MEDIA REACTION: EXPLOSIONS IN RIYADH ROADMAP

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002343 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: EXPLOSIONS IN RIYADH ROADMAP REBUILDING IRAQ ¶1. SUMMARY: THE EXPLOSIONS IN RIYADH'S RESIDENTIAL EXPATRIATE COMPOUNDS, ISRAEL'S UNWILLINGNESS TO "ACCEPT" THE ROADMAP, SECRETARY POWELL'S VISIT TO SAUDI ARABIA, AND THE RECONSTRUCTION SIPDIS OF IRAQ DOMINATED COVERAGE IN UAE PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA. AN "AKHBAR AL ARAB" EDITORIAL URGED THE U.S. TO RETHINK THEIR STRATEGY IN THE REGION FOLLOWING THE EXPLOSIONS IN RIYADH. AN "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIAL DESCRIBED SECRETARY POWELL'S VISIT TO ISRAEL AND PALESTINE AS A "DISAPPOINTMENT." END SUMMARY ¶2. COMMENTING ON THE EXPLOSIONS IN RIYADH, ABU DHABI-BASED PAN- ARAB DAILY "AKHBAR AL ARAB" EDITORIALIZED 5/14: "... THE EXPLOSIONS IN RIYADH REMIND US OF THE IMPORTANCE THAT WASHINGTON REVIEW ITS POLICIES IN THE REGION, WHETHER IT RELIES TOTALLY ON ITS MILITARY POWER WHEN DEALING WITH THE REGION'S ISSUES, OR WHETHER IT TOTALLY SUPPORTS ISRAEL'S USE OF FORCE AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS. IT ALSO REMINDS THE PEOPLE OF THE REGION THAT THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS AMONG THEM WHO HAVE FALLEN INTO MAZES OF DARKNESS THAT PROVIDE NO BENEFIT TO ANY CAUSE AND ONLY PROVIDE DISTORTED IMAGES TO ARABS AND MUSLIMS ..." ¶3. CRITICIZING THE U.S. RESPONSE TO ISRAEL'S UNWILLINGNESS TO "ACCEPT" THE ROADMAP, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 5/14: "... IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE MAP REQUESTED FOR IMPLEMENTATION IS THAT OF A 'BLOODY MAP' ON THE PALESTINIAN SIDE, AND THE ROAD THAT OF A ROAD TO PERPETUATE THE RAPE OF PALESTINE FOREVER. IF THE ARABS DON'T CHANGE THEIR METHODS OF DEALING WITH THE MOTHER (PALESTINIAN) CAUSE, THEN THE U.S.-ISRAELI CAMPAIGN WILL PROPOSE ADDITIONAL 'ROADMAPS,' NOT ONLY FOR PALESTINE, BUT FOR OTHER ARAB COUNTRIES AS WELL." ¶4. DESCRIBING SECRETARY POWELL'S VISIT TO ISRAEL AND PALESTINE AS A "DISAPPOINTMENT," ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 5/13: "... U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL WAS NOT ABLE TO HIDE HIS DISAPPOINTMENT AND FAILURE AFTER HIS VISIT TO ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN LANDS. IN CAIRO YESTERDAY, HE EMPHASIZED CLEARLY THAT THE ISRAELI SIDE DID NOT USE THE TERM 'ACCEPT' FOR THE ROADMAP ... THE DREAMS AND HOPES FOR A NEW MIDDLE EAST LIVING IN PEACE AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY WILL NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED AS LONG AS TANKS, BULLDOZERS, AND WATERFALLS OF BLOODSHED CONTINUE DAILY IN PALESTINIAN AREAS ..." ¶5. UNDER THE HEADLINE "ARAB HANDS REACHING OUT FOR PEACE," DUBAI- BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED ARABIC DAILY "AL-BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 5/12: "... ARAB HANDS ARE REACHING OUT FOR PEACE, AND THE WHOLE WORLD REALIZES THIS, BUT THE OTHER SIDE DOES NOT CARE. ALL EVIDENCE ASSURES US THAT 'THE SITUATION WILL REMAIN AS IS' UNLESS THE U.S. TAKES A JUST STANCE TO FORCE ISRAEL TO ACCEPT WHAT INTERNATIONAL LAW REQUIRES ..." WAHBA