MEDIA REACTION: ARAB SUMMIT

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001742 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 ZEYA LONDON - PASS TO MOC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ARAB SUMMIT ¶1. SUMMARY: THE ARAB SUMMIT IN TUNIS AND THE DETERIORATING SITUATION IN IRAQ AND PALESTINE DOMINATE COVERAGE IN LOCAL PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA. AN "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIAL NOTED THAT THE ARAB SUMMIT SHOULD HAVE COME UP WITH REAL ACTIONS INSTEAD OF SHALLOW TALK AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. AN EDITORIAL IN "AL BAYAN" PRAISED THE UAE'S ACTIONS TO HELP REBUILD RAFAH AND NOTED THAT THE SUMMIT SHOULD HAVE COME UP WITH SOMETHING SIMILAR. END SUMMARY. ¶2. COMMENTING ON THE ARAB SUMMIT'S ANNOUNCEMENT AND NOTING THAT IT LEAVES THE IRAQIS AND PALESTINIANS ALL ALONE, "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 05/25: ".ARABS HAVE DECIDED TO ABANDON THE PROSPECT OF GENUINE ARAB ACTION AND TO LEAVE PALESTINIANS AND IRAQIS TO FACE THEIR PREDICAMENTS ON THEIR OWN, AND THE SAME GOES FOR ANY ARAB COUNTRY THAT IS TARGETED BY BUSH/SHARON ATTACKS." ¶3. NOTING THAT WHAT WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE ARAB SUMMIT WERE THE USUAL ARAB SUMMITS' ANNOUNCEMENTS, SHARJAH-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AL- KHALEEJ" 05/24:(CIRCULATION 75,000) ". ONCE AGAIN AT THE TUNIS ARAB SUMMIT, THE ARABS CONFIRM THAT THEY ARE PEOPLE OF TALKING AND INITIATIVES AND THAT ACTION IS LEFT TO THOSE WHO KILL AND THOSE PLANNING MORE KILLING, DESTRUCTION, AND THEFT OF THE ARABS' PRESENT AND FUTURE." ¶4. PRAISING THE UAE'S ACTIONS TO HELP REBUILD RAFAH AND NOTING THAT OTHER ARABS SHOULD ALSO ACT AND NOT ONLY TALK, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 05/24: (CIRCULATION 30,000) ". THE UAE SHOWED ITS SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE THROUGH ACTIONS. THIS IS GENUINE SOLIDARITY RATHER THAN SHALLOW RHETORIC ON PAPER. IT IS VERY SHAMEFUL THAT ARABS WERE CONCERNED WITH ADDING THE PHRASE `WITH NO DISCRIMINATION' WHEN ANNOUNCING THEIR CONDEMNATION OF ALL MILITARY ACTIONS IN THE PALESTINIAN LANDS AT THE ARAB SUMMIT--MEANING THAT THEY CONDEMN BOTH WHAT PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS ARE FACING!. THE PALESTINIANS HAVE GOD TO PROTECT THEM" ¶5. COMMENTING ON THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE ARAB SUMMIT, "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 05/23: ". THE MAIN GOAL OF THIS ARAB SUMMIT SHOULD BE TO REACH ARAB SOLIDARITY TO HELP COORDINATEE ARAB ACTIONS. THIS SUMMIT SHOULD REPRESENT THE DREAMS AND HOPES OF THE ARAB PEOPLE--BUT FOR THIS SUMMIT TO COME OUT WITH A ROUTINE ANNOUNCEMENT WITH NO ACTIONS WILL MEAN THAT WE ALL STAY WITHIN THE EMPTY CIRCLE." WAHBA