MEDIA REACTION: RELEASE OF BRITISH SOLDIERS/ TWO

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004086 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 MOC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: RELEASE OF BRITISH SOLDIERS/ TWO PUBLICATIONS IN UAE/ BREAKTHOUGH WITH NORTH KOREA ¶1. SUMMARY: A UAE DAILY CLAIMED THAT THE TWO BRITISH SOLDIERS DETAINED IN BASRA AND LATER FREED FROM POLICE DETENTION WERE MOSSAD AGENTS. ANOTHER DAILY WELCOMED THE LAUNCH OF TWO UAE DAILY TABLOIDS IN ENGLISH AND ARABIC URGING THEM TO REFLECT THE HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE STREET. A UAE ACADEMIC LAUDED NORTH KOREA'S CONCESSION TO ABANDON ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM, DESCRIBING IT AS A SUCCESS FOR U.S. DIPLOMACY AND AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW IN WORKING TO COUNTER IRAN'S NUCLEAR ASPIRATIONS. END SUMMARY ¶2. Under the headline "Sistani with a vote of yes for the constitution and calls for Jaafari's resignation. The Basra crisis: `The two British soldiers work for the Mossad'", UAE's largest circulation, Sharjah-Based Pan -Arab Daily "Al Khaleej," (circulation 85,000) 9/23 wrote. The story claimed that the two soldiers who were detained by the Iraqi police were working for the Israeli Mossad to carry out explosions that would create sectarian strife between the Sunnis and the Shiites in Iraq. ¶3. Under the headline "The New Press", Adel Sanhouri wrote in Dubai-Based Arabic Daily "Al Bayan," (circulation 90,000): "The launching of new dailies means a new window of hope and mornings of aspirations for a society that dreams of development, a desire in reform and a better future.. Both dailies, Emirates Today" and "Emarat Al-Yaoum" chose the format of a tabloid, a form that characterizes most popular publications in Britain and the rest of the world. This choice puts those in charge of the publications before a real challenge. The real court of popular media is the street that hopes to see its image on the publications pages.After all, what is important is the content of any publication and the margin of freedom that prevails represents the main challenge." ¶4. Dr. Muhamamd bin Huwaiden wrote in "Al-Khaleej" 9/24: "In a sudden development that represented joy for some and shock for others, North Korea pledged to abandon its nuclear program.. This North Korean concession represents a victory for the philosophy of peaceful diplomacy pursued by Washington in tackling the North Korean file against the philosophy of military diplomacy Washington has been trying to execute in other areas and mainly the Middle East.This success means the collapse of the last challenge fortresses that have always confronted the U.S. and a victory of the U.S. which will overshadow moves and hopes of other nations that viewed the Korean challenge as an example to follow such as Iran. This success will work as a catalyst for the U.S. to continue in its rejection of Iran's demands to possess peaceful nuclear program on one side and to pursue its pressure on the European nations and Russia to take similar position to the Asians from the North Korean file. The Korean file will also create a huge problem for the Iranian political regime which will become totally isolated and unable to maneuver because what has been applied on Korea will be a model to follow by others." SISON