AMBASSADOR ENGAGES UAE ARABIC MEDIA TO CORRECT

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000106 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP (BMCGOVERN),NEA/PPD (DBENZE, PAGNEW) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MARR KPAO HA AE SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR ENGAGES UAE ARABIC MEDIA TO CORRECT MISPERCEPTIONS ON U.S. EFFORTS IN HAITI REF: ABU DHABI 96 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Ambassador Olson granted two interviews to UAE Arabic media on January 21, 2010 to provide an accurate view of U.S. and global assistance to Haiti, in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. The interviews also served to correct misperceptions about the U.S. role in Haiti, specifically as reported in a January 20, 2010 article in Sharjah-based Arabic daily Al Khaleej, entitled "Haiti comes under militarization and its children become slaves". The interviews resulted in positive and more accurate coverage of U.S. efforts in Haiti in local Arabic and English press. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) Following up on limited negative reporting on U.S. efforts in Haiti in the local media, Ambassador Olson called the Editor of Al-Khaleej newspaper to complain about biased coverage, then subsequently gave a television interview to Abu Dhabi TV and a print interview to Emirates News Agency (WAM) - the official UAE news agency - on January 21, 2010. The television interview was dubbed into Arabic, and the print interview appeared in both English and Arabic publications. ¶3. (U) In both interviews the Ambassador discussed the U.S. response to the earthquake in Haiti, highlighting that the United States is responding to an invitation from the Haitian Government to assist. He emphasized that the U.S. is acting in cooperation with international aid efforts and in close coordination with the Haitian Government, United Nations, and global community. To correct inaccurate coverage of U.S. activities in Haiti that appeared in a January 20, 2010 article in Sharjah-based Arabic daily Al Khaleej (REFTEL),the Ambassador emphasized the humanitarian nature of U.S. activities and clarified the U.S. role in rehabilitating the airport and facilitating entry to the United States for Haitian children. The Ambassador also praised UAE contributions to Haiti, commending the UAEG on their assistance. ¶4. (U) The Ambassador's comments received positive coverage in both local Arabic and English press. Abu Dhabi TV ran a three minute story in the local news and main evening newscasts on January 21, 2010. Positive coverage of the Ambassador's interview with WAM was prominent in articles in Abu Dhabi-based Arabic daily "Al Ittihad", Abu Dhabi-based Arabic daily "Akhbar Al Arab", Dubai-based English Daily "Gulf News", and Sharjah-based English Daily "The Gulf Today". Most significantly, Al Khaleej ran a second story based on the Ambassador's WAM interview that offered a more accurate view of the U.S. role in Haiti. ¶5. (U) The Embassy and Consulate General will continue to monitor UAE media coverage on U.S. aid efforts in Haiti and follow up as required. OLSON