Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI2289
2003-05-11 10:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT BUSH'S SPEECH AT THE

Tags:  OIIP KMDR TC 
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Cable 
Text: 
 
 
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS
TELEGRAM May 11, 2003


To: No Action Addressee 

Action: Unknown 

From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 2289 - UNKNOWN) 

TAGS: OIIP, KMDR 

Captions: None 

Subject: MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT BUSH'S SPEECH AT THE 
 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA 

Ref: None 
_________________________________________________________________
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 02289

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

DISSEMINATION: PAO
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: PAO:KVANDEVATE
DRAFTED: PAO:AALKHATIB
CLEARED: PAO:TPONCE

VZCZCADI517
OO RUEHC RUENAAA RUEKJCS RUEHZM RUEHLO RUEHFR
RHRMDAB RUCJACC RUCQSOC
DE RUEHAD #2289 1311052
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 111052Z MAY 03
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9894
RUENAAA/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0660
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0714
RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT
RUCJACC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
RUCQSOC/USCINCSOC MACDILL AFB FL//PA//
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002289 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA;
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC
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: PRESIDENT BUSH'S SPEECH AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002289

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA;
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC
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: PRESIDENT BUSH'S SPEECH AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA


1. SUMMARY: PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH'S ADDRESS CALLING FOR THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF U.S.-MIDDLE EAST FREE TRADE AREA RECEIVED
PROMINENT COVERAGE IN LOCAL AND REGIONAL PRINT AND ELECTRONIC
MEDIA. ALL UAE DAILIES PUBLISHED LENGTHY EXCERPTS OF THE SPEECH,
AND ABU DHABI TV, AL JAZEERA, AND AL ARABIYAH BROADCAST THE
SPEECH LIVE. AN "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIAL ASSERTED THAT THE
VERACITY OF PRESIDENT BUSH'S PLAN FOR A NEW MIDDLE EAST IS
DOUBTED BY MANY IN THE REGION. UNDER THE HEADLINE "CARROT AND
STICK DIPLOMACY," A GULF NEWS EDITORIAL CLAIMED THAT BUSH'S PLAN
WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY ARABS AND MUSLIMS. END SUMMARY.


2. COMMENTING ON PRESIDENT BUSH'S PLAN FOR A NEW MIDDLE EAST,
SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 5/11:

"PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH'S PLAN FOR A NEW MIDDLE EAST AND HIS
SUGGESTION TO ESTABLISH A U.S.-MIDDLE EAST FREE TRADE AREA BY THE
YEAR 2013 GIVES THE IMPRESSION OF GOOD WILL AND AMERICAN CONCERN
FOR THE REGION AND ITS PEOPLE ... BUT WHOEVER LOOKS CAREFULLY AT
THIS PLAN AND ITS GOALS AND REFERS TO PAST U.S. POLICIES TOWARDS
THE REGION ... THE PLAN RELIES ON PREVIOUS ISRAELI MINISTER
SHIMON PEREZ'S PROPOSAL FOR A NEW MIDDLE EAST. THE PLAN IN
THEORY WILL BE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN TWO UNEQUAL SIDES,
ECONOMICALLY AND MILITARILY. THIS PLAN IS TALKING ABOUT A REGION
THAT STILL HAS CONFLICTS, MOST IMPORTANTLY THE ARAB-ISRAELI
CONFLICT, WHICH THE U.S. TREATS WITH TOTAL BIAS FOR ISRAEL AND
SUPPORTS ITS RACIST AND AGGRESSIVE POLICIES ..."

"DOUBTS ARE INCREASING ABOUT THIS PLAN, SINCE IT COMES AT A TIME
WHEN SOME ARAB COUNTRIES ARE PRESSURED TO GIVE IN TO THE DEMANDS
AND CONDITIONS AIMING TO ELIMINATE THE STRENGTH AND RIGHT OF
REFUSAL OF THESE COUNTRIES, DRIVING THEM TO OBEDIENCE, AND
DISREGARDING THEIR RIGHTS. THIS PLAN NOW PUTS THE 'CART BEFORE
THE HORSE,' BECAUSE ITS IMPLEMENTATION SUGGESTS FIRST THAT THIS
REGION SHOULD BE BLESSED WITH SECURITY, STABILITY, AND PEACE ...
THE U.S. PLAN FOR A NEW MIDDLE EAST COMES AT THE WRONG TIME,
EXCEPT IF THE U.S. THINKS THAT IT CAN IMPOSE ISRAEL ON THE REGION
... IF THE U.S. IS SERIOUS ABOUT ESTABLISHING A NEW MIDDLE EAST
THAT IS ECONOMICALLY PROSPEROUS AND BLESSED WITH THE LIBERTY AND
DEMOCRACY PRESIDENT BUSH TALKS ABOUT, IT (THE U.S.) SHOULD
IMMEDIATELY START BY REQUIRING THAT ISRAEL IMPLEMENT THE
INTERNATIONAL DECISIONS IN ORDER TO REACH A JUST, COMPREHENSIVE,
AND LASTING PEACE ... OR ELSE THESE PLANS WILL ONLY AIM TO
BEAUTIFY THE U.S.'S IMAGE IN THE EYES OF THE PEOPLE OF THE
REGION."


3. UNDER THE HEADLINE "CARROT AND STICK DIPLOMACY," ENGLISH-
LANGUAGE EXPATRIATE-ORIENTED "GULF NEWS" EDITORIALIZED 5/11:

"... AMERICAN PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH HAS OUTLINED A MIDEAST
TRADE PLAN. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO HAVE MIDDLE EAST NATIONS SIGN UP
TO A U.S.-BACKED TRADE INITIATIVE, GIVING SUCH NATIONS SPECIAL
TERMS, PRESUMABLY ON A QUID PRO QUO BASIS. YET, THERE IS MORE TO
THIS INITIATIVE THAN MERE BUSINESS ... THE UNDERLYING REASON IS
FOR THE ARAB WORLD TO IMPROVE - OR CHANGE - ITS POLITICAL
STRUCTURES AND SEE DEMOCRACY IN ARAB NATIONS, TOGETHER WITH
GREATER HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS."

"WHILST MANY MIDDLE EAST NATIONS MAY WELCOME THE POSSIBILITY OF
IMPROVING TRADE WITH THE U.S., EVERY ARAB AND MUSLIM NATION WILL
OBJECT STRONGLY TO THE METHOD EMPLOYED TO ATTRACT SUCH
PARTICIPATION. FOR IT REQUIRES FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES NOT ONLY IN
SOCIETY AND THE RULE OF LAW BUT, FAR MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE VERY
INTERPRETATION OF ISLAM. THIS IS BECAUSE ARAB MUSLIM LAW AND
SOCIETY IS BASED ON THE HOLY QURAN, SO ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE
INTERPRETATIONS OF THE HOLY QURAN SHOULD CERTAINLY NOT BE MADE BY
AN OUTSIDE POWER - A WESTERN ONE AT THAT - AND DEFINITELY NOT
COERCED BY THE PROSPECT OF INCREASED TRADE. THE RELIGION,
HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THE REGION CAN BE TRACED BACK FARTHER THAN
THAT OF AMERICA; IT IS THE FAILURE OF SUCCESSIVE AMERICAN
ADMINISTRATIONS TO UNDERSTAND THE THEORY OF SUCH CONCEPTS THAT
DEPICTS THEIR DESIRE TO IMPOSE THE "AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE" WHERE
IT IS NOT WANTED."

ALBRIGHT