MEDIA REACTION: UNNEIGHBORLY IRAN

UNCLAS KUWAIT 001321 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN LONDON FOR TSOU PARIS FOR ZEYA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO PREL KDEM PGOV KU SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: UNNEIGHBORLY IRAN Block Quotes -------------- -- On the front page under the headline "Welcome Rafsanjani, but..." Al-Qabas published on April 16, 2006: "Our position on the Iranian nuclear program is closer to that of Tehran than that of Washington. Washington did not take the same stance on the Israeli nuclear program and it did not seek a fair settlement for the Palestinian issue, but... And we say 'but' because Iran put us on the front line of the confrontation without our permission and against our will, although we may become the main victims. Tehran has threatened to close the Straits of Hormuz if any military action is taken against it. It also threatened to bomb hundreds of locations within our countries in retaliation against any attack on its nuclear facilities. GCC countries should try to convince Iran to move the Bushehr reactor away from the waters of the Gulf, even it they will split the cost with Iran, because the first problem will be the last. That is why we say to President Rafsanjani 'welcome' and we add to it a 'but'." -- On the front page Al-Rai Al-Aam, a daily political newspaper published an Op-Ed on April 16, 2006 titled "Kuwait wants Iran an 'strategic ally' for the 'Gulf' and wants 'tools for cooperation' to maintain stability in the region" wrote: "Ahead of President Rafsanjani's visit, Kuwait called on Iran to tie its strategic interests with those of the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council in order to maintain stability in the region. The largest country in the Gulf region should be a 'strategic ally' not a 'strategic threat.' Kuwait also expressed its concern over the latest developments and calls for the matter to be dealt with under Chapter Seven of the United Nations charter. In light of Mr. Rafsanjani's statements about Qalliance with Syria and Iraq, Kuwait stated that GCC member states should be part of any strategic alliance in the region and that its interests are much closer to Iran's than those of Iraq and Syria." -- Al-Seyassah front page editorial by Ahmed Al-Jarallah titled "Iran threatens the interests of the region" on Monday April 17, 2006 read: "Rafsanjani right now is trying to calm the Gulf States' leaders down and to get them to not feel threatened by the prospect of Iran's alliance with Syria and Hezbollah. If Rafsanjani is full of good intentions, then he should sit at the negotiating table with the Emirates and solve the issue of the three occupied islands. He should also discuss the massacres taking place in Iraq and how to not interfere in the political process there. Surely, Rafsanjani who claims that Iran is serving the interests of the region will hear words in Kuwait and from the rest of the GCC member states because Iran's actions do not serve the region's interests at all. Iran's policies bring tension to the region. This is being said with all transparency, especially when it comes to GCC member states' security." ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * LEBARON