MEDIA REACTION: HANDOVER OF IRAQ

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002141 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 ALSO FOR MOC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: HANDOVER OF IRAQ ¶1. SUMMARY: THE TWO-DAY EARLY HANDOVER OF POWER IN IRAQ DOMINATED COVERAGE IN LOCAL PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA. AN EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ" NOTED THAT THE EARLY HANDOVER OCCURRED SO THAT PRESIDENT BUSH COULD PROVE HIS GOOD INTENTIONS IN IRAQ RIGHT BEFORE THE NATO SUMMIT. ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL BAYAN" NOTED THAT ALL THE COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD SHOULD SUPPORT THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT AND HELP IT TO ACHIEVE SECURITY AND STABILITY. END SUMMARY. ¶2. SHARJAH-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED THAT THE HANDING OVER OF POWER IN IRAQ CAME AT THE SAME TIME AS THE NATO SUMMIT AND THAT PRESIDENT BUSH WANTS TO PROVE HIS GOOD INTENTIONS TO THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES SO THEY WILL HELP HIS TROOPS IN THEIR SECURITY MISSION IN IRAQ. 06/29:(CIRCULATION 95,000) ". WASHINGTON WANTS THE MILITARY OF ALL WESTERN COUNTRIES TO HELP IT TO ACHIEVE ITS GOAL OF RESTRUCTURING THE REGION'S MAP ACCORDING TO THE INITIATIVE THAT WAS DISCUSSED AND APPROVED DURING THE G-8 SUMMIT CALLED `THE LARGER MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA'. WHAT IS REQUESTED FROM THE ARAB COUNTRIES AND THE WORLD IS TO GIVE THIS GOVERNMENT A CHANCE AND TO SUPPORT IT FOR IRAQ AND THE IRAQI PEOPLE'S BENEFIT. WITH THE HANDOVER, IRAQ IS MOVING INTO A NEW ERA THAT IS DANGEROUS AND DIFFICULT AND WE WISH THEY WILL BE ABLE TO OVERCOME THE DIFFICULTIES." ¶3. COMMENTING ON THE EARLY HANDOVER OF IRAQ, ABU DHABI-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AKHBAR AL-ARAB" EDITORIALIZED 06/29: (CIRCULATION 20,000) ". THE HANDOVER HAPPENED TWO DAYS EARLIER THAN EXPECTED, WHICH WAS STRANGE AND SHOCKING AT THE BEGINNING. IT SEEMS THAT THE `OCCUPATION ADMINISTRATION' WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT IT IS DETERMINED TO FULFILL ITS PROMISE. MAKING THIS EARLY STEP WAS TO PLANT TRUST IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO WERE SUSPICIOUS. TRANSFERRING IRAQ FROM OCCUPATION TO INDEPENDENCE, FROM CHAOS TO ORGANIZATION, AND FROM WAR TO PEACE IS DONE THROUGH AN IRAQI UNIFIED WILL AND ACCORDING TO NATIONAL AND REGIONAL READINESS TO SUPPORT IRAQIS AS THEY ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS AND HOPES." ¶4. UNDER THE HEADLINE "ALLAWI AND THE DIFFICULT MISSION," DUBAI- BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 06/29: (CIRCULATION 30,000) "THE WHOLE WORLD IS WELCOMING THE HANDOVER OF IRAQ, SINCE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TO ACHIEVE STABILITY IN IRAQ. ALLAWI'S MISSION IS DIFFICULT. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING HE SHOULD ACHIEVE AND STRIVE FOR IS TO EXTERMINATE THE SECURITY CHAOS EXISTING IN MOST OF THE CITIES IN IRAQ. AND FOR A NEW IRAQ TO HAVE STABILITY AND TO LIVE IN COMFORT ALL THE HANDS IN THE WORLD SHOULD SUPPORT THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT TO OVERCOME ITS DIFFICULT MISSION." ALBRIGHT