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Diana T Fritz  12/19/2006 04:37:25 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

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UNCLAS        ABU DHABI 04713

SIPDIS
CXABU:
    ACTION: PAO
    INFO:   POL AMB DCM ECON

DISSEMINATION: PAO
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: PAO:HOLSIN-WINDECKER
DRAFTED: PAO:AALKHATIB
CLEARED: PAO:DEDGINTON

VZCZCADI833
OO RUEHC RUENAAA RUEKJCS RUEHZM RUEHLO RUEHFR
RHRMDAB RUCJACC RUCQSOC
DE RUEHAD #4713 3571101
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221101Z DEC 04
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7395
RUENAAA/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0863
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0904
RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT
RUCJACC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
RUCQSOC/USCINCSOC MACDILL AFB FL//PA//

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004713 
 
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 ZEYA 
LONDON PASS TO MOC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION:  GCC SUMMIT 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  DOMINATING COVERAGE IN THE LOCAL PRINT AND 
ELECTRONIC MEDIA WERE STORIES ON THE GCC SUMMIT, THE EXPLOSION IN 
THE U.S. MILITARY BASE IN IRAQ, AND THE IRAQI ELECTIONS.  AN 
EDITORIAL IN "AL BAYAN" NOTED THAT THE GCC SUMMIT IN MANAMA IS 
THE CONTINUATION OF A STRONG AND AMBITIOUS JOURNEY FOR THE GCC 
COUNTRIES.  ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN  "AL ITTIHAD" LAUDED THE 
DECISION MADE BY THE GCC SUMMIT REGARDING THE GCC COUNTRIES AND 
THE ARAB COUNTRIES.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  AN INTERVIEW WITH DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE WAS CONDUCTED BY 
AN "AL KHALEEJ" REPORTER IN WASHINGTON AND WAS PUBLISHED ON THE 
FRONT PAGE ON 12/22.  THE INTERVIEW DISCUSSED VARIOUS ISSUES SUCH 
AS IRAQ AND PALESTINE.  HE NOTED THAT THE ULTIMATE DECISION 
REGARDING THE SETTLEMENT OF THE ISRAELI/PALESTINIAN BORDER SHOULD 
BE MADE BY THE RESPECTIVE PARTIES, AND NOT BY THE UNITED STATES. 
ON IRAQ, HE INDICATED THAT THE WITHDRAWAL OF U.S. FORCES WOULD 
DEPEND ON DECISIONS MADE BY A LEGITIMATELY ELECTED GOVERNMENT IN 
IRAQ. 
 
¶3.  NOTING THAT THE DECISIONS OF THE GCC SUMMIT EXPRESS A DESIRE 
TO CONTINUE THE GCC'S EFFORTS TO OVERCOME ITS CURRENT CHALLENGES, 
"AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 12/22: (ARABIC DAILY, DUBAI-BASED 
BUSINESS-ORIENTED, CIRCULATION 40,000) 
 
". THE DISCUSSIONS DURING THE SUMMIT WERE CONDUCTED IN A VERY 
CIVILIZED WAY. WHOEVER FOLLOWS THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THE GCC HAS 
ACHIEVED WILL REALIZE IMMEDIATELY THAT THE COOPERATION WILL BE 
ENDURING.  IN PARTICULAR, THE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL ARE EAGER 
THAT THE POWER AND PRIDE OF THIS COUNCIL SHOULD INCREASE IN SPITE 
OF ANYONE WHO TRIES OTHERWISE." 
 
¶4.  LAUDING THE DECISIONS MADE BY THE GCC SUMMIT, "AL ITTIHAD" 
EDITORIALIZED 12/22: (ARABIC DAILY, ABU DHABI-BASED, SEMI- 
OFFICIAL, CIRCULATION 85,000) 
 
". THE DECISIONS MADE AT THE SUMMIT REGARDING GULF ISSUES ARE 
CONSIDERED A GREAT ADDITION AND WILL STRENGTHEN GULF NATIONALITY. 
THE STATEMENT OF `ZAYED'S SUMMIT' ESTABLISHED A SOLID GULF 
ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE ARAB STANCES REGARDING IRAQ, PALESTINE AND 
OTHERS, AND THE STATEMENT AFFIRMED THE GCC'S COMMITMENT TO 
ACHIEVE STABILITY, SECURITY, AND PEACE FOR THE IRAQI AND 
PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. THESE TYPE OF STEPS TAKEN BY GULF COUNTRIES 
WILL SERVE TO STRENGTHEN GCC COUNTRIES.". 
 
ALBRIGHT