US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI3823

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003823 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; 
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA 
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION:  UAEG CONDEMNS ATTACKS IN IRAQ SEPARATE 
ATTACK IN EAST JERUSALEM 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  SUICIDE BOMBING ATTACKS ON THE UN HEADQUARTERS IN 
BAGHDAD AND IN EAST JERUSALEM DOMINATED COVERAGE IN THE UAE 
MEDIA.  IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ATTACK, THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 
GOVERNMENT RELEASED A STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE ATTACKS AND URGING 
WORLDWIDE SUPPORT FOR THE IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL.  AN EDITORIAL 
IN "AL KHALEEJ" ASSERTED THAT THE "OCCUPATION" IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 
THIS ATTACK.  AN "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIAL DESCRIBED THIS ATTACK AS 
"A CRIME AGAINST IRAQ."  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  CARRIED IN ALL ENGLISH AND ARABIC DAILIES, SHEIKH HAMDAN BIN 
ZAYED AL NAHYAN, UAE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, 
RELEASED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE ATTACK AND URGING 
INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR IRAQ'S GOVERNING COUNCIL: 
 
--"THE UAE CONDEMNS THESE COWARDLY ATTACKS THAT TARGETED THIS 
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND THE MORAL AND HUMANE MESSAGES IT 
REPRESENTS, IN ADDITION TO TARGETING ITS EFFORTS TO HELP IRAQ AND 
ITS PEOPLE IN ORDER TO RE-ESTABLISH SECURITY AND STABILITY AND TO 
PROTECT ITS INDEPENDENCE AND UNITY." 
 
--"THIS REPREHENSIBLE AND UGLY CRIME REQUIRES A DETERMINED STAND 
BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO REINFORCE AND SOLIDIFY 
THE UN'S EFFORTS IN IRAQ AND TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNING COUNCIL TO 
ACHIEVE SECURITY AND STABILITY AND RE-BUILD IRAQ.  THIS ATTACK 
REVEALS THE REAL ENEMIES OF IRAQ, PEACE, AND STABILITY." 
 
3.  BLAMING THE ATTACKS ON THE UN HEADQUARTERS IN IRAQ ON THE 
"OCCUPATION," SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 
8/20: 
 
"... THERE IS A FEAR THAT SOMEONE IS TRYING TO EXPLOIT THE 
RESISTANCE OPERATIONS AGAINST THE OCCUPATION OR TO HIDE BEHIND IT 
AND THAT IS FOR SPECIAL BENEFITS THAT DO NOT SERVE IRAQ'S 
STABILITY BUT AFFECT IT NEGATIVELY.  THE BENEFICIARY OF THIS IS 
THE OCCUPATION, WHICH IS PLANNING ON A LONG 'RESIDENCY' IN THE 
COUNTRY OF MESOPOTAMIA ...  THE OCCUPATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 
THESE ATTACKS, SINCE IT IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE SECURE PROTECTION 
TO INTERNATIONAL AND DIPLOMATIC DELEGATIONS ... " 
 
4.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "A CRIME AGAINST IRAQ," SEMI-OFFICIAL ABU 
DHABI-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AL-ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 8/20: 
 
"... WE MUST FORBID THE CRIMINALS FROM REALIZING THE FRUITS 
EXPECTED FROM THEIR CRIME ... THIS TERRORIST ATTACK SHOULD NOT 
AFFECT THE CONTINUOUS INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS IN IRAQ, SYMBOLIZED 
BY ITS MORAL AND HUMANE MESSAGES THAT ARE CARRIED OUT BY THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN THIS COUNTRY, WHICH HAS JUST COME OUT 
OF DECADES OF INJUSTICE, COMPULSION, AND OPPRESSION, AND IT IS 
TIME FOR IT TO BREATHE THE AIR OF LIBERTY ..." 
 
ALBRIGHT