US embassy cable - 05CAIRO7149

UNCLAS CAIRO 007149 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/PD FOR FRANK FINVER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, KPAO, KMDR, OPRC, EG 
SUBJECT:  AMBASSADOR STRESSES COOPERATION IN GLOBAL WAR ON 
TERROR DURING 9-11 MEDIA OUTREACH EVENTS 
 
1.  Summary:  To commemorate the anniversary of the 
September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and 
Washington, the Ambassador conducted an exclusive one-on- 
one interview with leading Egyptian satellite network, 
Dream TV, on September 11.  He also attended the opening of 
a September 11 photo exhibit at The American University in 
Cairo (AUC) during which he spoke to print reporters and 
another Egyptian satellite network, Orbit TV, about the 
international significance of 9-11.   End summary. 
 
2.  TV coverage:  On September 11, Dream TV aired an 
exclusive thirty-minute interview, dubbed in Arabic, with 
the Ambassador to commemorate and discuss the 9-11 attacks. 
The Ambassador also granted a brief interview about 9-11 
with Egyptian satellite channel Orbit TV at the opening of 
an exhibit of 9-11 photos at the American University in 
Cairo, the same day.  In both interviews, the remarks 
focused on the 9-11 attacks and linked them to Egyptians' 
experience of the recent terrorist bombings in Sharm El 
Sheikh.  The Ambassador stressed that the global war on 
terror needs the assistance and cooperation of all nations, 
including Egypt.  [Note:  Transcripts of the Ambassador's 
TV interviews can be read in their entirety at 
http://egypt.usembassy.gov.  End note.] 
 
3.  Print coverage:  Independent daily Al-Masry Al-Youm 
(circulation: 20,000) on September 13 printed a prominent 
feature story on page 3 on the Ambassador's appearance at 
the photo exhibit, making note of his comment that the 
exhibit honored victims of terrorist attacks worldwide, 
including those in Sharm El Sheikh, and that terrorism 
would not succeed.  Independent daily Nahdet Masr 
(circulation: 20,000) ran a front-page article on the 
Ambassador's visit to the opening of the 9-11 exhibit. 
 
RICCIARDONE