INVESTMENT CONFERENCE GENERATES POSITIVE MEDIA COVERAGE IN

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 002849 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EINVECON KPAO PREL IZ SUBJECT: INVESTMENT CONFERENCE GENERATES POSITIVE MEDIA COVERAGE IN IRAQ ¶1. SUMMARY: The U.S.-Iraq Business and Investment Conference (USBIC) in Washington was headline news throughout the week of October 19 in Iraq. Arabic-language papers, Radio Sawa and television channels Al-Iraqiya, Al-Hurra, and Al-Sharqiya devoted lead coverage to the Prime Minister's visit to Washington, his meetings with President Obama, Secretary Clinton and other officials, and the conference itself. Post helped set the positive tone and manage expectations through advance publicity, including interviews and backgrounders by Mission officers with Iraqi and Western media outlets, press releases, and an October 7 joint press conference with Coordinator for Assistance Transition Patricia Haslach and Dr. Sami al-Araji, Chairman of the Iraqi National Investment Commission. End summary. ¶2. COVERAGE IN ADVANCE OF THE CONFERENCE TV: Al-Hurra and Al-Hurriya satellite stations both reported on the October 7 joint press conference with Dr. Sami al-Araji, Chairman of the Iraqi National Investment Commission, and Coordinator for Assistance Transition Patricia Haslach, to discuss the USBIC with the Iraqi press and Baghdad-based Western Media. Al-Hurra carried comments from Dr. Sami al-Araji Iraqi National Investment Authority, Rule of Law Coalition MP Sami Al-Askari, Minister of Planning Ali Baban and economist Bassem Jamil. MP Al-Askari hailed the conference as "a large and important investment event that can push the investment process in Iraq forward." Jamil noted the need for Iraq's investment law to be amended "as Iraq's oil wealth alone cannot attract investors." PRINT: Haslach was interviewed in government-run daily As-Sabah on challenges and opportunities in the Iraqi economy. She stressed said the economy is improving but still needs to develop administrative structures and undergo institutional reforms to create the conditions to attract investors. RADIO: Radio Sawa and Radio Iraq Hurr both reported on the October 7 press conference. The Iraqi commercial attache in Washington, Hassan al-Shuan Hassan, was interviewed on Sawa and noted the 12 economic sectors that the USBIC would focus on. EDITORIAL: In a commentary in independent daily Az-Zaman entitled "The Solution is in Washington," editor Hadi Chelo predicted that the USBIC would "reflect Iraq's turn towards the United States economically in the absence of interest shown by European and Arab countries...So should we expect to be swarmed by major American companies in different sectors? This is not so farfetched given Washington's need of new investment sites and that there is nowhere like Iraq to realize this potential." ¶3. COVERAGE OF OPENING DAY AND MALIKI-OBAMA MEETING TV and RADIO: On October 20, Al-Sharqiya, Al-Iraqiya, Al-Sumariya, Al-Hurriya, and Al-Hurra all reported on Secretary Clinton's meeting with PM Nuri al-Maliki and their joint press conference. On October 21, most TV and radio outlets focused on President Obama's comments after his meeting with PM Maliki. U.S. Embassy Spokesperson was quoted on Al-Iraqiya describing how the U.S. and Iraq were entering a new phase in their bilateral relations, through cooperation under the Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA). PRINT: Most Baghdad-based newspapers headlined PM Maliki's opening of the conference and his meetings with President Obama and Vice President Biden. Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (Iraq edition) reported in depth on Secretary Clinton's opening address. EDITORIAL: The daily Al-Bayan ran an October 22 editorial entitled "Maliki's Visit to America: Purpose and Objectives by Ali Hussein Addahloki who wrote: "When Maliki went to the U.S. with a bundle of Qinvestment opportunities for American companies in hand, he was showing his preference for the best." ¶4. WESTERN MEDIA COVERAGE The run-up to the conference, and the USBIC itself, were covered widely by Western media, particularly by the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Reuters, and AFP. In Baghdad, interviews with Haslach and backgrounders with other Mission officials resulted in articles by Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Los Angeles Times. Other key outlets including CNN, Fox News, AFP, AP and Time Magazine, attended the October 7 joint press conference in Baghdad. Western Media coverage focused on the steps that Iraq needs to take in order successfully to attract U.S. investment, including improving its regulatory framework and investment climate, and becoming a signatory to international arbitration agreements. ¶5. COMMENT: The advance publicity arranged in Baghdad helped place the USBIC within the context of the SFA and a U.S.-Iraqi economic relationship that is becoming deeper and more multi-faceted. Our strategy also helped manage initially unrealistic local expectations over defining the success of the conference simply by the number of contracts signed. As a result, local media remained largely satisfied and focused more on the broader and more long-term goals that the USBIC achieved, which was to introduce Iraqi businesses to potential U.S. and international partners, have GOI officials and businesses hear directly from the private sector about their concerns and interests, create long-lasting networks and to showcase Iraqi business opportunities in diverse sectors. Ford