US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI3738

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003738 
 
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:  SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: VISIT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY 
LINCOLN P. BLOOMFIELD, OCTOBER 18-19 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  THE MEDIA COVERAGE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY 
BLOOMFIELD'S TWO-DAY VISIT TO THE UAE COMPLEMENTED HIS SUCCESSFUL 
MEETINGS.  ABU DHABI PAO ARRANGED A ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW WITH ABU 
DHABI TV AND A PRESS ROUNDTABLE FOR NINE LOCAL AND REGIONAL PRINT 
MEDIA.  THE MEETINGS WITH UAE OFFICIALS AND ARTICLES WITH 
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE PRESS ROUNDTABLE WERE PUBLISHED IN LOCAL 
ELECTRONIC AND IN ALL SEVEN ENGLISH AND ARABIC NEWSPAPERS OVER 
TWO DAYS. END SUMMARY 
 
2.  DURING HIS VISIT TO THE UAE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY BLOOMFIELD 
GAVE A ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW TO ABU DHABI TV.  THE 15-MINUTE 
INTERVIEW WAS CARRIED ON `AL MADAR' PROGRAM AT 11:00PM OCTOBER 
19. 
 
3.  DURING THE PRESS ROUNDTABLE ON OCTOBER 19, ASSISTANT 
SECRETARY WAS ASKED ABOUT THE AIM OF HIS VISIT.  HE WAS ALSO 
 
SIPDIS 
ASKED ABOUT IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, IRAN AND NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR 
PROGRAMS AND THE U.S.'S INTENTIONS TOWARDS IRAN. 
 
4.  ARTICLES FROM THE PRESS ROUNDTABLE APPEARED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS 
IN THREE ENGLISH AND TWO ARABIC DAILIES. GULF NEWS (CIRCULATION 
95,000) ARTICLE TITLED "US OFFICIAL PRAISES VIBRANT TIES WITH 
UAE.  IT STRESSED A/S BLOOMFIELD'S COMMENTS THAT RELATIONS WERE 
FRIENDLY AT BOTH THE GRASSROOTS AND GOVERNMENT LEVELS AND HIS 
CONFIDENCE THAT RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES WOULD 
CONTINUE TO GROW.  "COOPERATION ON VARIOUS FIELDS, INCLUDING THE 
MILITARY SPHERE WOULD ALSO PROSPER." 
 
5.  GULF TODAY (CIRCULATION 15,000) ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE "VIBRANT 
TIES" THEME AND ALSO COMMENTS WITH RESPECT TO DIALOGUE BETWEEN 
IRAN AND THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY 
AGENCY, "THESE TALKS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE 
IT IS NECESSARY FOR IRAN TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE WORLD ITS PEACEFUL 
INTENTIONS." 
 
6.  KHALEEJ TIMES (CIRCULATION 70,000) SUBTITLED THEIR ARTICLE 
"UAE CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ WINS STATE 
OFFICIAL'S PRAISE.  THEY QUOTED, "THE UAE HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE TO 
THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN AND PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN 
HELPING BRING STABILITY IN THE REGION," HE SAID.  AND ON IRAQ, "I 
SUSPECT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE IN IRAQ REALIZE THAT THE U.S. WANTS 
TO BRING SECURITY AND STABILITY TO THEIR COUNTRY." 
 
7.  AL BAYAN (CIRCULATION 40,000) STRESSED THAT THE US HAS NO 
INTENTION TO IMPOSE SANCTIONS ON IRAN AND HIS STATEMENT THAT THE 
UAE PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MAINTAINING PEACE IN THE REGION. 
THE ARTICLE ALSO MENTIONS US CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE ME 
ROADMAP. ". PRESIDENT BUSH WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT WHO HAS 
DECLARED HIS SUPPORT FOR A PALESTINIAN STATE.  THE ROAD MAP IS 
THE MOST PROMISING PATH FORWARD."  HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT 
EXTREMISM WILL LEAD NOWHERE AND THAT PALESTINIAN AND ISRAELIS 
SHOULD WORK TOGETHER FOR PEACE. 
 
ALBRIGHT