US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI4379

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004379 
 
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:  IRAQI ELECTIONS/PEACE PROCESS 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  DOMINATING COVERAGE IN THE LOCAL PRINT AND 
ELECTRONIC MEDIA WERE STORIES ON THE IRAQI ELECTIONS, THE 
PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS, AND THE PEACE PROCESS.  AN EDITORIAL IN 
"AL KHALEEJ" NOTED THAT THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PEACE 
PROCESS TO PROSPER IS NOW.  ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AKHBAR AL ARAB" 
NOTED THAT POSTPONING THE IRAQI ELECTIONS WOULD GIVE U.S. FORCES 
A JUSTIFICATION TO STAY IN IRAQ.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  "AL KHALEEJ" NOTED THAT THAT THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE WERE 
GOING TO BE SURPRESSED FROM TELLING THE TRUTH OR TALKING ABOUT 
THE ATTACKS THAT THEY ARE FACING, AS THESE ACTIONS WOULD BE UNDER 
THE CATEGORY OF "STIMULATION OF PEOPLE," BY ISRAELI STANDARDS. 
"AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 12/01: (ARABIC DAILY, ABU DHABI-BASED, 
SEMI-OFFICIAL, CIRCULATION 85,000) 
 
". TO STOP `STIMULATING' THE PEOPLE IN THE ISRAELI DICTIONARY 
MEANS TO STOP COUNTING MARTYRS AND INJURED 
PALESTINIANS.TERRORISM, KILLING, STIMULATION, SPREADING POISON, 
AND COVERING THE TRUTH ARE ALL ZIONIST SOURCED.  IF WHAT IS 
REQUESTED IS TO PUT THE RIGHT STONE FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE A 
NEW ERA, THEN THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY SHOULD INSIST ON THAT THE 
TERRORISTS STOP THEIR TERRORISM FIRST AND SHOULD POINT OUT THAT 
IT WILL NOT TAKE ANY STEPS WITHOUT A PRICE." 
 
3.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "THE CHANCE OF PEACE," "AL ITTIHAD" 
EDITORIALIZED 11/30: (ARABIC DAILY, ABU DHABI-BASED, SEMI- 
OFFICIAL, CIRCULATION 85,000) 
 
". THE FIELD NOW IS READY TO OPEN A NEW PAGE AND START SERIOUSLY 
IN TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THE ROAD MAP AND PRESSURE THE ISRAELI 
GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS CONTINUING TO ATTACK THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. 
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS RESPONSIBLE IN THIS ERA; AND 
ESPECIALLY THE COUNTRIES WHICH CONSIDER THEMSELVES THE GUARDIANS 
OF THE PEACE PROCESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, TO TAKE THE REGION OUT 
OF THIS VIOLENCE THAT SHARON AND THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT PUT IT 
IN.  ALSO, THE ARAB COUNTRIES ARE REQUESTED TO ESCALATE IN THEIR 
DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO BACK UP THE NEW PALESTINIAN GOVERNMENT AND 
SUPPORT IT IN ORDER TO GO AHEAD WITH THE PEACE PROCESS AND 
ACHIEVING AN AGREEMENT THAT WILL GIVE THE PALESTINIANS HOPE IN 
CREATING A FREE PALESTINIAN COUNTRY WITH ITS CAPITAL JERUSALEM." 
 
4.  Commenting on the requests to postpone the Iraqi elections, 
"Akhbar Al-Arab" editorialized 11/28: (Arabic daily, Abu Dhabi- 
based, circulation 20,000) 
 
". If the elections were postponed because of those requests, 
this means that the Iraqi government and the occupation forces 
failed in their main duties to re-gain stability and security. 
Postponing the elections will give the occupation a new 
justification for them to stay in Iraq without any guarantee for 
violence to stop." 
 
SISON