UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001335

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/PPD WMOONEY; IIP/G/NEA RWINCHESTER;
IIP/G/IR CBORYS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO KIRC OIIP
SUBJECT: GETTING OUT THE WORD: PAS ABU DHABI LAUNCHES
AGGRESSIVE IRAQ OUTREACH STRATEGY FOR THE UAE



1. SUMMARY: DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, PUBLIC AFFAIRS
SECTION ABU DHABI LAUNCHED AN AGGRESSIVE PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
OUTREACH STRATEGY FOR THE CURRENT CRISIS WITH IRAQ, USING E-MAIL
LIST-SERVES, CD-ROMS, AND OTHER IIP PRODUCTS TO GET OUT THE
MESSAGE ON U.S. POLICIES TOWARD IRAQ AND OTHER KEY MIDDLE EAST
ISSUES. CONTRARY TO OUR EXPECTATIONS, MEDIA, GOVERNMENT, AND
ACADEMIC INTERLOCUTORS HAVE RESPONDED POSITIVELY TO THESE EFFORTS
WITH FURTHER REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION. END SUMMARY.


2. IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT OF OUR MESSAGE ON IRAQ, PAS
AND INFORMATION RESEARCH CENTER (IRC) STAFF PLANNED, DEVELOPED,
AND IMPLEMENTED A WIDE RANGING OUTREACH STRATEGY TO SPREAD IIP
AND PD MATERIALS ON IRAQ TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND KEY MEDIA,
GOVERNMENT, AND ACADEMIC CONTACTS. MAJOR SPEECHES, INTERVIEWS,
AND POLICY STATEMENTS ARE DISTRIBUTED DAILY TO A SELECT LIST OF
KEY CONTACTS. PARTICULAR RECIPIENTS RECEIVE MORE SPECIALIZED IIP
PRODUCTS, OFFICE OF GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS DOCUMENTS, AND
WASHINGTON FILE STAFF ARTICLES BASED ON PROFESSIONAL OR PERSONAL
INTERESTS.


3. GIVEN THE CONNECTIVITY OF EMIRATIS AND OTHER RESIDENTS OF THE
UAE, DELIVERY METHODS FOCUS ON EMAIL, THE EMBASSY WEBSITE, FAX,
AND CELLULAR TELEPHONE MESSAGING. PAS CREATED A SEPARATE IRC
EMAIL ACCOUNT TO DISSEMINATE MATERIALS QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY
WHILE RECEIVING FEEDBACK AT THE SAME TIME. RESPONSES ARE
POSITIVE AND ENCOURAGING, PARTICULARLY FROM KEY CONTACTS AT ABU
DHABI TV, THE EMIRATES NEWS AGENCY, AND THE UAE MINISTRY OF
INFORMATION AND CULTURE.


4. FOR EXAMPLE: THE "GULF NEWS", THE LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE
NEWSPAPER IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, QUOTED EXTENSIVELY FROM
IIP'S "IRAQ'S VOICES FOR FREEDOM" IN A 1300-WORD ARTICLE
PUBLISHED FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2003, AND ENTITLED "IRAQIS WANT
DEMOCRACY TO SHAPE FUTURE" WITH SUBTITLE: "EXILES WANT A FREE AND
INDEPENDENT STATE; SEE (THEIR) COUNTRY AS THE JAPAN OF MIDDLE
EAST." AUTHOR SHAZIA MALIK DIRECTLY QUOTED THE IRAQI EXILES
FEATURED IN "IRAQ'S VOICES FOR FREEDOM" AND ATTRIBUTED IRC ABU
DHABI FOR THE INFORMATION. MS. MALIK SUBSEQUENTLY CONTACTED IRC
STAFF FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE COSTS OF REBUILDING
AFGHANISTAN.

WAHBA