SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: KUWAIT'S NEW AMIR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000346 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN USAID/ANE/MEA LONDON FOR TSOU PARIS FOR ZEYA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KPAO PREL KDEM KMDR KU SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: KUWAIT'S NEW AMIR ¶1. Summary: All major Arabic-language newspapers printed photographs of the new Amir, spanning the entirety of his political career. Both Al-Seyassah and Al-Rai Al-Aam included special appendices focusing on the same topic. In general, the Kuwaiti media celebrated the constitutional transfer of power to the new Amir. End Summary. Selected Headlines -------------- ¶2. Monday, 30 January 2006 -- Al-Qabas front page "Amir: New page toward promising future"; "Historic session and unanimous pledge of allegiance to Sabah Al-Ahmad as 15th Amir of Kuwait"; "Speaker Al-Khorafi: Continuing reform, boosting of sovereignty of law and state of institutions" -- Al-Qabas p. 8 "In a historic pledge of allegiance session, National Assembly names Shaykh Sabah as Amir of Kuwait"; "Al-Khorafi eulogizes late Jaber Al-Ahmad" -- Al-Qabas p.10 "Nation Invariables Grouping pledges allegiance to Sabah Al-Ahmad"; "ICM congratulates Sabah Al-Ahmad and calls for maintaining popular gains"; "Al-Kandari: We hope that the new government will be up to the responsibility" -- Al-Qabas p. 12 "Ahmad Al-Fahd: Sabah Al-Ahmad's era will witness prosperity in all spheres"; "Ali Al-Rashed: We hope that the positions of Crown Prince and Prime Minister will continue to be separated" -- Al-Qabas p. 14 "Amir takes constitutional oath of office"; "Sabah Al-Ahmad: Positive cooperation between the two authorities will push forward march of construction and development"; "Speaker Al-Khorafi: Our constitutional system has effectively responded to facts of the past phase"; "Council of Ministers names Shaykh Sabah as Amir" -- Al-Qabas p. 20 "Sabah Al-Ahmad received cables of congratulations" -- Al -Seyassah front page "Amir of Kuwait: What happened a few days ago was a triumph for democracy. We will start writing a new page in Kuwait's history"; "Salem Al-Ali pledged allegiance to Sabah Al-Ahmad"; "LeBaron extended congratulations of President Bush and Secretary Rice to Amir"; "Amir received King of Bahrain"; "Release SIPDIS of military jailed for disciplinary penalties" -- Al-Seyassah p. 14 "Shrewdness of Sabah Al-Ahmad safety valve for Kuwait and the entire Arab nation"; "First two verdicts issued in the name of the new Amir" -- Al-Seyassah p. 22 "LeBaron: Kuwait affirmed greatness of its democracy and its constitutional laws" -- Al-Seyassah p. 24 "Demands of Kuwaiti citizens in the new era" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam front page "The new era has started"; "Al-Khorafi hoped that appointing Prime Minister would be expedited"; "Prince Sultan in Kuwait today and Clinton tomorrow and King of Bahrain was the first to congratulate Sabah Al-Ahmad"; "Omani sweets and Al-Sane's tears"; "What happened at 1135?" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 16 "Amir: Fruitful positive cooperation between the two authorities is an imperative destiny for realizing the quantum transition towards change and reform" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 17 "A long handshake between Shaykh Sabah and Al-Saadoun" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 18 "Suad Al-Sabah: Oath-taking session is a victory for the constitution" -- -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 19 "Fahd Salem Al-Ali: We have started the era of completing democratic reforms"; "Ahmad Al-Fahd: Kuwait asserted its transparency and Kuwaitis are united" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 22 "GCC Secretary General: Kuwait gave an example for the rule of law and institutions" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 25 "Ahmad Baqer was the only minister to speak being an MP" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 26 "Bassel Al-Rashed: Second line royal family members should be relied on to prohibit recurrence of mistake" KUWAIT 00000346 002 OF 002 -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 65 "American Ambassador: Kuwait has been and still is an example for development of democracy in the region"; "Islam Presentation Committee: Shaykh Sabah's era will witness openness in the charity work sphere" Block Quotes -------------- ¶3. Monday, 30 January 2006 -- Dr. Abdul Mohsen Hamada wrote in the progressive Al-Qabas Arabic-language daily under the title "Sunset and sunrise": "His Highness Shaykh Jaber Al-Ahmed departed the Kuwait that he loved with his heart and soul and it loved him as if it loved no one but him. He left her vibrant with democracy, love, and justice; free from injustice, tyranny, and repression. Without political prisoners, he left her scientifically and economically developed. He fought illiteracy and ignorance and worked hard to develop the economy and made sure to guarantee the future of the coming generations. It is our duty towards Kuwait to continue the policy of advancement drawn up by the departed Amir. Will we adhere to the constitution that helped us out of the succession crisis or will we turn on it one day and work against it and limit its powers? Will we be able to implement the constitution in order to increase popular participation and the development of the legislature?" -- Jassem Boodai editor-in-chief of the moderate Arabic-language daily Al-Rai Al-Aam on the front page under the title "Sabah (meaning morning) of change and reform": "The loyalty with which Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmed spoke of the departed Amir Shaykh Jaber Al-Ahmed and of the father Amir Shaykh Saad Al-Abdullah is not foreign to him. His concentration on the nation's role in making the decision popularly, preliminarily, and through the media is not far from his political experience, which he carried out with complete faith in democracy, freedom, and HUMAN rights. Those who paid close attention to the oath taken yesterday would realize that Kuwaitis were and remain the main concern of His Highness the Amir Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmed. Shaykh Sabah entered the National COUNCIL yesterday as Prime Minister and left an Amir but the most important part was the storm of applaud and tears of joy that received him and the dozens of kisses planted on his forehead and shoulders and the thousands of flowers that blossomed in the gardens of hope with change and reform." ********************************************* 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 ********************************************* LEBARON