Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI25
2003-01-05 10:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
UAE MINISTER OF INFORMATION GIVES GREEN LIGHT
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 06/05/2007 04:24:32 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS TELEGRAM January 05, 2003 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 25 - UNKNOWN) TAGS: PREL, KPAO Captions: None Subject: UAE MINISTER OF INFORMATION GIVES GREEN LIGHT FOR MIDDLE EAST TELEVISION NETWORK Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ UNCLAS ABU DHABI 00025 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: PAO INFO: POL DCM ECON AMB Laser1: ACTION: PAO DISSEMINATION: PAO CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: AMB:MWAHBA DRAFTED: PAO:KVANDEVATE CLEARED: ADCM:TWILLIAMS VZCZCADI331 OO RUEHC RUEHZM RUEHEG RUEHAM DE RUEHAD #0025 0051036 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 051036Z JAN 03 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7704 INFO RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0014 RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0417
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000025
SIPDIS
FOR BBG GOVERNOR NORM PATTIZ FROM AMBASSADOR MARCELLE
WAHBA; BBG INFO GTHATCHER, SGANDJI
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/PPD DMACINNES, ACASPER, JDAVIES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: BBG PREL KPAO TC
SUBJECT: UAE MINISTER OF INFORMATION GIVES GREEN LIGHT
FOR MIDDLE EAST TELEVISION NETWORK
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000025
SIPDIS
FOR BBG GOVERNOR NORM PATTIZ FROM AMBASSADOR MARCELLE
WAHBA; BBG INFO GTHATCHER, SGANDJI
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/PPD DMACINNES, ACASPER, JDAVIES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: BBG PREL KPAO TC
SUBJECT: UAE MINISTER OF INFORMATION GIVES GREEN LIGHT
FOR MIDDLE EAST TELEVISION NETWORK
1. SUMMARY: I CALLED ON UAE MININFO AND PRESIDENTIAL
SON SHAYKH ABDULLAH BIN ZAYED ON DECEMBER 30 TO DISCUSS
THE PROPOSED MIDDLE EAST TELEVISION NETWORK (METN). THE
MINISTER WELCOMED BOTH THE IDEA OF THE NEW STATION AND
THE PROSPECT OF LOCATING IT IN THE UAE, ESPECIALLY IN
ABU DHABI. SHOULD THE UAE BE THE SITE CHOSEN BY THE
BBG, MY MISSION AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING CLOSELY
WITH YOUR TEAM TO BRING THIS PROJECT TO FRUITION. WE
AWAIT A DETAILED PROPOSAL IN ORDER TO ASSIST YOU AS
FULLY AS POSSIBLE. END SUMMARY
2. FURTHER TO EXPLORATORY SITE VISITS TO THE UAE BY IBB
STAFF, I CALLED ON UAE MININFO SHAYKH ABDULLAH DECEMBER
30 TO EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF THE METN AND GAUGE HIS
REACTION TO THE POSSIBILITY OF LOCATING IT IN ABU DHABI
OR DUBAI. THE MINISTER INDICATED THAT HE HAD BEEN WELL-
BRIEFED ON THE EARLIER VISITS BY AHMAD BLOUSHI, HEAD OF
EMIRATES MEDIA INC. (EMI). HE ASKED WHAT SORT OF
PROGRAMMING THE NETWORK WOULD BROADCAST. I EXPLAINED
THAT THE PLAN FOR THE METN WAS STILL IN ITS FORMATIVE
STAGES BUT THAT IT ENVISIONS A MIXTURE OF SIXTY PERCENT
NEWS, FORTY PERCENT FEATURES IN AN ALL-ARABIC SEVEN-DAY,
24-HOUR FORMAT.
-------------- --------------
"WE ARE PROUD TO BE A PART OF IT:" MINISTER WELCOMES TV
PROPOSAL
-------------- --------------
3. THE MINISTER WELCOMED THE IDEA ENTHUSIASTICALLY,
NOTING THAT THE NEWS OPERATION OF EMIRATES MEDIA WOULD
SOON BE VACATING ITS OLD STUDIOS IN ABU DHABI, LEAVING
THEM AVAILABLE FOR A NEW TENANT. HE ADDED THAT IN FOUR
YEARS, THE EMI TELEVISION OPERATION WOULD MOVE TO NEW
PREMISES IN ABU DHABI, LEAVING ITS ENTIRE SITE, WITH SIX
TELEVISION STUDIOS, FREE. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT EMI
HAS PREMISES IN DUBAI MEDIA CITY WHICH BBG COULD USE IN
THE FUTURE IF THEY WANT TO BUILD A FACILITY THERE. WHEN
I ASKED HIM IF THE UAEG WOULD BE "COMFORTABLE" WITH THE
IDEA OF HOSTING SUCH A STATION AND WITH ITS POLITICAL
OVERTONES, HE REPLIED UNHESITATINGLY: "YES, OF COURSE.
WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR THE FINANCIAL ELEMENT. I AM
LOOKING FOR COOPERATION BETWEEN TWO ENTITIES. WE WILL
BOTH BENEFIT." HE ADDED: "WE FEEL PROUD TO BE PART OF
THIS. THIS IS NOT A THING WE WANT TO DO BEHIND THE
SCENES; WE WANT IT TO BE PUBLIC."
4. FOR MY PART, I AM CONFIDENT THAT WE HAVE THE UAEG'S
POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED TV NETWORK. SHOULD
THE UAE BE THE SITE CHOSEN BY THE BBG, MY MISSION AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH YOUR TEAM TO BRING
THIS PROJECT TO FRUITION. WE AWAIT A DETAILED PROPOSAL
IN ORDER TO ASSIST YOU AS FULLY AS POSSIBLE. WITH BEST
REGARDS. MARCELLE WAHBA
WAHBA
SIPDIS
FOR BBG GOVERNOR NORM PATTIZ FROM AMBASSADOR MARCELLE
WAHBA; BBG INFO GTHATCHER, SGANDJI
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/PPD DMACINNES, ACASPER, JDAVIES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: BBG PREL KPAO TC
SUBJECT: UAE MINISTER OF INFORMATION GIVES GREEN LIGHT
FOR MIDDLE EAST TELEVISION NETWORK
1. SUMMARY: I CALLED ON UAE MININFO AND PRESIDENTIAL
SON SHAYKH ABDULLAH BIN ZAYED ON DECEMBER 30 TO DISCUSS
THE PROPOSED MIDDLE EAST TELEVISION NETWORK (METN). THE
MINISTER WELCOMED BOTH THE IDEA OF THE NEW STATION AND
THE PROSPECT OF LOCATING IT IN THE UAE, ESPECIALLY IN
ABU DHABI. SHOULD THE UAE BE THE SITE CHOSEN BY THE
BBG, MY MISSION AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING CLOSELY
WITH YOUR TEAM TO BRING THIS PROJECT TO FRUITION. WE
AWAIT A DETAILED PROPOSAL IN ORDER TO ASSIST YOU AS
FULLY AS POSSIBLE. END SUMMARY
2. FURTHER TO EXPLORATORY SITE VISITS TO THE UAE BY IBB
STAFF, I CALLED ON UAE MININFO SHAYKH ABDULLAH DECEMBER
30 TO EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF THE METN AND GAUGE HIS
REACTION TO THE POSSIBILITY OF LOCATING IT IN ABU DHABI
OR DUBAI. THE MINISTER INDICATED THAT HE HAD BEEN WELL-
BRIEFED ON THE EARLIER VISITS BY AHMAD BLOUSHI, HEAD OF
EMIRATES MEDIA INC. (EMI). HE ASKED WHAT SORT OF
PROGRAMMING THE NETWORK WOULD BROADCAST. I EXPLAINED
THAT THE PLAN FOR THE METN WAS STILL IN ITS FORMATIVE
STAGES BUT THAT IT ENVISIONS A MIXTURE OF SIXTY PERCENT
NEWS, FORTY PERCENT FEATURES IN AN ALL-ARABIC SEVEN-DAY,
24-HOUR FORMAT.
-------------- --------------
"WE ARE PROUD TO BE A PART OF IT:" MINISTER WELCOMES TV
PROPOSAL
-------------- --------------
3. THE MINISTER WELCOMED THE IDEA ENTHUSIASTICALLY,
NOTING THAT THE NEWS OPERATION OF EMIRATES MEDIA WOULD
SOON BE VACATING ITS OLD STUDIOS IN ABU DHABI, LEAVING
THEM AVAILABLE FOR A NEW TENANT. HE ADDED THAT IN FOUR
YEARS, THE EMI TELEVISION OPERATION WOULD MOVE TO NEW
PREMISES IN ABU DHABI, LEAVING ITS ENTIRE SITE, WITH SIX
TELEVISION STUDIOS, FREE. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT EMI
HAS PREMISES IN DUBAI MEDIA CITY WHICH BBG COULD USE IN
THE FUTURE IF THEY WANT TO BUILD A FACILITY THERE. WHEN
I ASKED HIM IF THE UAEG WOULD BE "COMFORTABLE" WITH THE
IDEA OF HOSTING SUCH A STATION AND WITH ITS POLITICAL
OVERTONES, HE REPLIED UNHESITATINGLY: "YES, OF COURSE.
WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR THE FINANCIAL ELEMENT. I AM
LOOKING FOR COOPERATION BETWEEN TWO ENTITIES. WE WILL
BOTH BENEFIT." HE ADDED: "WE FEEL PROUD TO BE PART OF
THIS. THIS IS NOT A THING WE WANT TO DO BEHIND THE
SCENES; WE WANT IT TO BE PUBLIC."
4. FOR MY PART, I AM CONFIDENT THAT WE HAVE THE UAEG'S
POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED TV NETWORK. SHOULD
THE UAE BE THE SITE CHOSEN BY THE BBG, MY MISSION AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH YOUR TEAM TO BRING
THIS PROJECT TO FRUITION. WE AWAIT A DETAILED PROPOSAL
IN ORDER TO ASSIST YOU AS FULLY AS POSSIBLE. WITH BEST
REGARDS. MARCELLE WAHBA
WAHBA