MEDIA REACTION: UAEG CONDEMNS ATTACKS IN IRAQ SEPARATE

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003823 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: UAEG CONDEMNS ATTACKS IN IRAQ SEPARATE ATTACK IN EAST JERUSALEM ¶1. SUMMARY: SUICIDE BOMBING ATTACKS ON THE UN HEADQUARTERS IN BAGHDAD AND IN EAST JERUSALEM DOMINATED COVERAGE IN THE UAE MEDIA. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ATTACK, THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES GOVERNMENT RELEASED A STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE ATTACKS AND URGING WORLDWIDE SUPPORT FOR THE IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL. AN EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ" ASSERTED THAT THE "OCCUPATION" IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ATTACK. AN "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIAL DESCRIBED THIS ATTACK AS "A CRIME AGAINST IRAQ." END SUMMARY. ¶2. CARRIED IN ALL ENGLISH AND ARABIC DAILIES, SHEIKH HAMDAN BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN, UAE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, RELEASED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE ATTACK AND URGING INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR IRAQ'S GOVERNING COUNCIL: --"THE UAE CONDEMNS THESE COWARDLY ATTACKS THAT TARGETED THIS INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND THE MORAL AND HUMANE MESSAGES IT REPRESENTS, IN ADDITION TO TARGETING ITS EFFORTS TO HELP IRAQ AND ITS PEOPLE IN ORDER TO RE-ESTABLISH SECURITY AND STABILITY AND TO PROTECT ITS INDEPENDENCE AND UNITY." --"THIS REPREHENSIBLE AND UGLY CRIME REQUIRES A DETERMINED STAND BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO REINFORCE AND SOLIDIFY THE UN'S EFFORTS IN IRAQ AND TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNING COUNCIL TO ACHIEVE SECURITY AND STABILITY AND RE-BUILD IRAQ. THIS ATTACK REVEALS THE REAL ENEMIES OF IRAQ, PEACE, AND STABILITY." ¶3. BLAMING THE ATTACKS ON THE UN HEADQUARTERS IN IRAQ ON THE "OCCUPATION," SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 8/20: "... THERE IS A FEAR THAT SOMEONE IS TRYING TO EXPLOIT THE RESISTANCE OPERATIONS AGAINST THE OCCUPATION OR TO HIDE BEHIND IT AND THAT IS FOR SPECIAL BENEFITS THAT DO NOT SERVE IRAQ'S STABILITY BUT AFFECT IT NEGATIVELY. THE BENEFICIARY OF THIS IS THE OCCUPATION, WHICH IS PLANNING ON A LONG 'RESIDENCY' IN THE COUNTRY OF MESOPOTAMIA ... THE OCCUPATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE ATTACKS, SINCE IT IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE SECURE PROTECTION TO INTERNATIONAL AND DIPLOMATIC DELEGATIONS ... " ¶4. UNDER THE HEADLINE "A CRIME AGAINST IRAQ," SEMI-OFFICIAL ABU DHABI-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AL-ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 8/20: "... WE MUST FORBID THE CRIMINALS FROM REALIZING THE FRUITS EXPECTED FROM THEIR CRIME ... THIS TERRORIST ATTACK SHOULD NOT AFFECT THE CONTINUOUS INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS IN IRAQ, SYMBOLIZED BY ITS MORAL AND HUMANE MESSAGES THAT ARE CARRIED OUT BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN THIS COUNTRY, WHICH HAS JUST COME OUT OF DECADES OF INJUSTICE, COMPULSION, AND OPPRESSION, AND IT IS TIME FOR IT TO BREATHE THE AIR OF LIBERTY ..." ALBRIGHT