Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09DOHA391
2009-06-15 04:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Doha
Cable title:
QATARI STUDENTS SPEAK OUT ON POTUS SPEECH
how-toP 150429Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY DOHA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9145 INFO GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS DOHA 000391
FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/PPD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KPAO QA
SUBJECT: QATARI STUDENTS SPEAK OUT ON POTUS SPEECH
----------
KEY POINTS
----------
-- (U) On June 10, Qatar University hosted Ambassador for a
discussion with the QU President, students, and faculty on President
Obama's June 4 speech in Cairo.
-- (U) The students, who were joined by a group of Egyptian and
American journalism students on a summer exchange program, focused
on the President's next steps.
-- (U) Many wondered how effective the President would be in
implementing his initiatives, and whether or not the President was
sincere about his commitment to human rights and democracy
promotion.
-- (U) Ambassador, delivering remarks in Arabic and then fielding
questions, reinforced the speech's key themes, and to encourage
audience members to think about the speech as a "declaration of
intent" from which would flow plans and programs to implement the
President's vision.
-- (U) Local press coverage of the event was positive.
END KEY POINTS
UNCLAS DOHA 000391
FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/PPD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KPAO QA
SUBJECT: QATARI STUDENTS SPEAK OUT ON POTUS SPEECH
--------------
KEY POINTS
--------------
-- (U) On June 10, Qatar University hosted Ambassador for a
discussion with the QU President, students, and faculty on President
Obama's June 4 speech in Cairo.
-- (U) The students, who were joined by a group of Egyptian and
American journalism students on a summer exchange program, focused
on the President's next steps.
-- (U) Many wondered how effective the President would be in
implementing his initiatives, and whether or not the President was
sincere about his commitment to human rights and democracy
promotion.
-- (U) Ambassador, delivering remarks in Arabic and then fielding
questions, reinforced the speech's key themes, and to encourage
audience members to think about the speech as a "declaration of
intent" from which would flow plans and programs to implement the
President's vision.
-- (U) Local press coverage of the event was positive.
END KEY POINTS
1. (U) Qatar University President Dr. Shaykha al-Misned welcomed
Ambassador to an event gathering about 45 students and faculty to
discuss President Obama's June 4 speech in Cairo. The event was
moderated by American University in Cairo professor Laurence Pintak,
and Ambassador delivered short remarks in Arabic reinforcing the
President's key themes.
2. (U) The Qatari students, who were joined by American and
Egyptian journalism students on a summer exchange program, focused
their questions on the President's next moves, whether the speech
was "only a band-aid to make us feel better for America's support to
tyrannical regimes," and how the President could juggle his new
foreign policy commitments during a serious financial and economic
crisis.
3. (U) The American and Egyptian students who asked questions
wondered what the President meant by "stopping" Israeli settlements,
whether U.S. pressure on Israel might include financial penalties,
and whether or not the President would "pull back" from democracy
and human rights promotion in the interest of "shared values."
4. (U) Ambassador referred to the speech itself to answer questions
about the President's intentions, and urged the students to view the
speech as a "declaration of intent" meant to present the President's
strategic direction, from which would then flow planning and
programs to implement that vision. Ambassador also asked them not
to interpret every small change in tactics that they may see over
the next several months as a shift in strategy.
5. (U) Coverage of the event in Arabic-language dailies was
positive. Under the headline, "Obama's Speech is a New Strategic
Beginning", local daily "Al Watan" wrote that Ambassador explained
that U.S. strategy toward the Muslim world is based on dialogue.
LEBARON
FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/PPD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KPAO QA
SUBJECT: QATARI STUDENTS SPEAK OUT ON POTUS SPEECH
--------------
KEY POINTS
--------------
-- (U) On June 10, Qatar University hosted Ambassador for a
discussion with the QU President, students, and faculty on President
Obama's June 4 speech in Cairo.
-- (U) The students, who were joined by a group of Egyptian and
American journalism students on a summer exchange program, focused
on the President's next steps.
-- (U) Many wondered how effective the President would be in
implementing his initiatives, and whether or not the President was
sincere about his commitment to human rights and democracy
promotion.
-- (U) Ambassador, delivering remarks in Arabic and then fielding
questions, reinforced the speech's key themes, and to encourage
audience members to think about the speech as a "declaration of
intent" from which would flow plans and programs to implement the
President's vision.
-- (U) Local press coverage of the event was positive.
END KEY POINTS
1. (U) Qatar University President Dr. Shaykha al-Misned welcomed
Ambassador to an event gathering about 45 students and faculty to
discuss President Obama's June 4 speech in Cairo. The event was
moderated by American University in Cairo professor Laurence Pintak,
and Ambassador delivered short remarks in Arabic reinforcing the
President's key themes.
2. (U) The Qatari students, who were joined by American and
Egyptian journalism students on a summer exchange program, focused
their questions on the President's next moves, whether the speech
was "only a band-aid to make us feel better for America's support to
tyrannical regimes," and how the President could juggle his new
foreign policy commitments during a serious financial and economic
crisis.
3. (U) The American and Egyptian students who asked questions
wondered what the President meant by "stopping" Israeli settlements,
whether U.S. pressure on Israel might include financial penalties,
and whether or not the President would "pull back" from democracy
and human rights promotion in the interest of "shared values."
4. (U) Ambassador referred to the speech itself to answer questions
about the President's intentions, and urged the students to view the
speech as a "declaration of intent" meant to present the President's
strategic direction, from which would then flow planning and
programs to implement that vision. Ambassador also asked them not
to interpret every small change in tactics that they may see over
the next several months as a shift in strategy.
5. (U) Coverage of the event in Arabic-language dailies was
positive. Under the headline, "Obama's Speech is a New Strategic
Beginning", local daily "Al Watan" wrote that Ambassador explained
that U.S. strategy toward the Muslim world is based on dialogue.
LEBARON