ELECTION COUNTDOWN: KUWAIT MEDIA ELECTION COVERAGE JUNE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002590 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/P, 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 KDEM PGOV KU FREEDOM AGENDA SUBJECT: ELECTION COUNTDOWN: KUWAIT MEDIA ELECTION COVERAGE JUNE 22-28 Sensitive but unclassified. Not for internet distribution. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Some 100 foreign media, mostly from the Middle East and the Gulf Region, will be in Kuwait to cover the June 29 elections. Few U.S. or major international media outlets are present; however a CNN reporter is planning to arrive June 28. The Ministry of Information opened a foreign media center at a downtown hotel for use by the international press. Embassy Public Affairs (PA) is tracking the presence of U.S. and major international media in Kuwait. Public Affairs organized for wire services and foreign media representatives a deep background discussion with PolChief on the Kuwaiti elections. A focus of the meeting was to provide context for two key anticipated results -- that a woman will not win a seat in the new Parliament and that Islamist candidates will pick up additional seats. PolChief stressed the historic achievement of Kuwaiti women voting and running for office for the first time and pointed out that Kuwaiti Islamists represent a broad spectrum, including both those aligned with liberal groups and conservatives, and in general are supportive of U.S. efforts to promote security and stability in the region. Public and private media will offer expanded coverage on Election Day. End summary. Foreign Press Arrive -------------- ¶2. (U) As of June 27 some 70 foreign media had registered their presence in Kuwait with the Ministry of Information. The Ministry established a Foreign Media Center at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Kuwait City. International media in town to cover the June 29 elections may use the facility as a base and filing center. Approximately 15 computer terminals as well as telephones and televisions are available and Ministry personnel are on hand to answer questions, recommend appointments and explain the elections process. The Ministry said 100 foreign media are expected to make use of the facility, most of them from the Middle East and Gulf regions. According to the Ministry official managing the site, the foreign press is showing keen interest in women candidates and the logistics for women voters on Election Day. Tracking the Media �A; -------------- ¶3. (U) Embassy Public Affairs is tracking the presence of U.S. and major international and regional media, but none are confirmed present as of June 28. A New York Times correspondent visited Kuwait this week, but will be covering Election Day from Saudi Arabia. Regional pan-Arab satellite channels Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya already have correspondents in Kuwait as do the major wire services, including Associated Press (AP),Reuters and Agence France Presse (AFP). The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) and France2 have dispatched correspondents in Kuwait, but no American broadcast entities are confirmed in Kuwait, although Post has reports that a CNN reporter will arrive the evening of June 28. Putting Elections into Context -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Embassy Public Affairs staff and PolChief provided a background briefing for the major wire services and several members of the European press. The deep background, not-for-attribution, meeting addressed the elections process, anticipated results and what they mean for the Freedom Agenda. PolChief provided context of two key anticipated results: that a woman will not be elected to the new Parliament and that Islamic candidates will pick up additional seats. If these results transpire and if they are reported at face value by the media it could be interpreted as a setback for the Freedom Agenda. The briefing stressed that the victory of a woman candidate is only half the story. Even if a female does not make it to Parliament, Kuwaiti women still will have voted in large numbers, run for office and had an impact on campaign issues. The election represents grassroots activism and an historic expansion of political rights in Kuwait, which merits recognition. With regard to Islamists potentially picking up additional seats in the new Parliament, PolChief emphasized to the media that Kuwaiti Islamists have long played a role in Kuwaiti society represent both liberal and conservative opinion. In general they are supportive of U.S. policy toward Kuwait and efforts to promote security and stability in the Gulf region. Moreover, they are still not expected to constitute a majority in the new Parliament. Embassy will offer to provide similar background briefings on Election Day to the CNN and other U.S. media that may be present. Expanded TV and Print Coverage for Elections -------------- KUWAIT 00002590 002 OF 002 ¶5. (U) Kuwait TV is touting its "state-of-the-art" coverage planned for Election Day. The Ministry of Information announced plans for continuous election coverage starting in the morning of June 29 and going into the night as results come in. According to Ministry officials, election tallies from each polling station will be sent directly to the TV station for immediate broadcast. In addition, Kuwait TV will make use of graphics and other visual aids so that viewers will be able to follow election developments "minute-by-minute" throughout the day. Speaking to reporters at a June 27 press conference at the Kuwaiti Journalists Association, the Minister of Information commented that Kuwait TV will be the "main source of information for election news for all media outlets." He went on say that election coverage will be "unprecedented" for this important event. Newspaper editors report that they will announce results in editions the morning after the polls close. Special arrangements are being made to hold the presses until the final tallies are available. Prologue to the Polls -------------- ¶6. (U) The buildup to elections this week saw the media continue to focus on issues of corruption and redistricting. Private TV and the pan-Arab channels provided more in-depth coverage of election issues and events than public TV or radio. Blogs of all types continue to provide insight into public opinion and how Kuwaitis view issues and candidates. Both the serious and the trivial can be found. Commenting on election choice, one observer wrote on the blog "Whether the candidate is a family friend or a cousin, the concept of this relationship must be eliminated. Consider Kuwait and its future, and judge how good is that candidate for Kuwait and not for your own personal interests." Less upright comments on candidates also abound on the blogs. At one blogger wrote, "As for [candidate] Rola Dashti, my husband was at the same university as she in the United States. I also have feedback on her from some of my friends who already met her; and they say the same thing as my husband. She is shallow and full of nothing." ********************************************* * 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/ ********************************************* * TUELLER