US embassy cable - 05DOHA206

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 000206 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/PPD, NEA/ARP, NEA/IPA 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, KPAO, PREL, OPRC, QA, IZ, MEPP 
SUBJECT: Special Media Reaction: Qatari coverage of the 
Iraqi elections, Doha 02/03/2005 
 
 
1. SUMMARY: All the Qatari papers from 01/29-02/03/2005 
provided front-page coverage for the Iraqi elections. The 
papers focused on the absence of Sunni Iraqi voters in the 
Elections, linking the poor participation to the 
deteriorating security situation. Today, all the papers 
front-paged the Qatari official statement on elections in 
Iraq. The First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh 
Hamad bin Jassem Al Thani (HBJ), while presiding over the 
regular weekly cabinet meeting at the Emiri Diwan, stated 
the cabinet position that the "elections constituted the 
first tangible step that will be followed by other steps 
that would open the door in front of all Iraqis with no 
exception to take part equally in exerting their rights to 
rebuilding their nation." This step, the cabinet further 
stated, "would certainly give Iraqis confidence that the 
political operation is the only way out of chaos and would 
ensure the solidarity of the Iraqis toward regaining 
stability." END SUMMARY 
 
2. Headlines: All the headlines of the Qatari papers on the 
Iraqi election over the week focused on the security 
situation, the generally poor participation of voters, the 
absence of Sunni participation and the heavy Kurdish-Shi'i 
turn out. Examples of headlines: 
 
Iraq close down the borders and the Iraqis outside voted 
Iraq witnessed the first election in 50 years 
Exceptional security measures were taken in the night of the 
elections 
25000 people were deployed to observe the Elections in Iraq 
Iraqis voted with ink and blood 
72 percent participated in the elections 
Wide Shit'i and Kurdish participation and tangible absence 
of the Sunni participation 
Ramadi did not participate in the elections, and one voter 
only voted in Samarra 
Life back to normal in Iraq 
Iraqi PM Allawi vows to represent all Iraqis 
Allawi started dialogue with the Sunnis. 
 
3. BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
 1. "Poll's Consequences are still uncertain" 
 
Semi-independent English daily "Gulf Times," (02/01/05): 
 
"Iraqi citizens have been giving some very mixed reactions 
to Sunday's poll. One doctor told the BBC that he had voted 
and kissed the ballot box as he did. It is possible that 
Sunday's election marked the beginning of a great change 
that will eventually affect the whole Arab world. But it 
could also be a brief aberration, which will have no long- 
term effect. Clearly, the Iraqi people would like to take 
control of their destiny and run their own affairs - without 
the interference of foreigners and without being subjected 
to tyranny - but the bullet rather than a ballot may still 
decide the outcome of the war. 
The expressions of satisfaction from Washington and London 
were predictable and even the deaths of some 40 Iraqis, 10 
British servicemen and two Americans could not damp their 
enthusiasm. The real winner, however, was Grand Ayatollah 
Ali al-Sistani, who did not even have the right to vote. He 
wanted Iraq's Shia majority to be able to make themselves 
heard and to change the country's political reality and that 
is what has happened. Officials of the United Iraqi 
Alliance, formed under Sistanis auspices, believe they have 
won almost half of the 275 assembly seats. Their exit polls 
indicate that the Kurdish bloc has come second while Prime 
Minister Iyad Allawis secular party being squeezed into 
third place. As expected, the Sunni community seems certain 
to be woefully under-represented and the insurgents will 
continue their fight against the US military and Iraqi 
authorities. If the problem of Sunni representation is not 
t 
solved the insurgency will be long and bitter. The danger of 
the country splitting up is still real and the Kurds 
actually voted for that in a separate, unofficial 
referendum. Ultimately, the election has solved nothing. It 
has produced the result everybody expected and left the 
Sunnis politically weaker than before." 
 
 
2. "The suffering of voting, Vote to End the Occupation" 
 
Mazen Hamad, columnist, semi-independent Arabic "Al-Watan" 
(01/30-31-02/01): 
 
"Despite the presence of the American occupation in Iraq, 
despite the destroyed buildings and the dead bodies, and 
despite the anger boiling inside the chest of the voters 
themselves, the Iraqi elections on January 30 were a chance 
to move away from chaos and violence. This election, despite 
its results, will reveal the true intentions of the United 
States with regards to its vision of the future of Iraq. 
This election should push the United States and UK to start 
thinking of a scenario for leaving Iraq. This Election 
actually had 57 percent of Iraqi participation and showed 
that, despite the bombings and explosive cars, the Iraqis 
were keen to vote and they were not voting only to choose a 
national government but also they were voting to end the 
occupation. However, we should not be deceived. The 
Americans will never leave Iraq or the region until they 
finally succeed in placing their troops on the borders of 
Syria, Iran, Turkey, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The Americans 
will cut down the number of the visible presence of their 
troops in Iraq, but permanent American bases will be built 
in all over Iraq." 
 
MCGEHEE