Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ABUDHABI1555
2007-09-17 14:44:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
UAE PRESS WELCOMES RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT
how-toVZCZCXRO9406 RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHAD #1555 2601444 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 171444Z SEP 07 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9715 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001555
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, DRL/IRF, and DRL/SEA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KPAO KIRF AE
SUBJECT: UAE PRESS WELCOMES RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT
REF: STATE 128772
Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001555
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, DRL/IRF, and DRL/SEA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KPAO KIRF AE
SUBJECT: UAE PRESS WELCOMES RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT
REF: STATE 128772
Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.
1. (U) On September 17, most local English and Arabic dailies in
the UAE cited the release of the 2007 U.S. International Religious
Freedom (IRF) report prominently and in positive terms. Coverage
generally highlighted the report's validation of UAE efforts to
promote religious tolerance. The press noted the IRF report's
"praise" of UAE efforts at interfaith dialogue, and referred to
seminars held under the patronage of President Khalifa bin Zayed on
that subject which drew senior Christian and Muslim leaders from the
region.
2. (SBU) Comment: The 2007 report accurately reflects the culture
of tolerance that the UAE fosters in terms of permitting various
religions to worship in the UAE (subject to the overall caveat that
some restrictions are inevitable in a nation that declares Islam as
the official religion of the country). These elements of the IRF
report are seen as a good news story in the UAE, where most papers
published essentially the same positive message. The press did not
comment on the IRF report's examples of "anti-Semitic" depictions in
the UAE press. End comment.
QUINN
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, DRL/IRF, and DRL/SEA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KPAO KIRF AE
SUBJECT: UAE PRESS WELCOMES RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT
REF: STATE 128772
Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.
1. (U) On September 17, most local English and Arabic dailies in
the UAE cited the release of the 2007 U.S. International Religious
Freedom (IRF) report prominently and in positive terms. Coverage
generally highlighted the report's validation of UAE efforts to
promote religious tolerance. The press noted the IRF report's
"praise" of UAE efforts at interfaith dialogue, and referred to
seminars held under the patronage of President Khalifa bin Zayed on
that subject which drew senior Christian and Muslim leaders from the
region.
2. (SBU) Comment: The 2007 report accurately reflects the culture
of tolerance that the UAE fosters in terms of permitting various
religions to worship in the UAE (subject to the overall caveat that
some restrictions are inevitable in a nation that declares Islam as
the official religion of the country). These elements of the IRF
report are seen as a good news story in the UAE, where most papers
published essentially the same positive message. The press did not
comment on the IRF report's examples of "anti-Semitic" depictions in
the UAE press. End comment.
QUINN