MEDIA REACTION: U.S. VETO/ARAB SUMMIT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 000938

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/MOC; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S. VETO/ARAB SUMMIT



1. SUMMARY: THE U.S. VETO AGAINST A UN RESOLUTION TO CONDEMN
SHEIKH AHMAD YASSIN'S ASSASSINATION AND CANCELING THE ARAB SUMMIT
IN TUNIS DOMINATED COVERAGE IN ALL ELECTRONIC AND PRINT MEDIA
THIS WEEK. AN EDITORIAL IN "AL BAYAN" NOTED THAT THE PICTURE OF
THE U.S. WOULD BECOME MORE AND MORE DEFORMED AFTER THE VETO.
GULF NEWS' EDITOR IN CHIEF ABDUL HAMID AHMAD NOTED ON 03/29 THAT
THE POSTPONEMENT OR CANCELLATION OF THE ARAB SUMMIT SHOULD NOT BE
A SURPRISE SINCE NOTHING WAS EXPECTED FROM THIS SUMMIT ANYWAY.
AN EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ" NOTED THAT THE U.S. USING THE VETO
IS TERRORISM. END SUMMARY.


2. NOTING THAT IT IS NO TIME FOR CONFLICT, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-
ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 03/30:

". CANCELING THE ARAB SUMMIT HAS SHOWN THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO
REACH A SOLUTION FOR OUR CONTINUOUS CONFLICTS AND PROBLEMS, WHICH
HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ARAB STREET. THE ARAB CONFLICTS
DON'T REVEAL THE GENERAL ARAB PUBLIC OPINION. THESE ARE CONFLICTS
BETWEEN THE DECISION MAKERS AT THE SUMMIT, BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN
THAT WE SHOULD SURRENDER TO OUR CONFLICTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE HARD
CIRCUMSTANCES OUR NATION IS GOING THROUGH. THE CHALLENGES AND
DANGERS THAT ARE FACING THE ARAB WORLD ARE IN NEED FOR THE ARAB
LEADERS TO OVERCOME THEIR PROBLEMS. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE ARAB
SUMMIT HAPPENS VERY SOON."


3. NOTING THAT ON EARTH DAY THINGS IN THE ARAB WORLD SEEM TO BE
GETTING WORSE AND WORSE, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL
KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 03/30:

". ON EARTH DAY THE ARAB SITUATION SEEMS TO BE THE WORST, SINCE
THE ARAB SUMMIT PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO MEET, AND IT IS FORBIDDEN
TO TALK ABOUT ARAB UNITY OR COOPERATION AND ABOUT ANYTHING THAT
HAS TO DO WITH NATIONALISM. BUT BETS ON THE WILL AND BELIEF IN
THE JUSTICE OF OUR CAUSE ARE STILL THE ARBITRATORS THAT MIGHT
MAKE ALL THE PROJECTS OF SURRENDERING TO OCCUPATION FAIL."


4. COMMENTING ON CANCELING THE ARAB SUMMIT IN TUNIS, DUBAI-BASED
ENGLISH DAILY "GULF NEWS" EDITORIALIZED ON 03/29:

". THIS GOES TO THE VERY HEART OF THE CONTINUED ABJECT FAILURE OF
THE ARAB LEAGUE TO PRODUCE SOLID PROPOSALS. WHILE INTENTIONS MAY
BE GOOD ON THE PART OF SOME NATIONS, OTHERS IN THE ARAB WORLD
WILL NOT ATTEND MEETINGS, WHICH ARE NOT A FOREGONE CONCLUSION AND
THE RESULTS PRESENTED TO THE DELEGATES AS A FAIT ACCOMPLI. YET,
GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRODUCE REFORMATION PROPOSALS, THE ARAB
WORLD-THIS TIME IN THE GUISE OF THE ARAB LEAGUE-FALLS BEFORE IT
HAS EVEN GOT TO THE FIRST HURDLE. THERE IS A DESPERATE NEED FOR
REFORM IN THE REGION; LEADERS CANNOT CONTINUE TO THWART THE IDEAS
PRESENTED TO THEM BY THEIR CITIZENS. THEY MUST LEND A
SYMPATHETIC EAR TO THEM, WITH A VIEW TO THEIR IMPLEMENTATION NOT
REJECTION."


5. UNDER THE HEADLINE "IT'S BEST FOR THE ARAB LEAGUE TO GO,"
ABDUL HAMID AHMED EDITOR IN CHIEF WROTE IN "GULF NEWS" ON 02/29:

". THE LAST MINUTE POSTPONEMENT OF THE SUMMIT SHOULD NEITHER
SURPRISE ANYONE NOR UPSET THE ARABS, AS NOTHING WAS EXPECTED FROM
THE MEETING IN THE FIRST PLACE. HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF POSTPONING
THE MEETING, ARAB HEADS OF STATE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FRANK AND
COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO DECLARE OUTRIGHT THE DEATH OF THE ARAB
LEAGUE. THE ARAB LEAGUE HAS FAILED IN FULFILLING THE BASIC HOPES
AND AMBITIONS OF ITS CITIZENS, AND THE REGION'S LEADERS SHOULD
REPLACE IT WITH AN INSTITUTION THAT WILL WORK TO CREATE A
EUROPEAN UNION-STYLE COMMON ARAB MARKET. WHAT I MEAN IS A
CONCRETE PROJECT, NOT SWEET WORDS AND EMPTY PROMISES.. A PROJECT
THAT WILL FULFILL OUR ASPIRATIONS AND SATISFY OUR HOPES FOR
PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY."


6. DR. ANWAR GARGASH COMMENTED ON WASHINGTON'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS
THE ASSASSINATION OF SHEIKH AHMED YASSIN IN AN ARTICLE IN "GULF
NEWS" ON 03/29:

"AMERICA'S REPUTATION IN THE ARAB WORLD IS AT AN ALL-TIME LOW.
THE BOTTOM FELL OUT YET AGAIN, AND WHAT HAS BEEN A STRAINED
RELATIONSHIP ALL ALONG IS FURTHER AFFECTED BY WASHINGTON'S
RESPONSE TO ISRAEL'S ASSASSINATION OF SHEIKH AHMED YASSIN, THE
SPIRITUAL LEADER OF HAMAS. WASHINGTON'S CALL FOR RESTRAINT FROM
BOTH PARTIES, AND REFUSAL TO CONDEMN A VIOLENT, POLITICAL
ASSASSINATION WAS IN SHARP CONTRAST TO WIDESPREAD EUROPEAN
CONDEMNATION OF THIS MURDER. YET AGAIN, BLIND SUPPORT FOR
SHARON'S EXTREMIST POLICIES WAS OUT OF PLACE WITH THE ROLE THE
UNITED STATES IS EXPECTED TO PLAY IN BRINING AN END TO THE ARAB-
ISRAELI CONFLICT."


7. UNDER THE HEADLINE "ARABS ANNOUNCE THEIR BANKRUPTCY," "AL
BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 03/29:

". THE TRUTH BEHIND CANCELING THE ARAB SUMMIT IS ABSENT, AND THE
PERSON, WHO IS THE NORMAL ARAB MAN OF THE STREET, WHO HAS THE
RIGHT TO KNOW, DOES NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. WHAT HAPPENED IS
COMPLETE DISDAIN OF THE NATIONS CAPABILITIES THAT IS LIVING
THROUGH THE WORST DAYS, AND THE BIGGEST LOSER IS EVERY ARAB
PERSON WHO WAS HOPING THAT HIS LEADERS WOULD REACH THE MINIMUM
LEVEL OF COOPERATION TO SAVE WHAT CAN BE SAVED OF OUR LOST
RIGHTS. THE BIGGEST WINNER IS THE ZIONIST TERRORIST ENTITY. THE
WEAK SITUATION THAT THE ARABS ARE IN REACHED ITS HIGHEST LIMIT
AND MIGHT LEAD ISRAEL TO INCREASE ITS ATTACKS AGAINST OUR
BROTHERS IN PALESTINE."


8. NOTING THAT ALTHOUGH THE RESULTS OF THE ARAB SUMMIT WERE NOT
VERY HOPEFUL BUT CANCELING IT WAS A BIG SURPRISE, "AL-KHALEEJ"
EDITORIALIZED 03/29:

". IT IS RIGHT THAT BETS ON THE ARAB SUMMIT WERE NOT VERY
ENTHUSIASTIC FROM THE ARAB SIDE BECAUSE OFFICIAL RESPONSES TO THE
STRANGE INITIATIVES TARGETING THE ARAB WORLD WERE NOT AT A
RESPECTABLE LEVEL, AND THE ARAB DEALINGS WITH THE ZIONISTS AND
WHAT SHARON IS COMMITTING WAS VERY WEAK. IT WAS STRANGE AND
SURPRISING FOR THE SUMMIT TO BE CANCELLED ALL OF A SUDDEN, AS IF
THERE IS A DECISION TO BLOW UP ALL THE ARAB REGIMES AND TO KILL
ANY HOPE OF ARAB COOPERATION."


9. COMMENTING ON THE U.S. USING THE VETO AGAINST A UN RESOLUTION
TO CONDEMN THE ASSASSINATION OF SHEIKH AHMAD YASSIN, "AL BAYAN"
EDITORIALIZED ON 3/27:

". THE MOST DANGEROUS THING IN THIS VETO IS THE DEFORMATION OF
THE PICTURE OF THE U.S. IN THE ARAB AND ISLAMIC WORLD AND THE
CONSIDERATION OF THE U.S. AS PROTECTING THE BUTCHER SHARON, IT
WILL EVEN PUSH SOME PEOPLE TO ACCUSE THE U.S. OF BEING ITS ALLY
IN THE ATTACKS SINCE IT PROVIDES ISRAEL WITH ITS WEAPONS. WE
THINK THAT IT'S TIME FOR WASHINGTON TO REVIEW ITS ATTITUDE, AND
TO DEAL WITH ALL SIDES NEUTRALLY AND USE ITS POWER TO SPREAD
JUSTICE AND TOLERANCE IN THE WORLD, AND TO USE THE VETO IN
PUTTING OUT RATHER THAN STARTING FIRES, THAT WAY IT WON'T ASK THE
QUESTION `WHY DO THEY HATE US?'"


10. NOTING THAT THE U.S. VETO IS TERRORISM, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-
ARAB DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 03/27:

". THIS VETO, WHICH IS TERRORISM WITH EXCELLENCE, SHOULD WAKE THE
ARABS UP FROM THEIR SLEEP IN ORDER TO SHOW AND EXPLAIN TO THE
BUSH ADMINISTRATION THAT THEY HAVE HAD IT, AND THAT ITS (U.S.)
CHOICE TO KEEP ON SUPPORTING THE ZIONIST TERRORISM AND PROVIDING
IT WITH THE GREEN LIGHT TO COMMIT MORE AND MORE TERRORIST ACTS IS
SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE IGNORED ANYMORE, IT EVEN MAKES IT
PARALLEL TO THOSE WHO KILL HUMANS IN PALESTINE."


11. UNDER THE HEADLINE "ARABS BETWEEN THE U.S. VETO AND THE
EUROPEAN HYPOCRISY," ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD"
EDITORIALIZED 03/27:

". WHEN WILL THE ARABS DEAL WITH THE AMERICAN VETO AND THE
EUROPEAN HYPOCRISY AS THEY DESERVE AND AS IS APPROPRIATE TO ALL
THE CHALLENGES WE ARE FACING IN THIS DIFFICULT ERA, WHICH IS
THREATENING TO LOSE OUR PRIDE AND RIGHTS?"

WAHBA