MEDIA REACTION: POTUS SPEECH AT THE ISLAMIC CENTER

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001101 SIPDIS 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 ERELI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: POTUS SPEECH AT THE ISLAMIC CENTER ¶1. SUMMARY: POTUS ADDRESS AT THE ISLAMIC CENTER IN WASHINGTON RECEIVED MODEST COVERAGE IN THE UAE'S PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA. THE MEDIA HIGHLIGHTED WASHINGTON'S INTENTION TO APPOINT AN ENVOY TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE (OIC). DUBAI-BASED SATELLITE NEWS CHANNEL "AL-ARABIYAH" AIRED A SHORT INTERVIEW WITH UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY KAREN HUGHES NOTING THAT THE PRESIDENT HIGHLY RESPECTS ISLAM AND MUSLIMS AND THE ADMINISTRATION IS LOOKING FOR A CANDIDATE TO TAKE OVER THE POSITION OF AMERICA'S ENVOY AT THE OIC. END SUMMARY. ¶2. THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS TO THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF WASHINGTON WAS BRIEFLY COVERED IN THE UAE'S ARABIC DAILIES. DUBAI-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AL-BAYAN" 6/28 FRONT-PAGED A STORY ON U.S. INTENTION TO APPOINT AN ENVOY TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE (OIC) WITH A PHOTO OF PRESIDENT BUSH ADDRESSING AUDIENCE AT THE ISLAMIC CENTER. ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-OFFICIAL "AL-ITTIHAD" 6/28 CARRIED A BRIEF STORY ON PAGE 25 UNDER HEADLINE: "FIRST U.S. ENVOY TO THE OIC." DUBAI AND ABU DHABI TV STATIONS CARRIED EXCERPTS OF THE PRESIDENT'S REMARKS IN WHICH HE EMPHASIZED HIS RESPECT FOR ISLAM AS A RELIGION THAT HAS ENRICHED HUMANITY OVER THE YEARS. "AL-KHALEEJ" 6/29 CARRIED A WIRE SERVICE STORY CITING MALYSIAN PRIME MINISTER AS WELCOMING PRESIDENT BUSH'S INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH THE ISLAMIC WORLD HOPING IT WILL ESTABLISH A FRAMEWORK FOR DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION AS WELL AS RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE AND THE NEED TO NEGOTIATE WITH IT. "AL-ARABIYAH" CARRIED A SHORT INTERVIEW WITH KAREN HUGHES IN WHICH SHE REITERATED THE PRESIDENT'S RESPECT FOR ISLAM AND FOR MUSLIMS IN AMERICA AND ABROAD. U/S HUGHES IS CITED AS STATING THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS LOOKING FOR A CANDIDATE TO TAKE THE SENIOR POSITION OF THE UNITED STATES SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE OIC, A POSITION THAT WILL DEMONSTRATE AMERICA'S DESIRE TO EXTEND A HAND OF FRIENDSHIP TO ALL MUSLIMS. SISON