US embassy cable - 04AMMAN3075

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003075 
 
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 MIDDLE EAST 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Majority of commentaries in papers published today, 
April 21, praise the King's decision to postpone his 
meeting with President Bush in view of recent U.S. 
statements in relation to Palestinian-Israeli issues. 
The decision is seen as "bold", "wise" and in keeping 
with pan-Arab and Jordanian interests.  The lead story 
today highlights Jordan's official spokesperson Asma 
Khader briefing about the shootout incident yesterday 
between Jordanian security forces and four terrorist 
suspects in a part of Amman, which resulted in the 
killing of the four suspects.  Another lead story in 
all papers highlights the King's return to the Kingdom 
and the Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher's talks with 
Secretary Powell in Washington vis--vis the recent 
 
SIPDIS 
U.S. statements, focusing on Muasher's comments that 
he is "reassured" about the U.S. stand towards the 
Palestinian-Israeli conflict.  Reports on continued 
developments and violence in Iraq are highlighted on 
the front pages of all papers today, but have taken a 
backseat to domestic reporting. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "Times of divergence" 
 
Centrist, influential among the elite English daily 
the Jordan Times (04/21) editorializes:  "His Majesty 
King Abdullah's decision to postpone his talks with 
U.S. President George Bush and return home was not 
simply wise.  It demonstrates Jordan's astuteness. 
Washington's surprise endorsement of Israel's plan for 
a unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and okay 
on keeping some settlements in the West Bank, caused 
confusion..  With that quandary persisting, it was 
best to allow time for the situation to be sorted out 
first by Foreign minister Marwan Muasher.  Although 
the United States and Jordan, at all levels, have 
maintained strong ties, there have and will be times 
when gut issues, such as the Palestinian-Israeli 
conflict and the U.S. occupation of Iraq, present 
predicaments.  This is one such time..  The message to 
the neo-conservatives in Washington is that friends 
should not be taken for granted.  Washington must deal 
with its friends in the Arab world in order to 
understand the region." 
 
-- "Jordan's reservations towards America's policy in 
the region" 
 
Daily columnist Mohammad Amayreh writes on the op-ed 
page of semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai 
(04/21):  "His Majesty King Abdullah II chose to 
postpone his meeting with President Bush for next 
month and expressed his desire that the Foreign 
Minister continues talks with American officials vis-- 
vis the peace process and the recent American 
statements.  This is a clear Jordanian stand that 
indicates displeasure with the American policy in the 
region and reflects the desire to see a more balanced 
and more just policy towards the Arab-Israeli 
conflict..  The royal move to show displeasure with 
the American policy is likely to witness further 
reactions, unless Washington reconsiders its policy, 
clarifies its position, and regains its required 
balance in the region, that is instead of going 
further in its support of Israeli stances, pledging 
more new promises to Sharon, and encouraging his 
terrorist and extremist policies.  Such a Jordanian 
stand is worthy of appreciation and must be followed 
suit so that we could achieve a unified Arab stand vis- 
-vis the American policy in the region.  This is the 
e 
only way to influence this policy in order to achieve 
the required balance under these difficult and 
delicate circumstances suffered by the Arab nation and 
amidst very serious military and political 
developments in Palestine and Iraq." 
 
-- "The Arabs and America" 
Daily columnist Rakan Majali writes on the op-ed page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(04/21):  "The King's decision to postpone his visit 
to Washington was wise and brave, and it expressed the 
highest levels of pan-Arab responsibility, national 
commitment and conviction that just peace is the 
foundation of all options, that peace is the only 
guarantee for uprooting terrorism, and that it is the 
correct base from which reform, change and development 
can be launched.  We do not view this stand as one 
directed against the United States, but rather as a 
call for a genuine moment for reconsidering all prior 
positions and commitments by the United States and the 
international community towards the Palestinian 
cause." 
 
-- "A necessary decision" 
 
Daily columnist Urayb Rintawi writes on the op-ed page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(04/21):  "The decision to postpone the Jordanian- 
American summit meeting was not neither an easy 
decision to make nor a hurried one.  After all, the 
Jordanian-American relationship has a strategic nature 
and expands to include all economic, commercial, 
financial, military and security areas.  Yet, the 
motives behind that postponement decision were very 
strong..  The region stands at a crossroads: Sharon's 
plan either becomes the beginning and the end, as Tel 
Aviv wants, or it becomes part of the roadmap, as 
Amman is calling for.  This battle has not been 
concluded yet, and Bush's statements and guarantees 
are not the end of the road.  As for Jordanian- 
American relations, I believe they are going through a 
state of coolness, but it is in nobody's interest, 
particularly Jordan's, to push it towards a crisis, as 
some people are calling for." 
 
-- "The postponement circumstances" 
 
Chief Editor Taher Udwan writes on the back page of 
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm 
(04/21):  "It is well known that King Abdullah and the 
Egyptian President continue to place their trust in an 
American role for achieving just peace between the 
Palestinians and the Israelis, and they are working 
hard to go back to the negotiating table and the peace 
process.  It was not appropriate or even friendly for 
Bush to give Sharon all that support and backing at a 
time when the Egyptian-American and the Jordanian- 
American summit meetings were due to take place and at 
a time when Sharon continues his policy of liquidating 
Palestinian leaders.  The King asked to postpone the 
meeting and this is a genuine expression of the 
prevailing feelings of anger and resentment abound 
among the Jordanian, Palestinian and Arab people vis-- 
vis these American stances, which could be described 
at the least as a major deviation towards recklessness 
about Arabs and their interests." 
HALE