Algeria Media Reaction to Algeria's Reported Inclusion in

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ALGIERS 000117

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O.: 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KPAO KMDR ASEC AG US
SUBJECT: Algeria Media Reaction to Algeria's Reported Inclusion in
TSA List of Countries of Concern

SUMMARY


1. (SBU) Media reports that the Transportation Security
Administration had included Algeria as one of fourteen "countries of
concern" has sparked a myriad of negative reactions from the
Algerian press and an obsessive focus on this issue that shows
little sign of abating. In fact, the issue has replaced the
Algerian-Egyptian politico-media dispute since the two countries'
soccer teams vied for qualification in the World Cup tournament and
the slow arrival of H1N1 vaccines as the top continuous story. The
abundant commentary ranges from damaging analogies comparing the
lumping of all Algerians into a terrorist category to lumping all
Americans into the rapist category (a reference to the 2008 Andrew
Warren case),to supplanting "Obamania" for "Obabushism." The media
response may have provoked more hurt feelings than anything else
from Algerians. Algerians see themselves as our allies in the
struggle against terror but believed that the Obama administration
would bring improved relations between our countries. TSA's
announcement has strongly diminished those sentiments -- a blow that
is felt by not only the government but also by average Algerians.
END SUMMARY

COVERAGE


2. (U) Coverage of TSA's reported inclusion of Algeria began
immediately after the story first appeared in the New York Times on
January 4, 2010. On day one, there were few headlines, but by day
two every major and minor newspaper had reported on the issue. Many
of the articles focused on the alleged discriminatory and racist
nature of the decision and the hypocrisy of the United States.
Algerian Ambassador to the U.S. Abdallah Baali reportedly made the
rounds in Washington denouncing the decision. With President
Bouteflika and his foreign minister in Spain, one newspaper
suggested caustically that the MFA should take a dose of Viagra to
stand up to the USG. After Algerian Foreign Minister Medelci
summoned Ambassador Pearce on January 11, 2010, coverage increased
and consumed Algerian mass media. This coverage coincided with the
French announcement of heightened aviation security measures to
complement its decision to include Algeria on a list of "countries
at risk." Algerian newspapers carried the Algerian MFA's
announcement that it had delivered a protest over the TSA list. In
response to one newspaper's claim that FM Medelci had been subjected
to special security screening at Dulles International Airport when
he visited in December 2009, the same paper ran, in tiny print, an
official MFA statement denying that any such incident had occurred.
Interestingly, the MFA's statement on the January 18 phone call
between Medelci and Secretary Clinton did not mention TSA as a topic
of discussion, a point criticized by some newspapers that suggested
the MFA was again not being tough enough with Washington.


3. (U) On January 12, PAO conducted a background meeting with
several journalists to explain the reasoning behind the measures.
Coverage immediately following the meeting was reasonably accurate
and balanced, noting particularly that the U.S. was in no way
targeting Algerians with these measures, but rather trans-national
terrorists who pose a threat to Algeria as well as the U.S.


4. (U)However, the respite did not last, and within a couple of
days the outrage was back in full swing in the media, spurred in no
small part by radio and TV interviews with FM Medelci, who referred
to the measures as "humiliating" and "inappropriate." Medelci did,
however, affirm that the GOA was committed to dialogue with the U.S.
to rectify the situation. (Note: LES have commented that they
cannot remember the last time such a high-ranking GOA official had
conducted two interviews in one week.) SecState's phone call to the
FM on January 18 to further discuss the issue received limited but
positive coverage that highlighted both sides' commitment to working
together to overcome misunderstandings and reinforce cooperation.


5. (U) In order to signal positive recognition of the progress
Algeria has made in fighting terrorism, AMB paid a visit on January
20 to Ain Defla, a region that has in the past been one of the most
troubled by terrorist activity. The visit played widely in the
press as a significant gesture of acknowledgement of Algeria's
efforts. However, while the gesture was well-appreciated by the
press, it also further emphasized what they see as a contradiction
in our stance towards Algeria. The most telling headline read, "The
Embarrassment of the American Ambassador: He visits Ain Delfa but
Justifies the Black List" (Liberte, January 21).


6. (U) Following the visit of NEA DAS Sanderson to Algiers January
23-25, coverage of the TSA issue took a more positive turn. Her
statement to the press that, "the list of countries of concern is
constantly being reviewed," was widely interpreted by the press as
meaning Algeria would be removed from the list soon. While not an
accurate portrayal of her words, it did take some heat off the
issue. Within a few days, coverage of the issue had fallen to a
trickle, and within a week was largely absent from the media as the
advance of Algeria's national team to the semi-finals of the Africa
Cup of Nations football tournament drew attention from most other

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stories.


7. (U) On February 3, a few days after the tournament ended,
Minister of Interior Zerhouni made a statement that Algeria was
considering applying reciprocity to U.S. travelers, and that
announcement brought the story back to the front pages of most
Algerian newspapers.


8. (U) On February 4, PAS hosted a press round table with the
visiting Deputy Coordinator for Programs and Policy in the
Secretary's Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Gina
Abercrombie-Winstanley, which received widespread coverage in the
Algerian press. She spent a significant portion of the time
addressing TSA-related questions. Coverage was factual and based
mostly on the article disseminated by the government-owned press
agency, APS, which highlighted the strong counterterrorism
partnership between Algeria and the United States. Other newspapers
widely reported that the TSA list might be reviewed. "Liberte", a
French-language newspaper that has been among the most critical of
the new screening measures imposed by TSA, considered this visit
another attempt by the U.S. to appease Algeria. Nonetheless, it
appears to have worked, as coverage of the issue since then has been
scant.


EDITORIAL


9. (U) Since the announcement of the list, editorials from major
publications in French and Arabic mentioned that the new security
measures would generate and in some cases reinforce anti-Americanism
among Muslims. They also wrote that the measures were hurtful,
maintaining that Algerian pride and dignity had been offended and
that the measures were another humiliation. They also emphasized
the failure of Algeria's diplomacy in improving Algeria's image by
securing redress. State-run newspapers emphasized Algerian
Ambassador Baali's intention to file a complaint against TSA's
measures and the interviews with FM Medelci. One of the starkest
headlines stated, "Paris and Washington are punishing the people of
other countries to hide the failure of their intelligence services."
("El Khabar," 1/10)

COMMENT


10. (SBU) Many Public Affairs contacts tell us that it is less
about Algeria being on a special list and more about the publicity
and the group of countries with which Algeria is being associated.
There is also the embarrassment factor, as Algerians had been led to
believe, especially from the almost gushing coverage of AFRICOM
Commander General Ward's visit in late November, that the bilateral
relationship with Washington was dramatically improving. DAS
Sanderson and other Embassy officials have reiterated that TSA
measures were intended to respond to a vulnerability to our aviation
security system and were not meant to single out Algeria or affect
the bilateral relationship. That, however, is not the prevailing
press story. The Algerian press has been mobilized on this issue
and will likely continue to cover the issue situation until it is
somehow resolved.

PEARCE