS: INCREASING DEMOCRATIC
IMMUNITY!"

DAILY COLUMNIST YASER ZAATREH WRITES IN AL-DUSTOUR
ABOUT MEPI (12/15). HE BEGINS BY VIEWING THE ECONOMIC
STATISTICS QUOTED BY SECRETARY POWELL AND THE CLAIM
THAT THE DETERIORATION IN THE ARAB WORLD PRODUCED THE
9/11 ATTACKERS. ZAATREH ARGUES THAT THE 9/11 ATTACKERS
DID NOT SUFFER FROM UNEMPLOYMENT OR POVERTY, AND THAT
THE FACT THAT THEY WERE "LOW ON DEMOCRACY" SHOULD HAVE
COMPELLED THEM TO ATTACK THEIR OWN GOVERNMENTS RATHER
THAN THE U.S. HE ASKS SECRETARY POWELL: "DIDN'T YOUR
ADVISORS TELL YOU THAT SUCH A DEMOCRACY WILL BRING MORE
CONTEMPT FOR THE UNITED STATES?" HE GOES ON TO SAY
THAT THE US ADMINISTRATION REFUSES TO DEAL WITH FACTS
ON THE GROUND THAT LED TO THE 9/11 ATTACKS, NAMELY THE
FACT THAT "THE CONTEMPT FOR THE UNITED STATES STEMS
ONLY FROM THE UNITED STATES' HUMILIATION OF ARABS AND
MUSLIMS, FROM STEALING THEIR WEALTH AND FORTUNE AND
FROM SUPPORTING THE KILLING OF THEIR CHILDREN IN
PALESTINE, THE MOST SACRED AND MOST IMPORTANT CAUSE FOR
THE MUSLIMS."

-- "A FAILING RECIPE FOR A DISTORTED SITUATION"

DAILY COLUMNIST MUSA HAWAMDEH IN AL-DUSTOUR (12/15)
ARGUES THAT THE U.S. IS ONLY INTERESTED IN DEMOCRACY IN
AS FAR AS IT SERVES ITS OWN INTERESTS, THAT THE
"DEMOCRACY THAT WASHINGTON WANTS IS A DISTORTED KIND OF
DEMOCRACY. THE UNITED STATES WANTS TO OPEN THE ARAB
LANDS FOR AMERICA FIRST, THEN IT WANTS TO GIVE ORDERS
AND TO GET RID OF ANYTHING THAT COULD CREATE ANIMOSITY
FOR THE UNITED STATES." HAWAMDEH CONCLUDES THAT THE
UNITED STATES "WOULD SAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IF IT
WOULD DEAL WITH THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION AS A SOURCE OF
TERROR AND WORRY, AND IF IT WOULD CONSIDER THE IDEA
THAT ITS INTERESTS MAY NOT NECESSARILY COME INTO
CONFLICT WITH ARAB INTERESTS IF IT WOULD BECOME AN
HONEST COUNTRY AND APPLY UN RESOLUTIONS" TO ISRAEL.

-- "AN IMPOSED PARTNERSHIP?"

DAILY COLUMNIST HILMI AL-ASMAR IN AL-DUSTOUR WONDERS
(12/15) WHETHER MEPI IS AN "IMPOSED" PARTNERSHIP AND
WHETHER THE "OTHER PARTNER", THE ARABS, WANTS THAT
PARTNERSHIP. AL-ASMAR SAYS THAT HE DOES "NOT HOLD ANY
PERSONAL GRUDGE AGAINST AMERICA AND ITS CITIZENS. IN
FACT I AM JEALOUS OF THEIR GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS AND THEIR
CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROGRESS OF HUMANITY." HE ADDS
THAT "AT THE SAME TIME, I BELONG TO A PEOPLE WHO SEE
THEMSELVES AS VICTIMS OF AMERICA, JUST AS MUCH AS THEY
SEE THEMSELVES VICTIMS OF DILAPIDATING ARAB AND ISLAMIC
REGIMES WHO ACQUIRED THEIR OPPRESSIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE
'LEGITIMACY' FROM AMERICA'S UNLIMITED SUPPORT".

-- "WHAT HINDERS DEMOCRACY IN THIS REGION?"

DAILY COLUMNIST JAMIL NIMRI WRITES (12/15) IN AL-ARAB
AL-YAWM ABOUT THE OBSTACLES OF DEMOCRACY IN THE ARAB
WORLD. HE SAYS THAT "IF THE REGIMES IN THIS REGION
WERE TO ABIDE BY WHAT POLLS AND BALLOTS TELL THEM, THEY
WOULD BE FACING A REAL DISASTER, BECAUSE THE PUBLIC
WANTS WHAT THESE REGIMES CANNOT ACCEPT, SUCH AS
FIGHTING ISRAEL AND THE AMERICAN ANTICIPATED WAR ON
IRAQ." NIMRI MAINTAINS THAT "THE REGIMES HAVE
DEVELOPED AN IRON GRIP ON AUTHORITY BECAUSE THEY DO NOT
TRUST, IN VIEW OF THEIR CURRENT POLICIES THAT ARE
'REQUIRED BY THE WEST', THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO STAY
IN POWER FOR A DAY IF THE FINAL WORD IS GIVEN BACK TO
THE PEOPLE." NIMRI CONTINUES TO ARGUE THAT "NATIONAL
AND RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM FEEDS OFF THE CONFLICT IN
PALESTINE" AND THAT "SINCE THE CALL [FOR DEMOCRACY] IS
COMING FROM THE UNITED STATES, ISRAEL'S ALLY WHO
ACCEPTS EVEN SHARON'S BLOODY POLICIES, IT IS DIFFICULT
TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE UNITED STATES IS GOING TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUPPORT OF DEMOCRACY WITHOUT
CONTRIBUTING TO RESOLVING THE PALESTINIAN ISSUE."





--THE PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE, WHY DID THE REGIMES FAIL
TO PRODUCE ONE?

COLUMNIST JAMAL AL-TAHAT WROTE IN SEMI-OFFICIAL
INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI ON DECEMBER 16: "THE
VALUE OF THE INITIATIVE DOES NOT LIE IN THE FUNDS
ALLOCATED TO IT, BUT IN THE IDEA ON WHICH IT IS BASED.
BUT IT IS ALSO AN EXPRESSION OF THE TOTAL ARAB FAILURE,
TO THE POINT WHERE IT SEEMS AS IF THE U.S. IS SIDING
WITH THE ARABS AGAINST A BACKWARDNESS THAT IS OF THEIR
MAKING."

-- JORDAN AND THE PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE

PROMINENT DAILY COLUMNIST URAIB AL-RANTAWI WROTE IN
CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR ON
DECEMBER 16: "JORDAN HAS A NATIONAL INTEREST IN THE
SUCCESS OF THE AGENDA, REGARDLESS OF WHAT POWELL SAID
OR DID NOT SAY, AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT ANY OTHERS MAY
SAY. ONE SHOULD NOT REST ON THE ASSURANCE OF AMERICA'S
FRIENDSHIP BECAUSE NO COUNTRY WAS A CLOSER FRIEND OF
THE U.S. THAN SAUDI ARABIA, AND RELATIONS BETWEEN THE
TWO HAVE NOW DETERIORATED. ONE WOULD BE WISE TO SET
ONE'S HOUSE IN ORDER BEFORE HE IS COMPELLED TO SET THEM
IN ORDER ON UNFAVORABLE TERMS."

-- POWELL'S UNLIMITED COMPANY
COLUMNIST USAMA AL-SHARIF WROTE IN CENTER-LEFT,
INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR ON DECEMBER 16:
"THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THAT THERE IS NO ARAB PROPOSAL
THAT WE MAY RAISE IN THE FACE OF SECRETARY POWELL TO
SAY TO HIM: `THESE ARE OUR TERMS TO ENTER INTO YOUR
COMPANY.' THEN AGAIN, DOES HE EXPECT A RESPONSE, OR
WOULD HE IMMEDIATELY POINT TO GENERAL FRANKS AND HIS
BIG STICK? THIS IS NOT ROME OF CAESAR, IT IS NOT THE
CRUSADERS' EMPIRE, IT IS NOT THE HORDES OF MONGOLS, NOR
IS IT THE SYKES-PICOT ACCORD AND THE BALFOUR
DECLARATION. IT IS ALL OF THEM TOGETHER."

-- POWELL'S PROJECT IS DOOMED TO FAILURE, AND THE PROOF
IS JORDAN

COLUMNIST FAHED AL-KHITAN WROTE IN INDEPENDENT, MASS-
APPEAL ARABIC DAILY AL-ARAB AL-YAWM ON DECEMBER 16:
"AMERICA WILL SPEND MUCH MONEY WITHOUT RETURNS,
ALTHOUGH THE ROAD TO GAINING THE HEARTS OF THE ARAB
PUBLIC WOULD COST IT NOT A PENNY. IT ONLY NEEDS TO
CHANGE ITS POLICY IN THE REGION AND THEN IT WOULD SEE
NOT ONLY AN IMPROVEMENT IN SENTIMENTS TOWARDS IT, BUT
THE PROGRESS OF DEMOCRACY, BECAUSE THE REGIMES WOULD
THEN LOSE THE PRETEXTS OF SECURITY AND CONFRONTING
ISRAEL." GNEHM