MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004012

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; NEA/FO; 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: IRAQ NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT


1. SUMMARY: THE UAE'S OFFICIAL STATEMENT WELCOMING THE
FORMATION OF THE NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT AND THE GENERAL SITUATION
IN IRAQ AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES DOMINATED COVERAGE IN UAE
ELECTRONIC AND PRINT MEDIA. AN EDITORIAL IN "AL BAYAN" WROTE
THAT THE FORMATION OF THE NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT IS A POSITIVE STEP
FOR THE IRAQI PEOPLE. IN "AL ITTIHAD," KUWAITI COLUMNIST DR.
SHAMLAN AL EISSA BLAMED A LARGER MOVEMENT OUT TO DESTROY MODERATE
POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS THOUGHT FOR THE ASSASSINATION OF IRAQI
AYATOLLAH AL HAKIM. END SUMMARY


2. CARRIED 9/03 IN ALL ENGLISH AND ARABIC DAILIES, THE UAE'S
OFFICIAL STATEMENT WELCOMED THE FORMATION OF THE NEW IRAQI
GOVERNMENT:

"'THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES TODAY WELCOMED THE FORMATION OF THE
NEW GOVERNMENT IN IRAQ AND EXPRESSED FAITH IN THE ABILITY OF THE
GOVERNING COUNCIL AND THE NEW GOVERNMENT TO HELP IRAQ SURMOUNT
THE EXCEPTIONAL AND DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES IT IS PRESENTLY
EXPERIENCING. THE UAE CONSIDERS THE PROCLAMATION OF THE NEW
GOVERNMENT A SIGNIFICANTLY POSITIVE STEP ADDED TO PREVIOUS MOVES
TO ALLOW THE IRAQI PEOPLE RUN THEIR OWN AFFAIRS AND RESTORE
SECURITY AND STABILITY TO THEIR COUNTRY,' AN OFFICIAL SOURCE AT
THE UAE FOREIGN MINISTRY SAID. THE SOURCE ADDED THAT, WHILE
WELCOMING THE SET UP OF THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT, THE UAE STANDS
READY TO COOPERATE WITH IT FOR THE GOOD OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE. IT
CALLED ON THE IRAQI PEOPLE TO CLOSE RANKS AND JOIN FORCES WITH
THE NEW GOVERNMENT TO ENABLE IT CARRY OUT THE BIG TASKS IT IS
COMMISSIONED TO DO."


3. COMMENTING ON THE NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-
ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 9/03:

"THE ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING THE NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT SYMBOLIZES
AN IMPORTANT POSITIVE STEP ADDED TO THE REST OF THE PREVIOUS
STEPS THAT GIVE THE IRAQI PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RULE
THEMSELVES AND WORK ON RE-ESTABLISHING SECURITY, STABILITY, AND
STRENGTH ... THE NEW GOVERNMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO HAVE SUFFICIENT
AUTHORITY IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE CREDIBILITY WITH THE IRAQI STREET.
WITHOUT THIS AUTHORITY, IT IS NOT GOING TO BE IN AN ENVIOUS
SITUATION. THE IRAQI PERSON DOES NOT WANT A GOVERNMENT WITHOUT
AUTHORITY, BUT HE WANTS A STRONG ONE THAT PROVIDES HIM WITH
ESSENTIAL NEEDS, PARTICULARLY HIS LOST SECURITY."


4. COMMENTING ON THE ASSASSINATION OF AYATOLLAH AL HAKIM, DR.
SHAMLAN AL EISSA WROTE IN ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL
ITTIHAD" 9/03:

"THIS CRIME THAT TOOK THE LIFE OF AYATOLLAH AL OTHMA MOHAMMED
BAQER AL HAKIM IN NAJAF DID NOT ONLY TARGET HIS LIFE BUT THE MAIN
TARGET WAS TO DESTROY MODERATE POLITICAL-RELIGIOUS THOUGHT ... WE
SEE THAT THE LARGEST BENEFICIARY FROM HIS ABSENCE IS THE EXTREME
RELIGIOUS THOUGHT, SUNNA OR SHI'A, ESPECIALLY AL QA'EDA AND THEIR
SUPPORTERS SUCH AS AL BA'ATH AND THE LEFT OVERS OF SADDAM'S
REGIME. WHY DID THEY ASSASSINATE HIM? THE REASON IS OBVIOUS AND
IT IS THAT THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY ... AFTER THE
ASSASSINATION OF AL HAKIM, SOME ARABIC SATELLITE CHANNELS SUCH AS
'AL JAZEERA' STARTED PROMOTING RELIGIOUS AND NATIONAL EXTREMIST
THOUGHTS, SUGGESTING THAT THE U.S. AND COALITION FORCES ARE THE
ONES WHO ASSASSINATED AL HAKIM ..."

ALBRIGHT