MEDIA REACTION: DEMONSTRATIONS / DEATH OF JOURNALISTS

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000813

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 O'FRIEL
LONDON ALSO FOR MOC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: DEMONSTRATIONS / DEATH OF JOURNALISTS



1. SUMMARY: DEMONSTRATIONS ON THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE
OCCUPATION IN IRAQ ALL AROUND THE WORLD, AND THE DEATH OF THE TWO
REPORTERS FROM AL ARABIYAH SATELLITE NEWS CHANNEL DOMINATED
COVERAGE IN ELECTRONIC AND PRINT MEDIA. AN EDITORIAL IN "AL
KHALEEJ" NOTED HOW THE WHOLE WORLD IS AGAINST U.S. POLICY IN
IRAQ. AN "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIAL STATED THAT KILLING JOURNALISTS
IS A WAY TO HIDE THE TRUTH. ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL ITTIHAD"
COMMENTED ON SECRETARY POWELL'S STATEMENTS ON REFORM AND NOTED
THAT THERE IS HOPE TO ACHIEVE REFORM FROM WITHIN. END SUMMARY.


2. NOTING THAT THE ISSUE OF TERRORISM SHOULD BE CONTROLLED BY
THE UN, ABU DHABI-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AKHBAR AL-ARAB"
EDITORIALIZED 03/22:

". THE ONLY WAY FOR THE WORLD TO GET OUT OF THE DILEMMA OF THE
`CONTINUING WAR,' WHICH WASHINGTON WANTS TO KEEP GOING ON, IS BY
PLACING THE TERRORISM ISSUE IN THE HANDS OF THE UN. THERE IS NO
OTHER SOLUTION, AND THE METHOD WASHINGTON IS IMPLEMENTING HAS
PROVEN TO BE A FAILURE, AND IT HAS HAD VERY NEGATIVE RESULTS THAT
HAVE INCREASED TERRORISM."


3. COMMENTING ON THE DEMONSTRATIONS ALL AROUND THE WORLD ON THE
ANNIVERSARY OF "OCCUPYING" IRAQ, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL-
KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 03/21:

". THE SIGNS THAT WERE CARRIED BY DEMONSTRATORS AROUND THE WORLD
OBJECTING TO THE U.S. OCCUPATION OF IRAQ SUCH AS `IT'S TIME FOR
THE TRUTH,' EXPRESS THE GENERAL WORLD PUBLIC OPINION OF HATRED
AND DISAPPROVAL OF THE AMERICAN POLICY, WHICH MAKES IT VERY HARD
FOR BUSH'S ADMINISTRATION TO ACHIEVE ITS GOALS."


4. COMMENTING ON SECRETARY POWELL'S STATEMENT CONCERNING REFORM
IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THAT REFORM CAN'T BE IMPOSED FROM THE
OUTSIDE, ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD"
EDITORIALIZED 03/21:

". ALL OPINIONS AGREE ON THE ESSENTIALITY OF STARTING ARAB REFORM
FROM WITHIN THAT SUITS THE CULTURE AND TRADITIONS OF THE PEOPLE
OF THE REGION. THIS IDEA, WHICH IS ADOPTED BY MANY ARAB LEADERS
AND OFFICIALS, IS AN OLD ARAB PUBLIC REQUEST. HOPE FOR ACHIEVING
THIS DREAM IS THE NEXT ARAB SUMMIT'S JOB, WILL IT CHOOSE THE ROAD
OF REFORM OR POSTPONE IT FOR OTHER UPCOMING SUMMITS?"


5. UNDER THE HEADLINE "TARGETING JOURNALISTS.. WAR AGAINST
TRUTH," "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 03/20:

". MANY HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS SEE THESE ACTIONS AS PROOF OF
TARGETING JOURNALISTS DELIBERATELY AT THE POINTS OF ACTION SO
THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO CONVEY THE TRUTH. TO ANSWER THESE
ACCUSATIONS, SERIOUS INVESTIGATIONS WITH CLEAR RESULTS SHOULD
TAKE PLACE."


6. NOTING THE KILLING OF TWO AL ARABIYAH REPORTERS AND THAT THIS
CRIME IS TO HIDE THE TRUTH, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL
BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 03/20:

". DEFINITELY, THERE IS SOMEONE WHO IS TRYING TO STOP THE TRUTH
FROM BEING REVEALED TO PEOPLE, TRYING TO IMPOSE A SECRET CURTAIN
ON ACTIONS, AND IS WORKING HARD TO IMPOSE HIS THOUGHTS ON
EVERYONE WITHOUT LEAVING ANY CHOICE OF CHOOSING BETWEEN MORE THAN
ONE INFORMATION SOURCE. WHOEVER THINKS THAT THAT HIS BULLETS AND
ATTACKS WILL STOP THE TRUTH FROM REACHING TO PEOPLE IS MISTAKEN."
WAHBA