MEDIA REACTION: BLAIR ROUND TRIP TO THE MIDDLE EAST;

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 001248

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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: BLAIR ROUND TRIP TO THE MIDDLE EAST;
BUSH'S CALL FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE



1. SUMMARY: A UK-based Lebanese writer in "Al Ittihad" states
"Bush's conference exploits the current weakness of the
Palestinians" while an Egyptian writer describes the peace
initiative as a "Feast of the Wicked." A UAE columnist in "Al
Ittihad" states Iran is politically blind in pursuing a policy of
interfering in the internal affairs of the Gulf countries. The
editorial in "Al-Bayan" does not expect Blair to make any progress
in his Quartet meeting. A second "Al-Bayan" editorial by an
Egyptian writer views Israel as manipulating the US and the US as
manipulating Arabs. A UAE columnist for "Al-Bayan" opines that
while oil divides Palestine and Israel, gas creates a balance
between these two countries in light of the USD 4 billion gas
extracting agreement with a British company under the license of the
Palestinian government. END SUMMARY.



2. Under the headline "Bush's conference exploits the weakness of
the Palestinians," UK-based Lebanese writer Abdul Wahab Badar Khan
wrote a 07/24 op-ed in Abu Dhabi-based Arabic semi-official daily
"Al-Ittihad" (circulation 65,000):

"The situation in the Middle East does not help to make anybody
believe in this (peace conference) initiative. . . . Bush Junior
is weak and lacks credibility because his Iraq mission failed and he
resorted to the peace process hoping to prevent the morass in Iraq.
. . . Bush's conference exploits the current weakness of the
Palestinians who have no option other than to accept any initiative
to have a Palestinian state."


3. Under the headline "Feast of the Wicked", Director of the
Institute for Arab Research and Studies, Dr.
Ahmed Youssef Ahmed, wrote a 07/24 op-ed in Abu Dhabi-based Arabic
semi-official daily "Al-Ittihad" (circulation 65,000):

"The timing of Bush's peace conference initiative is the worst . . .
. Bush's speech . . . did not address vital issues such as the
status of the Palestinian refugees. . . The only positive element
was when Bush stressed the importance of Israel not to continue its
occupation of the West Bank. . . . Bush wants to win his war in Iraq
by showing an accomplishment in Palestine."


4. Under the headline "Iran and Making Enemies", UAE columnist
Mohammed Khalfan Sowafi wrote a 07/25 op-ed in Abu Dhabi-based
Arabic semi-official daily "Al-Ittihad" (circulation 65,000):

"Iran is politically blind in pursuing a policy of interfering in
the internal affairs of the Gulf countries. . . . Iran is living in
what some call a 'state of political blindness' because while the
Gulf countries aim at improving relations with Iran and give the
current Iranian leadership the opportunity to portrait itself to the
world in a better light than its familiar image of extremism and
interference in the internal affairs of other countries, Tehran does
not seem to want to change this image."


5. Under the headline "Blair's First Round," a 07/24 editorial in
Dubai-based Arabic daily "Al-Bayan" (circulation 85,000) reads:

"Former envoy James Wolfenson thinks Blair is wasting his time, does
not expect him to make any progress in the Quartet meeting and will
likely face the same fate of failure. . . . We hope Blair benefits
from Wolfenson's failure and will have a roadmap rather than just
words on paper."


6. Under the headline "Manipulating Arabs and the US," Egyptian
columnist Magdi Shendi wrote a 07/24 op-ed in Dubai-based Arabic
daily "Al-Bayan" (circulation 85,000):

"The peace conference is initiated by Israel with the goal of
normalizing relations with more Arab countries publicly, to open
more channels of communication. . . . Israel manipulates the U.S.
and the U.S. manipulates Arabs."


7. Under the headline "Between Oil and Gas," UAE columnist Mohammed
Mutawa wrote a 07/25 op-ed in Dubai-based Arabic daily "Al-Bayan"
(circulation 85,000):


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"We worry that the tragedy of the Oslo Accords will be repeated in
the current experiment of the international peace conference. . . .
It is expected that the Palestinian authority and Israel will sign a
political agreement worth four billion dollars. This deal is about
purchasing natural gas from a British company that will extract gas
from Gaza beaches under the license of the Palestinian government,
which will in turn provide an income to the Palestinian government
of Abu Mazen amounting to one billion dollars annually. . . . The
gas could create a balance between Israel and the project of
legitimizing a country in order to strike the deal."


SISON