THE ECHO CHAMBER IN YEMEN.

UNCLAS SANAA 003009

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, NEA/PD, NEA/RA, NEA/RRU,
DS/OP/NEA AND S/CT
CENTCOM FOR POLAD
NEA/PPD FOR AFERNANDEZ
THE WHITE HIUSE PLEASE PASS TO NSC

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR PHUM PTER KISL YM
SUBJECT: THE ECHO CHAMBER IN YEMEN.


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Over the past several weeks Post has
initiated a dynamic series of programs in response to U/S
Hughes' Echo Chamber cables. End Summary.


2. (U) IRAQ REFERENDUM (Echo Chamber dated October 13):
Post has translated the text of U/S Hughes' Echo Chamber
cable on the October 15 referendum and has circulated it by
fax and email to media contacts. Post will continue to
emphasize and monitor citations and placement of the points
raised in this cable to Yemeni media sources.


3. (U) AID TO PAKISTAN (Echo Chamber dated October 12):
Post has added multiple links to the Embassy website
highlighting USG efforts to assist earthquake victims in
Pakistan. Ambassador continues to address USG actions in
meetings with ROYG officials and other contacts.


5. (U) NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY SPEECH (Echo
Chamber dated October 7): Official government daily Al-
Thawra (circulation 35,000-40,000) published a front-page
article summarizing and excerpting President Bush's speech
at the National Endowment for Democracy, while offering no
editorial comment on the President's remarks. A link to the
speech was added to the Embassy website.


7. (U) HURRICANE KATRINA (Echo Chambers dated September 7,
September 9): On September 15, the independent daily Al-
Ayyam (circulation 35,000-40,000) published Ambassador
Krajeski's op-ed on the subject of Hurricane Katrina. The
Ambassador thanked the Yemeni government and the Yemeni
people for their expressions of concern and condolence in
the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and for their financial
donation and enumerated the USG response in the aftermath of
the storm.


8. (U) UNGA AND AFGHAN ELECTIONS (Echo Chamber dated
September 5) Post launched an IIP-maintained link on the
subject of the UN at 60 on the Embassy website. The site
offers a webcast link to President Bush's address to the UN.
It also offers a link to the UN reform outcome document and
another link to Ambassador John Bolton's remarks that that
document is but "an important first step in what will be a
long process."


9. (U) Post will continue to maximize outreach on
forthcoming Echo Chamber cables to ensure media contacts are
aware of U.S. policy and views. We will continue to post
USG links on the Embassy website on salient issues raised in
these cables.

KRAJESKI