US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI2141

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002141 
 
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; PARIS FOR ZEYA 
LONDON ALSO FOR MOC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION:  HANDOVER OF IRAQ 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  THE TWO-DAY EARLY HANDOVER OF POWER IN IRAQ 
DOMINATED COVERAGE IN LOCAL PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA. AN 
EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ" NOTED THAT THE EARLY HANDOVER OCCURRED 
SO THAT PRESIDENT BUSH COULD PROVE HIS GOOD INTENTIONS IN IRAQ 
RIGHT BEFORE THE NATO SUMMIT. ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL BAYAN" 
NOTED THAT ALL THE COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD SHOULD SUPPORT THE 
IRAQI GOVERNMENT AND HELP IT TO ACHIEVE SECURITY AND STABILITY. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  SHARJAH-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED THAT 
THE HANDING OVER OF POWER IN IRAQ CAME AT THE SAME TIME AS THE 
NATO SUMMIT AND THAT PRESIDENT BUSH WANTS TO PROVE HIS GOOD 
INTENTIONS TO THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES SO THEY WILL HELP HIS TROOPS 
IN THEIR SECURITY MISSION IN IRAQ. 06/29:(CIRCULATION 95,000) 
 
". WASHINGTON WANTS THE MILITARY OF ALL WESTERN COUNTRIES TO HELP 
IT TO ACHIEVE ITS GOAL OF RESTRUCTURING THE REGION'S MAP 
ACCORDING TO THE INITIATIVE THAT WAS DISCUSSED AND APPROVED 
DURING THE G-8 SUMMIT CALLED `THE LARGER MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH 
AFRICA'. WHAT IS REQUESTED FROM THE ARAB COUNTRIES AND THE WORLD 
IS TO GIVE THIS GOVERNMENT A CHANCE AND TO SUPPORT IT FOR IRAQ 
AND THE IRAQI PEOPLE'S BENEFIT.  WITH THE HANDOVER, IRAQ IS 
MOVING INTO A NEW ERA THAT IS DANGEROUS AND DIFFICULT AND WE WISH 
THEY WILL BE ABLE TO OVERCOME THE DIFFICULTIES." 
 
3.  COMMENTING ON THE EARLY HANDOVER OF IRAQ, ABU DHABI-BASED 
ARABIC DAILY "AKHBAR AL-ARAB" EDITORIALIZED 06/29: (CIRCULATION 
20,000) 
 
". THE HANDOVER HAPPENED TWO DAYS EARLIER THAN EXPECTED, WHICH 
WAS STRANGE AND SHOCKING AT THE BEGINNING.  IT SEEMS THAT THE 
`OCCUPATION ADMINISTRATION' WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT IT IS 
DETERMINED TO FULFILL ITS PROMISE.  MAKING THIS EARLY STEP WAS TO 
PLANT TRUST IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO WERE SUSPICIOUS. 
TRANSFERRING IRAQ FROM OCCUPATION TO INDEPENDENCE, FROM CHAOS TO 
ORGANIZATION, AND FROM WAR TO PEACE IS DONE THROUGH AN IRAQI 
UNIFIED WILL AND ACCORDING TO NATIONAL AND REGIONAL READINESS TO 
SUPPORT IRAQIS AS THEY ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS AND HOPES." 
 
4.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "ALLAWI AND THE DIFFICULT MISSION," DUBAI- 
BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 06/29: 
(CIRCULATION 30,000) 
 
"THE WHOLE WORLD IS WELCOMING THE HANDOVER OF IRAQ, SINCE THIS IS 
AN IMPORTANT STEP TO ACHIEVE STABILITY IN IRAQ. ALLAWI'S MISSION 
IS DIFFICULT. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING HE SHOULD ACHIEVE AND 
STRIVE FOR IS TO EXTERMINATE THE SECURITY CHAOS EXISTING IN MOST 
OF THE CITIES IN IRAQ. AND FOR A NEW IRAQ TO HAVE STABILITY AND 
TO LIVE IN COMFORT ALL THE HANDS IN THE WORLD SHOULD SUPPORT THE 
IRAQI GOVERNMENT TO OVERCOME ITS DIFFICULT MISSION." 
 
ALBRIGHT