IMPACT OF ARAB LEAGUE MEDIA PROJECT UNCLEAR, BUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000397 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/25/2018 TAGS: PHUM PGOV EG SUBJECT: IMPACT OF ARAB LEAGUE MEDIA PROJECT UNCLEAR, BUT LIKELY NEGATIVE REF: DOHA 154 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Jones Reasons: 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Summary. It is unclear how the Arab League "Media Project," adopted February 11 at a conference of Arab League Information Ministers, will affect media in Egypt and the region, but it could serve as a basis for governments, including the GOE, to impose media restrictions. An Arab League senior official downplayed the potential restrictions that would result from the agreement, calling it "merely a declaration of principles," and said that the debate on television programming continues among Arab League members. The project is billed as a "regulatory framework" for satellite TV and radio broadcasters. Egypt and Saudi Arabia were reportedly the major backers of the project. Qatar requested additional time to review it (reftel). Although media contacts say it is too soon to assess the impact in Egypt, Egyptian Information Minister Anas al-Fiqi said publicly that Egypt would "be the first to implement" the project. Our contacts in parliament have told us that the GOE can impose such restrictions without the consent or approval of parliament. End summary. ¶2. (U) On its face, the "Media Project" purports to establish a regulatory framework for satellite TV and radio broadcasters that would preserve Arab cultural identity and establish professional standards opposed to incitement to violence, pornography, and material offensive to God and religion. However, the actual language is broad and vague enough so that virtually any broadcast activity could arguably be in violation of this framework. The document is styled as a declaration of principles, but with a final provision that sets forth the penalties for violation as revocation of license, and the penalty for broadcasting without license is established as confiscation of equipment. The final item of the declaration mandates that member states enact appropriate legislation to enforce these principles. ¶3. (C) Arab League Chief of Staff Hisham Yousef told us February 15 that the project was merely a "declaration of principles." He said that the goal was to protect Arab cultural norms on Arab satellite channels. The intent was not to limit media freedoms, Yousef said, but he recognized that some states, such as Qatar, were concerned about this aspect of the project. For this reason, Yousef said that "the debate will continue," when the Arab League considers more concrete measures, although he did not know the timeline for further discussion or processes. ¶4. (U) Egyptian Information Minister Anas al-Fiqi told a news conference following the Arab League announcement of the project that Egypt "would be the first" to implement the project. There have been no subsequent public GOE comments. ¶5. (C) Reaction of our media contacts to the "Media Project" has been mixed. On one end of the spectrum, Dr. Hussein Amin, a drafter of the project and the head of the mass communication faculty at AUC, defended the proposed framework as a regulatory measure, likening it to the U.S. FCC framework. Other media analysts view it as a step backward: while acknowledging that the "Media Project" does not increase GOE legal or administrative remedies against satellite broadcasters, they say it merely adds a veneer of legitimacy to existing practices. Negad Al Borai, a lawyer who handles human rights and press freedom cases, told us that he sees no immediate danger from the framework because Egypt will have to first enact implementing legislation to enforce it. (Note: Our contacts in parliament tell us that they believe that the GOE could implement new restrictions on the basis of the Arab League project without approval or consent of parliament. End note). Borai is concerned, however, that the GOE will view the framework as an invitation to legislate press restrictions. Working journalists are generally opposed to it on the basis of its potential for abuse, but at the same time acknowledge the advantages of regulating religious programming. ¶6. (C) It is unclear if and when the GOE will implement the project, and we have been unable to clearly discern an impact on TV programming in Egypt since the announcement of this framework. On the one hand, satellite TV shows have recently put Ahmed Ezz, a prominent Egyptian businessman and NDP leader, on mock trial, accusing the GOE of inaction against Ezz's iron and steel industry "monopoly." On the other, a segment dealing with Egypt's draft counter-terrorism law was abruptly cancelled two hours before it was scheduled to be aired on February 25 on the popular local live television show "90 Minutes". The Egyptian newspaper "Al Misr Al Youm" reported February 26 that the GOE had issued "political CAIRO 00000397 002 OF 002 instructions" to cancel the segment, on the basis that the counter-terrorism law had not yet been finalized. ¶7. (C) Although there is no direct link to the cancellation of the "90 Minutes" segment or any other program, any cancellation of controversial programming will no doubt give rise to speculation and concern that there is a connection with the Arab League project. An additional major concern among media contacts is that the project might chill the investment climate and inhibit investors from buying or investing in private satellite TV channels. ¶8. (U) We will continue to follow developments on the project and media freedoms with our Arab League interlocutors and local journalist and GOE contacts. RICCIARDONE