MEDIA REACTION ON UKRAINE

UNCLAS AMMAN 009888 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN USAID/ANE/MEA LONDON FOR GOLDRICH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR JO SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON UKRAINE Summary -- Lead story in all papers today, December 14, continues to focus on King Abdullah's visit and activities in Japan. Another lead story highlights the attempted assassination of a Hamas leader in Damascus, Syria and Syria's reaction blaming the Israeli Mossad for this attempt. Editorial Commentary -- "The diplomacy of the Dioxin" Columnist Mohammad Kharoub writes on the op-ed page of semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai (12/14): "The Ukrainian opposition leader guaranteed a seat for himself in the `repeated' presidential elections scheduled to take place on December 26 after Austrian doctors confirmed the fact that he was poisoned with Dioxin. This is despite the fact that highly efficient and reputable international laboratories in the United States and Russia failed to conclusively deduce that, especially since the scars on the west-backed Ukrainian politician puzzled the specialists.. The fabricated noise seems to be dedicated to creating a coup and a revolution designed to instill fear in the hearts of the supporters of the government-backed candidate who is also supported by Moscow and suggest to him that he must not only concede defeat, but also reckon with the idea that he might end up behind bars if proven to have something to do with the poisoning conspiracy.. The diplomacy of the Dioxin seems to be the major preoccupation of Europe and the United States.. Such talk is not empty of political score settling and bias to the west.. What is happening is a completion of the Cold War and the destruction of any remaining World War II symbols and repercussions.. An important question remains: do we deny the occurrence of the poisoning? Absolutely not . but this time it has been created and dedicated to serve a political objective designed to strengthen the Ukrainian opposition leader's chances." HALE