US embassy cable - 05CAIRO7626

UNCLAS CAIRO 007626 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/PD FOR FRANK FINVER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KPAO, KMDR, OPRC, EG, Media Themes 
SUBJECT:  EGYPTIAN MEDIA THEMES, SEPTEMBER 26 TO OCTOBER 2: 
SIX MORE YEARS! - MUBARAK INAUGURATED FOR FIFTH TERM; 
SIMPSONS COMING TO TOWN 
 
1.  Summary:  President Mubarak's September 27 inauguration 
was carried on live TV and followed over the course of the 
week by coverage and paeans of praise.  At the same time, 
several leading columnists advocated that President Mubarak 
and the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) stick to 
their campaign promises.  U/S Karen Hughes' September 25 - 
26 visit to Cairo was covered widely.  News reports of her 
visit were straight-forward and TV images and print media 
photos showed her interacting with government officials and 
Cairenes.  Commentary about her visit was critical, however. 
One person wrote in a pro-government newspaper that U/S 
Hughes was "a smart and intelligent woman," but would "fail 
because U.S. policy is based on double standards."  Egypt's 
newsstands saw another independent weekly newspaper appear, 
Al-Karama ("Dignity"), on September 27.  The newspaper's 
editors and publishers are Nasserites who are critical of a 
"hereditary regime" in Egypt, as well as U.S. policy. 
Finally, beginning in Ramadan, Saudi-owned satellite channel 
MBC will begin airing episodes of "The Simpsons" dubbed in 
Arabic, with an Egyptian actor doing the voice of Homer 
Simpson, renamed "Omar" in the Arabic version.  End summary. 
 
2.  Mubarak inauguration:  Egyptian TV devoted live coverage 
to President Mubarak's September 27 inauguration for a fifth 
term of six years.  The following day, all major newspapers 
highlighted quotes from his inaugural address, among them 
the promise that "this election was not the end.  What is 
important now is to carry out the aspirations of the people 
and march forward.  We will do this with determination to 
pursue further reform."  Most commentators in the pro- 
government press, as expected, praised Mubarak's speech. 
However, several prominent commentators, among them pro- 
government Al-Ahram's (circulation: 750,000) Editor-in-chief 
Osama Saraya, urged the NDP to "increase government 
transparency and political reform." 
 
3.  U/S Karen Hughes visit to Cairo:  Egyptian print and TV 
news coverage of U/S Karen Hughes September 25 - 26 visit to 
Cairo was straight forward with images showing U/S Hughes 
with Egyptian political and religious leaders, and a child, 
during her visit to old Islamic Cairo.  Local commentary was 
universally critical of the purpose of her visit.  Popular 
independent columnist Salama A. Salama summed up what many 
moderate columnists wrote on September 29 in an Al-Ahram 
editorial:  "What the U.S. should be doing is changing 
policy, not dressing it up to look better.  Even if Hughes 
has the sympathetic ear of our leaders, the Arab public will 
remain skeptical."  Salama then proceeded to list the 
following complaints about U.S. policy:  "failure to lift a 
finger" to link Israel's Gaza withdrawal to the Roadmap; 
"isolating" Syria by blaming it for Hariri's assassination; 
the "harassment of millions of Muslims" in the U.S.; and the 
"abuse" of prisoners at Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib.  A 
columnist in pro-government Al-Gomhouriya (circulation: 
500,000) wrote on September 29 that despite "U.S. show- 
business techniques" promoting "good Americans," the 
prevailing image of the U.S. is of the violent "cowboy." 
Another columnist wrote in Al-Gomhouriya the following day 
that "while Karen Hughes is a smart and intelligent woman 
and has conveyed good messages from the U.S., her efforts 
will fail because of U.S. policy based on double standards." 
A commentator in opposition daily Al-Wafd (circulation: 
50,000) wrote on October 1 that U/S Hughes had "failed to 
improve the image of the U.S.," with the writer referring to 
"America's ugly face" and its "crimes" in Iraq. 
 
4.  Al-Karama newspaper:  Another weekly newspaper has 
appeared on Egypt's news stands, Al-Karama ("Dignity").  The 
newspaper is linked to opposition politician Hamdeen Sabahi, 
who plans to run in this November's parliamentary elections 
under a new party, also to be called "Al-Karama."  The first 
edition appeared on September 26, declaring war on 
"hereditary power in Egypt," ostensibly referring to wide- 
spread rumored that Gamal Mubarak will be installed as his 
father's successor.  Several PA contacts reported that it 
took close to ten years for the newspaper's editors and 
publishers to receive government permission to publish.  In 
addition to being anti-government and Nasserite in its 
opinions, the newspaper sharply criticizes U.S. policy. 
 
5.  The Simpsons come to town:  Several Egyptian online news 
sources reported last week that the U.S. television series 
"The Simpsons" would debut in the Arab world on Saudi-owned 
satellite channel MBC.  The show will premier under the name 
"Al-Shamshoon" and be dubbed in Egyptian Arabic during 
Ramadan.  Egyptian actor Mohamed Heneidi will do the voice 
of Homer Simpson, renamed "Omar" for the Arabic version. 
 
RICCIARDONE