KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, IRAN

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000504 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA LONDON FOR TSOU PARIS FOR ZEYA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO XF KU MEDIA REACTION SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, IRAN Block Quotes -------------- Sunday, April 08, 2007 -- Liberal Dr. Shafeeq Al-Ghabra commented in moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai under the title "Hostage Release: Results and Iran's Role" (04/08): "In the coming days, much is required of Iran, a Gulf neighbor that plays a large role in the security of the Gulf. It must not seek an escalation of the situation, or give the United States or Britain a reason to wage a new war in the water and skies of the Gulf." -- Under the title "American Department of State and Kuwaiti Democracy" liberal Ahmad Al-Deyain penned in moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai (04/08): "Official speeches and press releases by the American President and U.S. senior officials used to ignore the democratic situation in Kuwait in favor of minor steps taken by other Arab and Gulf states.... Three days ago, however, the American position towards Kuwait has changed from ignoring it to praising it in its annual human rights report." -- In the pro-government Arabic daily Al-Seyassah Khaled Al-Saad editorialized under the title "The Bankruptcy of American Foreign Policy" (04/08): "The American administration with its neo-conservatives believes that those who are different from it are adversaries that should be eliminated." -- Under the title "Bolton Should Be Quiet and America Should Apologize" Dr. Bandar Al-Zafiri contended in pro-government daily Al-Seyassah (04/08): "America proves every day that it jeopardizes international peace without concern and tampers with the fate of nations and peoples. Worse still is its rudeness and flagrant admission of what it is committing. It is as if the United States wants to return Earth to the rule of the jungle throwing away human values achieved over hundreds of centuries." -- Government-leaning liberal Sami Al-Nisif wrote under the title "The Hostages and the Inherited Intelligence" in moderate Arabic daily Al-Anbaa (04/08): "We must seriously consider plans for the day after any military strikes in the Gulf targeting Iran's nuclear reactor and especially Iran's reactions to any such strikes." ********************************************* * 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