Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05AMMAN1201
2005-02-14 10:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ ELECTION

Tags:  KMDR JO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

141031Z Feb 05
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001201

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 IRAQ ELECTION


Summary

-- The announcement of the results of the January 30
legislative elections in Iraq lead front-page coverage
of all papers published today, February 14. Other
stories highlight King Abdullah's visit to the UAE to
take part in the opening of IDEX 2005 and focus on
Palestinian-Israeli issues, including Israel's
agreement to release 500 Palestinian prisoners
tomorrow.

Editorial Commentary

-- "Iraq stands before a new stage: political and
party formations under the test"

Semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai (02/14)
editorializes: "With the announcement of the final
results of the Iraq election, one could say that the
Iraqi people have taken a qualitative step towards
building the new Iraq.. The Iraqi people in its
majority went to the ballot boxes to cast their votes
in favor of change, freedom, security, stability and
the establishment of a modern state away from bigotry
and dictatorship.. The political forces that had
acquired the trust of the people must not disappoint
the people. They must consider their victory a
legitimate beginning and a popular authorization for
them to assume their responsibilities and duties for
which the Iraqi people had voted, foremost among which
is the preservation of the unity of Iraq, and the
personification of democracy in a coalition that lays
the foundations for the new Iraq that would bring
security to the people and begin the rebuilding
process in a manner that would speed the departure of
the foreign troops and provide genuine sovereignty and
independence."

-- "Legitimate elections with three quarters"

Daily columnist Jamil Nimri writes on the back-page of
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm
(02/14): "The majority acquired by the Unified Shiite
List must not tempt its people of having autocratic
decision-making power, not if they want the political
process to advance. The logic of preserving accord
and harmony must be maintained not just with the
powers represented in parliament but also with the
Sunni factions that had boycotted the elections but
want to be party to formulating Iraq's future.. One
could say that the legitimacy of the elections was
breached to an extent due to the fact that they took
place under occupation and amidst the boycott of one

of the components of the Iraqi people. This is
sufficient to say that the resulting majority must not
enjoy complete decision-making freedom on the basis of
the number of its members in this parliament. Having
said that however, the elections remain a launching
pad for the political process.. One must acknowledge
the fact that the parliament represents three quarters
of the Iraqi people. The remaining quarter cannot
just hit its head against the wall and use the
occupation as a pretext to stay out of the political
negotiations vis--vis Iraq's future. If it does, it
will achieve nothing and Iraq will remain prone to
blind violence with no hope or horizon. Even if the
Americans withdraw tomorrow, this quarter must take
into consideration the other three quarters of the
Iraqi people, namely the Shiites and the Kurds."

-- "A government for Al-SISTANI or for Alawi!"

Chief editor Taher Udwan writes on the back-page of
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm
(02/14): "I am still in support of the saying that
the elections in Iraq are illegitimate because they
took place under occupation and on the basis of the
Bremmer constitution which was founded on the idea of
dividing the country.. The elections took place in
order to grant legitimacy to the upcoming government
that has the responsibility of preparing the new
constitution and the final elections early next year.
This means that the government will be the point of
conflict, which has already started between the
political forces, the Shiites and the Kurds, to divide
up the cake and achieve the best of profits.. All
those who backed the Iraqi elections and legitimized
it from outside Iraq, including the United States,
prefer a government led by Alawi and having an
alliance with Talbani and Barzani. On the ground
however, a government formed by Al-SISTANI coalition
would be closer to the national interests of Iraq than
a government formed by Alawi with the Kurds that would
strengthen the Kurds' Israel-supported separatist
desires in Kerkuk.. Al-SISTANI's coalition with the
Sunnis and the Shiites may be the only remaining
guarantee in the hands of the Iraqis for preserving
Iraq's unity while the occupation is there, because
this coalition might rectify the concept of the
majority as an Arab majority."

-- "The results of the Iraq election"

Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(02/14) editorializes: "We are all aware of the
circumstances that surrounded the legislative
elections in Iraq and we all realize that they do not
genuinely and completely reflect the will of the Iraqi
people. However, the elections went on as best as can
be expected under the current situation in that
country, whose people are looking for a new beginning
that would take them out of the crisis and lead to the
shores of safety, freedom, independence and progress.
It may be too early to make final impressions about
the results of the elections . but it is enough to
consider the number of people who exercised their
right to vote in order to realize the message that the
Iraqi people had sent to everyone, namely that they
long for freedom and for self-management.. It is not
for us to say that the Sunnis's abstention from the
elections was right or wrong, but it definitely made
the results what they are today, bringing with them
fears and concerns about the political identity of the
new Iraq.. In all cases, one cannot overlook the fact
that these elections are an achievement without the
shadow of a doubt. As for making use of this
achievement without falling in the trap of the false
feeling of superiority, that is the real test that is
going to face all the parties in the Iraqi arena."
HALE