MEDIA REACTION: TUENI'S ASSASSINATION

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 005042 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 MCKUNE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: TUENI'S ASSASSINATION ¶1. SUMMARY: THE ASSASSINATION OF LEBANESE MP GIBRAN TEUNI RECEIVED PROMINENT COVERAGE IN THE UAE'S PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA. UAE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND CULTURE AND UAE AMBASSADOR IN LEBANON CONVEYED UAE'S CONDOLENCES TO TUENI'S FAMILY AS WELL TO THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE. A LEBANESE OP-ED WRITER SOUNDED PESSIMISTIC TOWARDS THE UNKNOWN AND DARK FUTURE AFTER THE ASSASSINATION OF THE LEBANESE PUBLISHER GEBRAN TUENI. COMMENTING ON THE ASSASSINATION OF THE TUENI, ARABIC DAILY "AL-BAYAN" EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR THE FUTURE OF LEBANON, NOTING THAT ONLY THE LEBANESE COULD DETERMINE IT. "AL-ITTIHAD" ARABIC DAILY MADE A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE ASSASSINATION OF TUENI AND THAT OF THE IRAQI POLITICIAN MEZHAR AL DELAYMI. END SUMMARY. ¶2. The assassination of Lebanese Publisher and MP Gebran Tueni received prominent coverage in all UAE print and electronic media. The UAE Minister Of Culture And Information, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, sent a letter of condolence to Gebran Tueni's family and the Lebanese Government, while the UAE Ambassador in Lebanon did the same. ¶3. Under the headline "The assassination of Tueni and the future of Lebanon", Lebanese op-ed writer wrote on Sharjah-Based Pan - Arab Daily "Al Khaleej," (circulation 85,000)" "Lebanon has lost its national unity as the rules of its political system, that could have guaranteed the success of the accord among its citizens, fails. Lebanon has also lost its means to keep the peace in the currently difficult regional and international circumstances. After the catastrophe caused by the assassination of our colleague Gebran Tuenis', many Lebanese people are left with a sense of failure, despair and bitterness. This causes them to rally around their diverse creeds and external polarities while retaliating against each other." ¶4. Dubai-Based Arabic Daily "Al Bayan" (circulation 90,000) editorialized on Tueni's assassination: "What makes things even worse is that this happened as the Mehlis'second report was published, with indications that it will inject further tension and strain into Lebanese-Syrian relations. This issue reflects badly on the Lebanese political equation. However, it has become crystal clear that the salvation of Lebanon lies in the hands of the Lebanese only. The theory is so simple; put the interest of Lebanon above any other considerations." ¶5. Under the headline "Between Tueni and Delaymi", Abu Dhabi- Based Arabic Daily "Al Ittihad," (circulation 65,000) editorialized: "The faces of Tueni and Delaymi are alike. Both were professional politicians running their own battles with political tools in relevant political areas. In addition, both of their assassins remain anonymous. Yet, the assassin who killed Tueni in Lebanon two days ago, is the same assassin who killed Delaymi in Iraq yesterday. It is violence, terrorism and the batmen of the darkness who try to spread chaos and panic across the region and blow up these policies in the politicians' faces to keep this region permanently captive to war, terror and violence." QUINN