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