US embassy cable - 04MANAMA1691

UNCLAS MANAMA 001691 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, PA/PR/FPC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KFPC, KPAO, BA 
SUBJECT: BAHRAINI JOURNALIST DESCRIBES FOREIGN PRESS CENTER 
PROGRAM AS "HORIZON BROADENING" 
 
REF: STATE 60805 
 
1.  Abbas Busafwan, Manama's participant in the Foreign 
Press Center's reporting tour about Arab American and other 
ethnic communities (May 16-29, 2004), told the APAO that the 
program had deepened his understanding about America and 
broadened his horizons.  The reporting tour was his first 
visit to the U.S.  Busafwan is the head of the local news 
desk and a columnist at "Al Wasat" Arabic newspaper where he 
covers Bahrain's democratization and reform efforts.  He 
said that meeting with a widely diverse group of American 
communities was especially helpful, mentioning the meetings 
with Muslim Americans in Michigan, Cuban Americans, and 
Coptic Orthodox Christians.  Busafwan said that the 
highlight of the tour was a discussion about political 
lobbies with University of Michigan faculty, "The meeting at 
the U. of Michigan gave us a complete picture of how the 
different communities and interest groups work within the 
American system to achieve their goals." 
 
2.   Busafwan  believes  that  Arab  journalists  would   be 
interested in FPC programs on how the U.S. press covers  the 
three  branches  of government, the press and  the  judicial 
system,  academic  freedom, and the role of  ethics  in  the 
media. 
 
3. (Comment:  Bahrain is a small, yet very diverse country, 
and one of post's goals in nominating Busafwan was to expose 
him to how diverse communities can work together 
productively in a thriving democracy.  Kudos to FPC, which 
more than met post's goals with this reporting tour program. 
End comment.) 
 
Monroe