US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI2343

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002343 
 
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 O'FRIEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION:  EXPLOSIONS IN RIYADH ROADMAP 
REBUILDING IRAQ 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  THE EXPLOSIONS IN RIYADH'S RESIDENTIAL EXPATRIATE 
COMPOUNDS, ISRAEL'S UNWILLINGNESS TO "ACCEPT" THE ROADMAP, 
SECRETARY POWELL'S VISIT TO SAUDI ARABIA, AND THE RECONSTRUCTION 
 
SIPDIS 
OF IRAQ DOMINATED COVERAGE IN UAE PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA.  AN 
"AKHBAR AL ARAB" EDITORIAL URGED THE U.S. TO RETHINK THEIR 
STRATEGY IN THE REGION FOLLOWING THE EXPLOSIONS IN RIYADH.  AN 
"AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIAL DESCRIBED SECRETARY POWELL'S VISIT TO 
ISRAEL AND PALESTINE AS A "DISAPPOINTMENT."  END SUMMARY 
 
2.  COMMENTING ON THE EXPLOSIONS IN RIYADH, ABU DHABI-BASED PAN- 
ARAB DAILY "AKHBAR AL ARAB" EDITORIALIZED 5/14: 
 
"... THE EXPLOSIONS IN RIYADH REMIND US OF THE IMPORTANCE THAT 
WASHINGTON REVIEW ITS POLICIES IN THE REGION, WHETHER IT RELIES 
TOTALLY ON ITS MILITARY POWER WHEN DEALING WITH THE REGION'S 
ISSUES, OR WHETHER IT TOTALLY SUPPORTS ISRAEL'S USE OF FORCE 
AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS.  IT ALSO REMINDS THE PEOPLE OF THE 
REGION THAT THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS AMONG THEM WHO HAVE FALLEN INTO 
MAZES OF DARKNESS THAT PROVIDE NO BENEFIT TO ANY CAUSE AND ONLY 
PROVIDE DISTORTED IMAGES TO ARABS AND MUSLIMS ..." 
 
3.  CRITICIZING THE U.S. RESPONSE TO ISRAEL'S UNWILLINGNESS TO 
"ACCEPT" THE ROADMAP, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL KHALEEJ" 
EDITORIALIZED 5/14: 
 
"... IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE MAP REQUESTED FOR IMPLEMENTATION IS 
THAT OF A 'BLOODY MAP' ON THE PALESTINIAN SIDE, AND THE ROAD THAT 
OF A ROAD TO PERPETUATE THE RAPE OF PALESTINE FOREVER.  IF THE 
ARABS DON'T CHANGE THEIR METHODS OF DEALING WITH THE MOTHER 
(PALESTINIAN) CAUSE, THEN THE U.S.-ISRAELI CAMPAIGN WILL PROPOSE 
ADDITIONAL 'ROADMAPS,' NOT ONLY FOR PALESTINE, BUT FOR OTHER ARAB 
COUNTRIES AS WELL." 
 
4.  DESCRIBING SECRETARY POWELL'S VISIT TO ISRAEL AND PALESTINE 
AS A "DISAPPOINTMENT," ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL 
ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 5/13: 
 
"... U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL WAS NOT ABLE TO HIDE 
HIS DISAPPOINTMENT AND FAILURE AFTER HIS VISIT TO ISRAEL AND THE 
PALESTINIAN LANDS.  IN CAIRO YESTERDAY, HE EMPHASIZED CLEARLY 
THAT THE ISRAELI SIDE DID NOT USE THE TERM 'ACCEPT' FOR THE 
ROADMAP ... THE DREAMS AND HOPES FOR A NEW MIDDLE EAST LIVING IN 
PEACE AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY WILL NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED AS LONG AS 
TANKS, BULLDOZERS, AND WATERFALLS OF BLOODSHED CONTINUE DAILY IN 
PALESTINIAN AREAS ..." 
 
5.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "ARAB HANDS REACHING OUT FOR PEACE," DUBAI- 
BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED ARABIC DAILY "AL-BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 
5/12: 
 
"... ARAB HANDS ARE REACHING OUT FOR PEACE, AND THE WHOLE WORLD 
REALIZES THIS, BUT THE OTHER SIDE DOES NOT CARE.  ALL EVIDENCE 
ASSURES US THAT 'THE SITUATION WILL REMAIN AS IS' UNLESS THE U.S. 
TAKES A JUST STANCE TO FORCE ISRAEL TO ACCEPT WHAT INTERNATIONAL 
LAW REQUIRES ..." 
 
WAHBA