US embassy cable - 04AMMAN2469

UNCLAS AMMAN 002469 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, 
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN 
USAID/ANE/MEA 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH 
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: KMDR JO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON THE ARAB SUMMIT 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Lead story in all papers today, March 31, 
highlights Arab efforts to "salvage" the Arab summit. 
Papers feature the scheduled meeting today between 
King Abdullah and Egyptian President Mubarak in Sharm 
Al-Sheikh.  Papers also highlight reports about the 
decision to allow the U.S. National Security Advisor 
to testify before the 9/11 investigative committee. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "Why did they make it fail?" 
 
Daily columnist Yaser Za'atreh writes on the op-ed 
page center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(03/31):  "The conference of wasted dreams, the 
conference of oppressed people, the conference that 
was and then was not.  We do not claim that the Arab 
people had pinned big hopes on that Arab summit 
conference, for frustration is prevalent.  However, 
the Arab people felt that this conference must take 
place, even if it was out of courtesy . and even if it 
was for show, so as we are belittled in the eyes of 
the enemies..  Why did they not meet?  Who `shuffled' 
the game?  Who is the mastermind and the saboteur? 
Why was the truth not told to the people?  Who 
dictated, was it America or Israel?  Yes, it is the 
two enemies, America and Israel.  They are the ones 
capable of directing events and turning things in 
their favor.  They are not above anything.  After all, 
the person who assassinates, arrests, destroys, drops 
missiles on peaceful people, would it be beyond him to 
conspire and cancel a conference for the Arab leaders? 
Why did the summit conference fail?  Were they (the 
Arab leaders) afraid of embarrassment, of the 
repercussions, of facing America?  Whatever the 
reasons, what happened is shameful, and the proof is 
Israel's comment that it is a positive thing, meaning 
that there is no Arab consensus on enmity for Israel." 
 
-- "Why all this crying over the Arab summit?" 
 
Daily columnist Bater Wardam writes on the op-ed page 
center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(03/31):  "I am baffled by the reactions of the Arab 
media outlets and the Arab politicians to Tunis' 
decision to postpone the Arab summit.  It is a 
reaction characterized by much wailing and crying, as 
if the Arab nation has lost a one-time historic 
opportunity to fix everything..  A state of pessimism 
and sarcasm had prevailed among Arab politicians and 
media people prior to the summit.  Then suddenly, it 
switched to all this wailing and crying and accusing 
the United States of working to abort the summit.  If 
the summit had really reached a level of posing a 
threat to the U.S. policy, so much so that Washington 
would work on aborting it, then that would be a great 
thing.  Personally, I tend to believe Colin Powell's 
denial of having exercised pressure on the summit and 
it would be in the best interest of America to have 
the summit convene, because at the end of the day, it 
will bring nothing new..  The summit may be held in 
Cairo and I can already anticipate what the draft 
final statement would say.  But the Arab summit and 
the institutional Arab action were dealt a massive 
blow that would not be salvaged by Arab leaders 
meeting in Cairo or even in Baghdad.  The Arab world 
is still far from institutional action, and we thank 
Tunis for exposing the truth." 
GNEHM