US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI4871

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Identifier:	03ABUDHABI4871
Wikileaks:	View 03ABUDHABI4871 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Abu Dhabi
Created:	2003-11-04 13:21:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	PREL OIIP KPAO IS SPECI
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004871 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SECSTATE FOR REGIONAL PD OFFICES, R, IIP AND PA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, OIIP, KPAO, IS, SPECI 
SUBJECT:  RAMADAN 2003 PD STRATEGY: ENGAGING ISLAM 
 
REF: SECSTATE 302772 
 
SUMMARY: TO CELEBRATE RAMADAN 2003, POST IS FOCUSING ITS 
PROGRAMMING ON ENGAGING OUR TWO MOST IMPORTANT AUDIENCES: MEDIA 
AND THE EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT.  END SUMMARY. 
 
1. THE EMBASSY WILL HOST TWO FORMAL IFTARS: THE AMBASSADOR WILL 
HOST AN INTIMATE IFTAR FOR HIGH LEVEL CONTACTS; PAO WILL HOST ONE 
FOR PRIMARILY MEDIA CONTACTS IN ABU DHABI.  DCM, PAO AND POLOFF 
WILL ATTEND VARIOUS IFTAR AND MAJELIS MEETINGS. IN DUBAI, 
OFFICERS FROM THE CG ON DOWN HAVE ATTENDED NUMEROUS IFTARS AND 
POST-IFTAR MAJLESES IN ALL SIX OF THE NORTHERN EMIRATES. 
 
2. TO ENGAGE EDUCATIONAL CONTACTS DURING THE MONTH, A SERIES OF 
PROGRAMS WITH UPBEAT THEMES HAVE BEEN PLANNED.  PAO AND CULTURAL 
SPECIALIST WILL VISIT UNIVERSITIES IN ABU DHABI, AI AIN AND THE 
NORTHERN EMIRATES OF FUJERAH AND RAS AI-KHAMAH TO PAY CALLS ON 
EDUCATORS AND TO DISCUSS DONATION OF AMERICAN CORNERS.  PAO WILL 
MAKE A PRESENTATION TO A CLASS OF STUDENTS AT A PRIVATE GIRLS 
UNIVERSITY ABOUT EDUCATION IN THE U.S., POLOFF WILL MAKE A 
PRESENTATION ON HIS EXPERIENCES WORKING WITH MINORITY PRESS IN 
THE U.S. WE WILL HOST A DVC AT ZAYED UNIVERSITY, A PRIVATE 
EMIRATI WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY, WITH EMIRATI STUDENTS IN THE U.S. AND 
REPRESENTATIVES FROM AN INTERNATIONAL DIVISION OF A UNIVERSITY IN 
THE WASHINGTON AREA TO TRY TO DISPEL SOME OF THE MOST PREVALENT 
MISCONCEPTIONS OF HOW MUSLIM ARABS ARE NOT WANTED AND MISTREATED 
IN THE U.S. 
 
3. PRESS PLACEMENT OF OFFICIAL USG STATEMENTS ABOUT RAMADAN.  THE 
PRESIDENT'S RAMADAN MESSAGE WAS SENT TO CONTACTS AND PLACED IN 
PRESS.  THE PRESIDENT'S IFTAR WAS GIVEN FRONT PAGE PLACEMENT IN 
THE LOCAL PRESS DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF THE UAE DEPUTY PRIME 
MINISTER AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS SHAYKH HAMDAN 
BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN. 
 
ALBRIGHT