US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI4012

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004012 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; NEA/FO; 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:  IRAQ NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  THE UAE'S OFFICIAL STATEMENT WELCOMING THE 
FORMATION OF THE NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT AND THE GENERAL SITUATION 
IN IRAQ AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES DOMINATED COVERAGE IN UAE 
ELECTRONIC AND PRINT MEDIA.  AN EDITORIAL IN "AL BAYAN" WROTE 
THAT THE FORMATION OF THE NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT IS A POSITIVE STEP 
FOR THE IRAQI PEOPLE.  IN "AL ITTIHAD," KUWAITI COLUMNIST DR. 
SHAMLAN AL EISSA BLAMED A LARGER MOVEMENT OUT TO DESTROY MODERATE 
POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS THOUGHT FOR THE ASSASSINATION OF IRAQI 
AYATOLLAH AL HAKIM. END SUMMARY 
 
2.  CARRIED 9/03 IN ALL ENGLISH AND ARABIC DAILIES, THE UAE'S 
OFFICIAL STATEMENT WELCOMED THE FORMATION OF THE NEW IRAQI 
GOVERNMENT: 
 
"'THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES TODAY WELCOMED THE FORMATION OF THE 
NEW GOVERNMENT IN IRAQ AND EXPRESSED FAITH IN THE ABILITY OF THE 
GOVERNING COUNCIL AND THE NEW GOVERNMENT TO HELP IRAQ SURMOUNT 
THE EXCEPTIONAL AND DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES IT IS PRESENTLY 
EXPERIENCING.  THE UAE CONSIDERS THE PROCLAMATION OF THE NEW 
GOVERNMENT A SIGNIFICANTLY POSITIVE STEP ADDED TO PREVIOUS MOVES 
TO ALLOW THE IRAQI PEOPLE RUN THEIR OWN AFFAIRS AND RESTORE 
SECURITY AND STABILITY TO THEIR COUNTRY,' AN OFFICIAL SOURCE AT 
THE UAE FOREIGN MINISTRY SAID.  THE SOURCE ADDED THAT, WHILE 
WELCOMING THE SET UP OF THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT, THE UAE STANDS 
READY TO COOPERATE WITH IT FOR THE GOOD OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE. IT 
CALLED ON THE IRAQI PEOPLE TO CLOSE RANKS AND JOIN FORCES WITH 
THE NEW GOVERNMENT TO ENABLE IT CARRY OUT THE BIG TASKS IT IS 
COMMISSIONED TO DO." 
 
3.  COMMENTING ON THE NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS- 
ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 9/03: 
 
"THE ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING THE NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT SYMBOLIZES 
AN IMPORTANT POSITIVE STEP ADDED TO THE REST OF THE PREVIOUS 
STEPS THAT GIVE THE IRAQI PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RULE 
THEMSELVES AND WORK ON RE-ESTABLISHING SECURITY, STABILITY, AND 
STRENGTH ... THE NEW GOVERNMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO HAVE SUFFICIENT 
AUTHORITY IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE CREDIBILITY WITH THE IRAQI STREET. 
WITHOUT THIS AUTHORITY, IT IS NOT GOING TO BE IN AN ENVIOUS 
SITUATION.  THE IRAQI PERSON DOES NOT WANT A GOVERNMENT WITHOUT 
AUTHORITY, BUT HE WANTS A STRONG ONE THAT PROVIDES HIM WITH 
ESSENTIAL NEEDS, PARTICULARLY HIS LOST SECURITY." 
 
4.  COMMENTING ON THE ASSASSINATION OF AYATOLLAH AL HAKIM, DR. 
SHAMLAN AL EISSA WROTE IN ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL 
ITTIHAD" 9/03: 
 
"THIS CRIME THAT TOOK THE LIFE OF AYATOLLAH AL OTHMA MOHAMMED 
BAQER AL HAKIM IN NAJAF DID NOT ONLY TARGET HIS LIFE BUT THE MAIN 
TARGET WAS TO DESTROY MODERATE POLITICAL-RELIGIOUS THOUGHT ... WE 
SEE THAT THE LARGEST BENEFICIARY FROM HIS ABSENCE IS THE EXTREME 
RELIGIOUS THOUGHT, SUNNA OR SHI'A, ESPECIALLY AL QA'EDA AND THEIR 
SUPPORTERS SUCH AS AL BA'ATH AND THE LEFT OVERS OF SADDAM'S 
REGIME.  WHY DID THEY ASSASSINATE HIM?  THE REASON IS OBVIOUS AND 
IT IS THAT THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY ...  AFTER THE 
ASSASSINATION OF AL HAKIM, SOME ARABIC SATELLITE CHANNELS SUCH AS 
'AL JAZEERA' STARTED PROMOTING RELIGIOUS AND NATIONAL EXTREMIST 
THOUGHTS, SUGGESTING THAT THE U.S. AND COALITION FORCES ARE THE 
ONES WHO ASSASSINATED AL HAKIM ..." 
 
ALBRIGHT