US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI938

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 000938 
 
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/MOC; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION:  U.S. VETO/ARAB SUMMIT 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  THE U.S. VETO AGAINST A UN RESOLUTION TO CONDEMN 
SHEIKH AHMAD YASSIN'S ASSASSINATION AND CANCELING THE ARAB SUMMIT 
IN TUNIS DOMINATED COVERAGE IN ALL ELECTRONIC AND PRINT MEDIA 
THIS WEEK.  AN EDITORIAL IN "AL BAYAN" NOTED THAT THE PICTURE OF 
THE U.S. WOULD BECOME MORE AND MORE DEFORMED AFTER THE VETO. 
GULF NEWS' EDITOR IN CHIEF ABDUL HAMID AHMAD NOTED ON 03/29 THAT 
THE POSTPONEMENT OR CANCELLATION OF THE ARAB SUMMIT SHOULD NOT BE 
A SURPRISE SINCE NOTHING WAS EXPECTED FROM THIS SUMMIT ANYWAY. 
AN EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ" NOTED THAT THE U.S. USING THE VETO 
IS TERRORISM.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  NOTING THAT IT IS NO TIME FOR CONFLICT, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS- 
ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 03/30: 
 
". CANCELING THE ARAB SUMMIT HAS SHOWN THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO 
REACH A SOLUTION FOR OUR CONTINUOUS CONFLICTS AND PROBLEMS, WHICH 
HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ARAB STREET.  THE ARAB CONFLICTS 
DON'T REVEAL THE GENERAL ARAB PUBLIC OPINION. THESE ARE CONFLICTS 
BETWEEN THE DECISION MAKERS AT THE SUMMIT, BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN 
THAT WE SHOULD SURRENDER TO OUR CONFLICTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE HARD 
CIRCUMSTANCES OUR NATION IS GOING THROUGH. THE CHALLENGES AND 
DANGERS THAT ARE FACING THE ARAB WORLD ARE IN NEED FOR THE ARAB 
LEADERS TO OVERCOME THEIR PROBLEMS. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE ARAB 
SUMMIT HAPPENS VERY SOON." 
 
3.  NOTING THAT ON EARTH DAY THINGS IN THE ARAB WORLD SEEM TO BE 
GETTING WORSE AND WORSE, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL 
KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 03/30: 
 
". ON EARTH DAY THE ARAB SITUATION SEEMS TO BE THE WORST, SINCE 
THE ARAB SUMMIT PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO MEET, AND IT IS FORBIDDEN 
TO TALK ABOUT ARAB UNITY OR COOPERATION AND ABOUT ANYTHING THAT 
HAS TO DO WITH NATIONALISM. BUT BETS ON THE WILL AND BELIEF IN 
THE JUSTICE OF OUR CAUSE ARE STILL THE ARBITRATORS THAT MIGHT 
MAKE ALL THE PROJECTS OF SURRENDERING TO OCCUPATION FAIL." 
 
4.  COMMENTING ON CANCELING THE ARAB SUMMIT IN TUNIS, DUBAI-BASED 
ENGLISH DAILY "GULF NEWS" EDITORIALIZED ON 03/29: 
 
". THIS GOES TO THE VERY HEART OF THE CONTINUED ABJECT FAILURE OF 
THE ARAB LEAGUE TO PRODUCE SOLID PROPOSALS.  WHILE INTENTIONS MAY 
BE GOOD ON THE PART OF SOME NATIONS, OTHERS IN THE ARAB WORLD 
WILL NOT ATTEND MEETINGS, WHICH ARE NOT A FOREGONE CONCLUSION AND 
THE RESULTS PRESENTED TO THE DELEGATES AS A FAIT ACCOMPLI. YET, 
GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRODUCE REFORMATION PROPOSALS, THE ARAB 
WORLD-THIS TIME IN THE GUISE OF THE ARAB LEAGUE-FALLS BEFORE IT 
HAS EVEN GOT TO THE FIRST HURDLE.  THERE IS A DESPERATE NEED FOR 
REFORM IN THE REGION; LEADERS CANNOT CONTINUE TO THWART THE IDEAS 
PRESENTED TO THEM BY THEIR CITIZENS.  THEY MUST LEND A 
SYMPATHETIC EAR TO THEM, WITH A VIEW TO THEIR IMPLEMENTATION NOT 
REJECTION." 
 
5.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "IT'S BEST FOR THE ARAB LEAGUE TO GO," 
ABDUL HAMID AHMED EDITOR IN CHIEF WROTE IN "GULF NEWS" ON 02/29: 
 
". THE LAST MINUTE POSTPONEMENT OF THE SUMMIT SHOULD NEITHER 
SURPRISE ANYONE NOR UPSET THE ARABS, AS NOTHING WAS EXPECTED FROM 
THE MEETING IN THE FIRST PLACE.  HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF POSTPONING 
THE MEETING, ARAB HEADS OF STATE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FRANK AND 
COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO DECLARE OUTRIGHT THE DEATH OF THE ARAB 
LEAGUE. THE ARAB LEAGUE HAS FAILED IN FULFILLING THE BASIC HOPES 
AND AMBITIONS OF ITS CITIZENS, AND THE REGION'S LEADERS SHOULD 
REPLACE IT WITH AN INSTITUTION THAT WILL WORK TO CREATE A 
EUROPEAN UNION-STYLE COMMON ARAB MARKET.  WHAT I MEAN IS A 
CONCRETE PROJECT, NOT SWEET WORDS AND EMPTY PROMISES.. A PROJECT 
THAT WILL FULFILL OUR ASPIRATIONS AND SATISFY OUR HOPES FOR 
PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY." 
 
6.  DR. ANWAR GARGASH COMMENTED ON WASHINGTON'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS 
THE ASSASSINATION OF SHEIKH AHMED YASSIN IN AN ARTICLE IN "GULF 
NEWS" ON 03/29: 
 
"AMERICA'S REPUTATION IN THE ARAB WORLD IS AT AN ALL-TIME LOW. 
THE BOTTOM FELL OUT YET AGAIN, AND WHAT HAS BEEN A STRAINED 
RELATIONSHIP ALL ALONG IS FURTHER AFFECTED BY WASHINGTON'S 
RESPONSE TO ISRAEL'S ASSASSINATION OF SHEIKH AHMED YASSIN, THE 
SPIRITUAL LEADER OF HAMAS.  WASHINGTON'S CALL FOR RESTRAINT FROM 
BOTH PARTIES, AND REFUSAL TO CONDEMN A VIOLENT, POLITICAL 
ASSASSINATION WAS IN SHARP CONTRAST TO WIDESPREAD EUROPEAN 
CONDEMNATION OF THIS MURDER.  YET AGAIN, BLIND SUPPORT FOR 
SHARON'S EXTREMIST POLICIES WAS OUT OF PLACE WITH THE ROLE THE 
UNITED STATES IS EXPECTED TO PLAY IN BRINING AN END TO THE ARAB- 
ISRAELI CONFLICT." 
 
7.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "ARABS ANNOUNCE THEIR BANKRUPTCY," "AL 
BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 03/29: 
 
". THE TRUTH BEHIND CANCELING THE ARAB SUMMIT IS ABSENT, AND THE 
PERSON, WHO IS THE NORMAL ARAB MAN OF THE STREET, WHO HAS THE 
RIGHT TO KNOW, DOES NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. WHAT HAPPENED IS 
COMPLETE DISDAIN OF THE NATIONS CAPABILITIES THAT IS LIVING 
THROUGH THE WORST DAYS, AND THE BIGGEST LOSER IS EVERY ARAB 
PERSON WHO WAS HOPING THAT HIS LEADERS WOULD REACH THE MINIMUM 
LEVEL OF COOPERATION TO SAVE WHAT CAN BE SAVED OF OUR LOST 
RIGHTS.  THE BIGGEST WINNER IS THE ZIONIST TERRORIST ENTITY.  THE 
WEAK SITUATION THAT THE ARABS ARE IN REACHED ITS HIGHEST LIMIT 
AND MIGHT LEAD ISRAEL TO INCREASE ITS ATTACKS AGAINST OUR 
BROTHERS IN PALESTINE." 
 
8.  NOTING THAT ALTHOUGH THE RESULTS OF THE ARAB SUMMIT WERE NOT 
VERY HOPEFUL BUT CANCELING IT WAS A BIG SURPRISE, "AL-KHALEEJ" 
EDITORIALIZED 03/29: 
 
". IT IS RIGHT THAT BETS ON THE ARAB SUMMIT WERE NOT VERY 
ENTHUSIASTIC FROM THE ARAB SIDE BECAUSE OFFICIAL RESPONSES TO THE 
STRANGE INITIATIVES TARGETING THE ARAB WORLD WERE NOT AT A 
RESPECTABLE LEVEL, AND THE ARAB DEALINGS WITH THE ZIONISTS AND 
WHAT SHARON IS COMMITTING WAS VERY WEAK.  IT WAS STRANGE AND 
SURPRISING FOR THE SUMMIT TO BE CANCELLED ALL OF A SUDDEN, AS IF 
THERE IS A DECISION TO BLOW UP ALL THE ARAB REGIMES AND TO KILL 
ANY HOPE OF ARAB COOPERATION." 
 
9.  COMMENTING ON THE U.S. USING THE VETO AGAINST A UN RESOLUTION 
TO CONDEMN THE ASSASSINATION OF SHEIKH AHMAD YASSIN, "AL BAYAN" 
EDITORIALIZED ON 3/27: 
 
". THE MOST DANGEROUS THING IN THIS VETO IS THE DEFORMATION OF 
THE PICTURE OF THE U.S. IN THE ARAB AND ISLAMIC WORLD AND THE 
CONSIDERATION OF THE U.S. AS PROTECTING THE BUTCHER SHARON, IT 
WILL EVEN PUSH SOME PEOPLE TO ACCUSE THE U.S. OF BEING ITS ALLY 
IN THE ATTACKS SINCE IT PROVIDES ISRAEL WITH ITS WEAPONS. WE 
THINK THAT IT'S TIME FOR WASHINGTON TO REVIEW ITS ATTITUDE, AND 
TO DEAL WITH ALL SIDES NEUTRALLY AND USE ITS POWER TO SPREAD 
JUSTICE AND TOLERANCE IN THE WORLD, AND TO USE THE VETO IN 
PUTTING OUT RATHER THAN STARTING FIRES, THAT WAY IT WON'T ASK THE 
QUESTION `WHY DO THEY HATE US?'" 
 
10.  NOTING THAT THE U.S. VETO IS TERRORISM, SHARJAH-BASED PAN- 
ARAB DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 03/27: 
 
". THIS VETO, WHICH IS TERRORISM WITH EXCELLENCE, SHOULD WAKE THE 
ARABS UP FROM THEIR SLEEP IN ORDER TO SHOW AND EXPLAIN TO THE 
BUSH ADMINISTRATION THAT THEY HAVE HAD IT, AND THAT ITS (U.S.) 
CHOICE TO KEEP ON SUPPORTING THE ZIONIST TERRORISM AND PROVIDING 
IT WITH THE GREEN LIGHT TO COMMIT MORE AND MORE TERRORIST ACTS IS 
SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE IGNORED ANYMORE, IT EVEN MAKES IT 
PARALLEL TO THOSE WHO KILL HUMANS IN PALESTINE." 
 
11.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "ARABS BETWEEN THE U.S. VETO AND THE 
EUROPEAN HYPOCRISY," ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD" 
EDITORIALIZED 03/27: 
 
". WHEN WILL THE ARABS DEAL WITH THE AMERICAN VETO AND THE 
EUROPEAN HYPOCRISY AS THEY DESERVE AND AS IS APPROPRIATE TO ALL 
THE CHALLENGES WE ARE FACING IN THIS DIFFICULT ERA, WHICH IS 
THREATENING TO LOSE OUR PRIDE AND RIGHTS?" 
 
WAHBA