MEDIA REACTION: US PRESSURE/DUBAI PORTS

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000862 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA; INR/B; RRU-NEA 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 AE KPAO TC SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: US PRESSURE/DUBAI PORTS ¶1. SUMMARY: AN EDITORIAL IN "AL-KHALEEJ" URGED ARAB COUNTRIES TO STAND THIER GROUND DURING THE COMING ARAB SUMMIT TO FOIL ANY AMERICAN PRESSURE AIMED AT STOPPING ARAB SUPPORT FOR HAMAS. AN OP-ED IN "AL-KHALEEJ" CONTRASTS OPPOSITION TO THE DUBAI PORTS DEAL WITH U.S. SUPPORT FOR FREE TRADE. AN END SUMMARY. ¶2. Under the headline "Handling American pressures", Sharjah- based Pan-Arab daily "Al Khaleej," (circulation 85,000) 3/6 wrote: "It is no secret that America is facing many setbacks and disappointments... The situation now in Iraqi and Palestinian and have impacted American policy which in turn makes Washington increase its pressure on Arab countries. Washington seeks to use the upcoming Arab summit as a forum to present its demands, or in other words, to continue its failed policies... The goal of U.S. Secretary Condoleezza Rice's recent visit to the region and her SIPDIS demands, represent a tough example of how the Bush Administration deals with countries of the region... It is up to the Arab summit to turn its resolutions into actions and not merely communiqus that will end up in the drawers, as has always been the previous case. The Palestinian issue is the responsibility of all Arabs." ¶3. The Dean of the Department of Political Science at the UAE University, Dr. Ali Al-Ghafli wrote in Sharjah-based Pan-Arab daily "Al Khaleej," (circulation 85,000) 3/7: "Senator Hilary Clinton is leading a fierce campaign in the U.S. Congress to foil the P&O deal. Hilary is not alone among the opponents of the deal and finds herself in direct confrontation with her spouse Bill Clinton who strongly supports the deal... American opposition of direct Arab investment into U.S. markets while at the same time American investments are penetrating the entire world, makes American preaching on globalization a deceit and delusion. American endeavors to promote free trade values but later refuse reciprocal treatment, adhering to security concerns and fear of foreign intervention in their national security. At the same time, America ignores the similar concerns when they come from other nations... However, they hasten to accuse Arab nations of backing terrorisms and establishing diplomatic relations with the Taliban, a very unfair and baseless accusation. The UAE must be well aware of the dimensions of the American allegations and accusations and come up with the proper mechanism to contain them before they distort the image of the UAE and its national interests." SISON