MEDIA REACTION: GCC SUMMIT

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004713 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: GCC SUMMIT ¶1. SUMMARY: DOMINATING COVERAGE IN THE LOCAL PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA WERE STORIES ON THE GCC SUMMIT, THE EXPLOSION IN THE U.S. MILITARY BASE IN IRAQ, AND THE IRAQI ELECTIONS. AN EDITORIAL IN "AL BAYAN" NOTED THAT THE GCC SUMMIT IN MANAMA IS THE CONTINUATION OF A STRONG AND AMBITIOUS JOURNEY FOR THE GCC COUNTRIES. ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL ITTIHAD" LAUDED THE DECISION MADE BY THE GCC SUMMIT REGARDING THE GCC COUNTRIES AND THE ARAB COUNTRIES. END SUMMARY. ¶2. AN INTERVIEW WITH DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE WAS CONDUCTED BY AN "AL KHALEEJ" REPORTER IN WASHINGTON AND WAS PUBLISHED ON THE FRONT PAGE ON 12/22. THE INTERVIEW DISCUSSED VARIOUS ISSUES SUCH AS IRAQ AND PALESTINE. HE NOTED THAT THE ULTIMATE DECISION REGARDING THE SETTLEMENT OF THE ISRAELI/PALESTINIAN BORDER SHOULD BE MADE BY THE RESPECTIVE PARTIES, AND NOT BY THE UNITED STATES. ON IRAQ, HE INDICATED THAT THE WITHDRAWAL OF U.S. FORCES WOULD DEPEND ON DECISIONS MADE BY A LEGITIMATELY ELECTED GOVERNMENT IN IRAQ. ¶3. NOTING THAT THE DECISIONS OF THE GCC SUMMIT EXPRESS A DESIRE TO CONTINUE THE GCC'S EFFORTS TO OVERCOME ITS CURRENT CHALLENGES, "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 12/22: (ARABIC DAILY, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED, CIRCULATION 40,000) ". THE DISCUSSIONS DURING THE SUMMIT WERE CONDUCTED IN A VERY CIVILIZED WAY. WHOEVER FOLLOWS THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THE GCC HAS ACHIEVED WILL REALIZE IMMEDIATELY THAT THE COOPERATION WILL BE ENDURING. IN PARTICULAR, THE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL ARE EAGER THAT THE POWER AND PRIDE OF THIS COUNCIL SHOULD INCREASE IN SPITE OF ANYONE WHO TRIES OTHERWISE." ¶4. LAUDING THE DECISIONS MADE BY THE GCC SUMMIT, "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 12/22: (ARABIC DAILY, ABU DHABI-BASED, SEMI- OFFICIAL, CIRCULATION 85,000) ". THE DECISIONS MADE AT THE SUMMIT REGARDING GULF ISSUES ARE CONSIDERED A GREAT ADDITION AND WILL STRENGTHEN GULF NATIONALITY. THE STATEMENT OF `ZAYED'S SUMMIT' ESTABLISHED A SOLID GULF ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE ARAB STANCES REGARDING IRAQ, PALESTINE AND OTHERS, AND THE STATEMENT AFFIRMED THE GCC'S COMMITMENT TO ACHIEVE STABILITY, SECURITY, AND PEACE FOR THE IRAQI AND PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. THESE TYPE OF STEPS TAKEN BY GULF COUNTRIES WILL SERVE TO STRENGTHEN GCC COUNTRIES.". ALBRIGHT