CHENEY'S VISIT, COMMENTS ON IRAN AND DEMOCRACY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002900

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD, PA, NEA/PI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KPAO KMPI KWMN KDEM KU
SUBJECT: CHENEY'S VISIT, COMMENTS ON IRAN AND DEMOCRACY
EARN BLANKET COVERAGE IN LOCAL PRESS


1. SUMMARY: Kuwaiti media produced blanket coverage of
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Elizabeth L. Cheney's
June 24-25 visit to Kuwait. Ms. Cheney's comments praising
Kuwaiti women for achieving their political rights and
criticizing Iran for sham elections, and both Iran and
Syria for supporting terror, made front page news in every
Arabic daily except one. Also making front-page news, and
prompting a harsh backlash from some National Assembly
members, were inaccurate reports that Ms. Cheney called for
international monitoring of Kuwait's 2007 elections. END
SUMMARY.

"Cheney Opens Fire On Iran"
--------------


2. The simultaneous timing of the Iranian presidential
election runoffs and Ms. Cheney's visit meant that media
interest was intense in anything she might say regarding
Iran. In an exclusive interview with independent daily Al-
Qabas, and to reporters gathered on the sidelines of both a
lunch with prominent female activists and a roundtable
discussion with Kuwaiti exchange students, Ms. Cheney said
that the Iranian elections were not free, called their
democracy "backward," and accused Iran, along with Syria,
of supporting terrorism and destabilizing Iraq. These
comments appeared across the front pages of two Arabic
dailies, and were highlighted on the inside of a third
underneath the headline, "Cheney Opens Fire on Iran."

"Cheney Promised to Help Women Achieve Real Change"
-------------- --------------


3. While Kuwaitis closely watched the Iranian elections and
the papers highlighted Ms. Cheney's comments on them, her
visits with female political activists and comments on
women and Kuwait's democratic development dominated both
her schedule and her press. Photos and coverage of Ms.
Cheney's meetings with new female Minister of Planning Dr.
Ma'souma Al-Mubarak, rights activist Dr. Rola Dashti, and
liberal, pro-women's rights, Member of Parliament Mohammed
Al-Sager appeared in all Kuwaiti daily papers. The papers
also prominently covered with headlines and photos Ms.
Cheney's roundtable discussion with members of the Kuwaiti
Women Social and Cultural Society. Headlines covering her
remarks included "Cheney Promised to Help Women Achieve
Real Change in 2007 Elections;" "Kuwaiti Woman Has Skills
That Qualify Her For Political Work;" "Women's Political
Rights are a Great Achievement for Democracy;" and "Cheney
Promised to Help Women Achieve Real Change."

"Tehran Destabilizes Iraq and Damascus Destabilizes
Lebanon"
-------------- --------------
-


4. Reporters from all Kuwaiti dailies surrounded Ms. Cheney
at her appearances, but Al-Qabas, a prominent independent
daily, offered the most comprehensive treatment of Ms.
Cheney's schedule, and views, in large part because they
received an exclusive interview. The interview ran nearly
verbatim on a full page inside the broadsheet, opposite
another page devoted to Ms. Cheney's other events. In it,
she clarified and expounded on familiar themes -- this was
apparent in the headline of the interview, "Tehran
Destabilizes Iraq and Damascus Destabilizes Lebanon," which
ran on the front page -- and took advantage of the
opportunity to introduce additional points.


5. Moving beyond praise for women and condemnation for
Syria and Iran, Ms. Cheney expounded on several more issues
in the interview, conducted by Al-Qabas editor-in-chief
Walid Al-Nisf. Ms. Cheney said that Egypt was moving in the
right direction on the path of democratic reform, denied
oft-repeated accusations that the U.S. Government is
interfering in Kuwaiti curriculum development, and
explained that MEPI programs support local non-governmental
organizations and do not constitute interference in
Kuwait's internal affairs.

"Cheney's Statements Provoke the Kuwaiti Street"
-------------- ---


6. One statement by Ms. Cheney, misinterpreted and taken
out of context by the press covering her appearance at the
Women Social and Cultural Society, provoked a harsh
response from some members of Parliament, notably Speaker
Jassem Al-Khorafi and Islamist Faisal Al-Mislim. Responding
to a question regarding how best Kuwaiti women can realize
their rights in the 2007 elections, Ms. Cheney offered a
list of options, including media events, improved
organization and activism, and the possibility of
international, or Kuwaiti, election observation teams.
Several women at the event took issue with this point, and
Ms. Cheney clarified her meaning, saying that such a
decision was up to the Kuwaitis and that many democratic
nations, including the U.S., hosted election monitors.


7. None of the papers covering the event reported the point
accurately, instead splashing headlines saying that Ms.
Cheney had called for international monitors in 2007. Al-
Khorafi's response that such remarks poisoned the relations
between the two countries, and Al-Mislim's harsh criticism
of what he called "interference in internal affairs," among
many responses, were widely reported on the next day's
front pages. Pro-government daily Al-Seyassah ran a front-
page headline declaring, "Cheney's Statements Provoke the
Kuwaiti Street."


8. The controversy should prove short-lived. The U.S.
Embassy issued a statement correcting the record, which all
papers ran prominently. An attendee at the event also
issued a clarification. And two prominent ministers and
ruling family members issued similar statements widely
covered in all newspapers. Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr.
Mohammed Al-Sabah downplayed the issue and warned
journalists to check their sources, and Defense Minister
Shaykh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah questioned the precision
of the reports on Ms. Cheney's comments.

******************************************
Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/

You can also access this site through the
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website
*********************************************

TUELLER