Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI1092
2003-03-05 15:22:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION: OIC SUMMIT UAE INITIATIVE

Tags:  OIIP KMDR TC 
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Diana T Fritz 05/24/2007 04:55:58 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results

Cable 
Text: 
 
 
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS
TELEGRAM March 05, 2003


To: No Action Addressee 

Action: Unknown 

From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 1092 - UNKNOWN) 

TAGS: OIIP, KMDR 

Captions: None 

Subject: MEDIA REACTION: OIC SUMMIT UAE INITIATIVE 

Ref: None 
_________________________________________________________________
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 01092

SIPDIS
CXABU:
 ACTION: PAO 
 INFO: AMB DCM ECON POL 
Laser1:
 ACTION: PAO 

DISSEMINATION: PAO
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: DCM:RALBRIGHT
DRAFTED: PAO:AHOSHAN
CLEARED: PAO:TPONCE

VZCZCADI698
OO RUEHC RUENAAA RUEKJCS RUEHZM RUEHLO RUEHFR
RHRMDAB RUCJACC RUCQSOC
DE RUEHAD #1092/01 0641522
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051522Z MAR 03
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8708
RUENAAA/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0588
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0649
RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT
RUCJACC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
RUCQSOC/USCINCSOC MACDILL AFB FL//PA//
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 001092 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD; NEA/RA, INR
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: OIC SUMMIT UAE INITIATIVE


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 001092

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD; NEA/RA, INR
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: OIC SUMMIT UAE INITIATIVE



1. SUMMARY: THE OIC SUMMIT IN DOHA RECEIVED PRIMARY AND
EXTENSIVE COVERAGE IN THE LOCAL MEDIA. NEWS REPORTING AND
EDITORIALS STRESSED THAT THE ISSUE OF PALESTINE SHOULD ALSO BE A
MAIN CONCERN OF THIS SUMMIT. EDITORIALS CONDEMNED ARAB AND
MUSLIM ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE SITUATION IN PALESTINE. AN "AL
ITTIHAD" EDITORIAL STRONGLY CRITICIZED THE ARAB SUMMIT'S RESPONSE
TO THE UAE INITIATIVE. END SUMMARY.


2. COMMENTING ON THE OIC SUMMIT IN DOHA, ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-
GOVERNMENT "AL-ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED ON 3/05:

"... THE OIC SUMMIT IN DOHA COMES RIGHT AFTER THE ARAB SUMMIT,
WHICH DID NOT ADD ANYTHING TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS THAT FACES THE
ARAB AND ISLAMIC WORLDS. THE SUMMIT ALSO DID NOT DEAL PROPERLY
WITH THE ONLY INITIATIVE (THE UAE'S INITIATIVE) THAT AIMS TO END
THE CRISIS WE ARE ALL FACING. THIS INITIATIVE STATED CLEARLY THE
IMPORTANCE OF TAKING A UNIFIED AND COURAGEOUS STAND, FAR FROM ANY
CONTROVERSY, IN ORDER TO SAVE THE IRAQI PEOPLE AND LANDS FROM ANY
CONSPIRACIES THAT THREATEN ITS PRESENT AND FUTURE ... WILL THE
OIC SUMMIT REACH THE LEVEL OF CHALLENGES IT FACES, OR WILL IT
REMAIN LIKE ANY OTHER ARAB AND ISLAMIC SUMMIT?"


3. ASSERTING THE OIC SUMMIT'S OBLIGATION TOWARDS THE PALESTINIAN
CAUSE, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED ON 3/05:

"... THE OIC SUMMIT IN DOHA SHOULD ALSO BE CONCERNED WITH THE
PALESTINIAN CAUSE SINCE IT IS AN ARAB AND ISLAMIC CAUSE. THIS
SUMMIT SHOULD REALIZE THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE PALESTINIAN
LANDS WITH NO ARABIC OR ISLAMIC REACTION WILL LEAD TO A CRISIS
WORSE THAN THAT WHICH OCCURRED IN 1948 ... THE ACTS OF SHARON'S
CABINET TO KILL THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE AND PEOPLE HAVE REACHED A
VERY CRUCIAL LEVEL ..."


4. DESCRIBING THE ROLE OF THE U.S. IN THE PALESTINIAN CRISIS,
DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED ON 3/05:

"... THE U.S. IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING IN PALESTINE
SINCE IT IS THE COUNTRY THAT HAS THE AUTHORITY IN THE SECURITY
COUNCIL. WHENEVER THE WORLD COMMUNITY WAKES UP TO MAKE ISRAEL
ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS DEEDS, THE U.S. THREATENS THIS WITH THE
WEAPON OF ITS VETO. IT IS SHAMEFUL FOR THE U.S. TO ASK ISRAEL
ONLY FOR SELF-RESTRAINT IN LIGHT OF THE CURRENT ISRAELI VIOLENCE
AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS."


5. COMMENTING ON THE SITUATION IN PALESTINE, "AL KHALEEJ"
EDITORIALIZED ON 3/04:

"... HOW DO WE EXPECT ISRAEL TO CHANGE THE BLOODY POLICY SEEING
THE INTERNATIONAL REACTION TOWARDS ITS KILLING OF UNARMED
PALESTINIANS AS MERE STATEMENTS OF CONDEMNATIONS FROM POWERLESS
COUNTRIES THAT HAVE NO REAL EFFECT ON THE ISRAELI POLICY. SINCE
ISRAEL HAS THE APPROVAL AND FULL SUPPORT OF THE U.S. FOR KILLING
PALESTINIAN CHILDREN, WOMEN, AND ELDERS WITH 'M-16'S PROVIDED BY
THE U.S., ISRAEL DOES NOT CARE AND HAS NO RED LINES TO INVADE THE
PALESTINIAN LEADERSHIP AND MUSLIM HOLY SITES IN OCCUPIED
JERUSALEM... IT IS NOT ONLY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S
RESPONSIBILITY, BUT ALSO THAT OF THE ARABS..."


6. NOTING INCREASING SUPPORT FOR SHEIKH ZAYED'S INITIATIVE IN
THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, "AL-ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED ON 3/04:

"... WITH THE INCREASED VOICES REQUESTING A THOROUGH REVISION OF
THE TECHNIQUES ADOPTED AT ARAB SUMMITS, WHICH USUALLY ONLY LEAD
TO FURTHER DIFFERENCES ... IN THE LATEST SUMMIT, THE UAE
INITIATIVE IS THE ONLY HOPE LEFT FOR ARABS TO DEAL WITH THEIR
PROBLEMS IN AN OBJECTIVE AND RESPONSIBLE WAY, FAR FROM THE
TYPICAL COURTEOUS BEHAVIOR FOR WHICH THE ARAB PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
PAYING A DEAR PRICE ..."


7. UNDER THE HEADLINE, "LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE," ENGLISH-DAILY,
DUBAI-BASED GULF NEWS EDITORIALIZED ON 03/05:

"IRAQ IS DELIBERATELY TRYING THE PATIENCE OF THE HAWKS IN THE
AMERICAN AND BRITISH ADMINISTRATIONS, WHICH IS A DANGEROUS THING
TO DO AT SUCH AS SENSITIVE TIME. THE MAJORITY OF WORLD OPINION
IS SIDED WITH THE IRAQI PEOPLE, WAR IS NOT A PLEASANT THING TO
CONTEMPLATE AND MERELY ILLUSTRATES THE INABILITY OF THE SO-CALLED
CIVILIZED SOCIETY TO RESOLVE THEIR DISPUTES ... IT SEEMS HISTORY
TEACHES US NOTHING ... THE ARGUMENT FOR GOING TO WAR HAS NOT
BEEN MADE: THE PUBLIC REMAINS UNCONVINCED. ALTERNATIVE
SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, THEY SHOULD BE EXAMINED FIRST,
BEFORE ANY RUSH TO WAR."

WAHBA