US embassy cable - 05DHAKA558

UNCLAS DHAKA 000558 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR I/FW, B/G, IIP/G/NEA-SA, B/VOA/N (BANGLA SERVICE) STATE 
FOR SA/PAB, SA/PPD (LSCENSNY, SSTRYKER), SA/RA, INR/R/MR, 
AND PASS TO USAID FOR ANE/ASIA/SA/B (WJOHNSON) 
 
CINCPAC FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR, J51 (MAJ TURNER), J45 
(MAJ NICHOLLS) 
 
USARPAC FOR APOP-IM (MAJ HEDRICK) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR, OIIP, OPRC, KPAO, PREL, ETRD, PTER, ASEC, BG, OCII 
SUBJECT: Media Reaction: President Bush's State of the Union 
Address; Dhaka 
 
Summary: English "The Daily Star" comments on the foreign 
policy implications of the State of the Union address. 
 
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STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS 
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"Bush's State of the Union Message:  A Mixture of Hope and 
Challenge" 
Independent English language "The Daily Star" op-ed article 
says (02/08/05): 
While reiterating support for lofty ideals of freedom and 
democracy at home and commitment to measures for social 
justice and employment at home, the Presidential message, as 
expected, generated a mixed reaction. The support reiterated 
by him for the ongoing moves in search of an understanding 
between Palestine and Israel has brightened the prospect of 
success of his road map for peace in the Middle East. The 
election of Mahmoud Abbas as President of the State of 
Palestine, yet to be recognized as such by Israel and the 
West, the current unsigned truce between the two warring 
sides, Israel's latest decision to withdraw from some of the 
cities in the West Bank and the hopes generated by the 
forthcoming meeting between Sharon and Mahmoud, indeed, 
represent moves in right direction. 
The major dissatisfaction abroad was registered in Iran and 
Syria, who were identified by the President in his message 
as principal sources of terrorism. The governments of the 
two countries immediately protested and rejected the 
accusation. Observers are ill at ease at not merely 
identifying such states by the President, but for the 
underlying implication of American policy and actions in the 
future toward these two countries. Despite the new Secretary 
of State Condoleezza Rice's dismissal of any suggestion to 
take military action against these countries, the 
Presidential reference appears designed to caution them 
against their future untoward ventures and the stern 
reaction it would ensue. The President will definitely be 
ill advised to take any military action against any country 
in that region, as he already finds it difficult to 
extricate military involvement from Iraq promptly. 
As for North Korea's nuclear issue, the President 
demonstrated prudence in continuing support for the 
multilateral diplomatic initiative to resolve the issue 
through negotiation. 
Thomas