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Diana T Fritz  08/27/2006 05:01:59 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

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UNCLAS        ABU DHABI 05065

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

DISSEMINATION: PAO
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: CHG:MRQUINN
DRAFTED: PAO:THAMDI
CLEARED: PAO:WWROBERTSON

VZCZCADI562
OO RUEHC RUENAAA RUEKJCS RUEHZM RUEHLO RHRMDAB
RHWSMRC
DE RUEHAD #5065/01 3511214
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171214Z DEC 05
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2785
RUENAAA/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0962
RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT
RHWSMRC/MCF01 SACCS USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 005065 
 
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 MCKUNE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION: GCC SUMMIT/IRAQI ELECTIONS 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: SPECIFIC COMMENTARY ON THE GCC SUMMIT AND ELECTIONS 
IN IRAQ.  AL-KHALEEJ PAPER CRITICIZED THE GULF SUMMIT AS FOCUSING 
ONLY ON THE BUSINESS BETWEEN THE GULF STATES AND NOT THE DAILY 
PROBLEMS OF GULF CITIZENS.  AL-BAYAN QUESTIONED THE ROLE OF THE 
GCC COUNSELING COMMITTEE AND HOPED THAT WOMEN WOULD BE ALLOWED TO 
PARTICIPATE POLITICALLY.  AL-ITTIHAD EXPRESSED OPTIMISM ABOUT THE 
GULF SUMMIT, VIEWING IT AS A CONTINUATION OF PREVIOUS SUCCESSFUL 
STEPS.  AL KHALEEJ LAUDED THE IRAQI ELECTIONS STATING THAT THIS 
TIME ALL IRAQIS FROM DIFFERENT CREEDS ARE PARTICIPATING.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  Under the headline "Gulf summit between the proposed, the 
deferred and the anticipated", Dr. Mohd bin Huwaiden, a UAE 
editorialist wrote on  Sharjah-based Pan-Arab daily "Al Khaleej," 
(circulation 85,000) 
 
"There are high expectations for the Gulf summit due to take 
place in Abu Dhabi this Sunday.  However, this summit is not 
expected to produce any radical decisions.  It will only be a 
continuation of the steps taken in 2001, which brought up 
commercial issues and resulted in a commercial agreement." 
 
"In the previous summits, a number of decisions were made with 
respect to Gulf state citizens traveling to and doing business in 
the region.  With due respect to all the accomplishments of the 
previous Gulf summit, it couldn't win the heart of the Gulf 
citizen despite all of the decisions that were made.  The reason 
for this is that the Gulf summit never solved the troubles and 
worries of Gulf citizens.  The summit was able to win the hearts 
of Gulf businessmen, who are now better off with a united customs 
regime.  However, it should also show some care towards normal 
Gulf citizens." 
 
 
¶3.   Under the headline "Revamping the Gulf Summit", Dubai-Based 
Arabic Daily "Al Bayan" (circulation 90,000) editorialized: 
 
"In the past, the Gulf summit's main concern was to enhance 
commercial cooperation between the GCC states." 
 
"Women should be allowed to get involved with the establishment 
of the national council since they represent half of our society. 
The subject of women should not be treated differently from that 
of men.  Some countries have allowed women to participate 
politically as in Kuwait but the political Islamic tides came as 
an obstacle between them." 
 
"The question is 'How can the counseling committee for the GCC be 
developed?'  This committee, which was formed back in 1996 by the 
GCC leaders, seems to have a vague role.  It needs to have an 
effective role and include women." 
 
¶4.   Abu Awad wrote in his daily column in Abu Dhabi-based Arabic 
Daily "Al Ittihad," (circulation 65,000): 
 
"Hopes rise with the convening of the Gulf summit in Abu Dhabi 
for making the dreams of Gulf citizens come true and for 
recording more success in their steps towards further 
collaboration among the Gulf States." 
 
"Ideas such as a united customs regime have come true and now we 
can daily see with our eyes in the streets of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, 
Jeddah, Muscat, Manama, Kuwait and Doha that slogans such as 'the 
gulf nationalism' have been made real." 
 
"We hope for more of these positive steps to take place 
tomorrow." 
 
 
¶5.   Under the headline "Hope Summit", Abu Dhabi-Based Arabic 
daily "Al Ittihad wrote," (circulation 65,000): 
 
"The Gulf summit has succeeded in about a quarter of a century in 
unifying the Gulf dream, especially in the economic sector.  The 
GCC people look forward to further success in supporting its 
missions in all sectors." 
 
¶6.   Under the headline "First step towards a difficult path", 
Sharjah-Based Pan-Arab daily "Al Khaleej," (circulation 85,000) 
editorialized: 
 
"IRAQIS ARE NOW WALKING ON THE RIGHT TRACK.  IT IS TRUE THAT THE 
IRAQI ELECTIONS ARE TAKING PLACE UNDER THE PRESENCE OF THE 
OCCUPIER AND ACCORDING TO THEIR RULES AND CONDITIONS.  IT IS TRUE 
THAT THE ELECTORAL LISTS WERE FORMED ON THE BASIS OF CREED AND 
SECT AT THE OCCUPIER'S ENCOURAGEMENT.  BUT IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT 
IRAQIS HAVE PROVEN THEIR ABILITY TO ENDURE THE DIFFICULTIES, 
IMPEDIMENTS AND THREATS CAUSED BY THE OCCUPIER AND THE DARK 
FORCES THAT USE RELIGION AS A PRETEXT FOR BLOODSHED.  THE IRAQIS 
WENT TO THE POLLING STATIONS TO PULL IRAQ FROM ITS CURRENT 
DILEMMA AND TOWARDS A FREE AND UNIFIED IRAQ.  THE KEY ISSUE ABOUT 
THIS ELECTION IS THAT THIS TIME ALL IRAQIS FROM DIFFERENT CREEDS 
ARE VOTING.  IT SEEMS THAT THEY ALL NOW BELIEVE THAT DEMOCRACY 
MUST BE FOR ALL AND THAT REBUILDING IRAQ REQUIRES THE EFFORT OF 
ALL IRAQIS." 
 
"Now it is the responsibility of the Iraqi parliament to form a 
unified Iraq free from occupation and terror.  This is not an 
easy task, but there is a spark of hope that this first step will 
pave the way for Iraqis to put an end to their grief and their 
country's occupation. " 
 
 
¶7.   UNDER THE HEADLINE "VOICE OF THE IRAQIS", SHARJAH-BASED 
ENGLISH DAILY "THE GULF TODAY" (CIRCULATION 15,000) 
EDITORIALIZED: 
 
"AMID THE CHAOS OF BOMBING AND CLATTER OF GUNFIRE, THE CONFIDENT 
VOICE OF THE IRAQIS CAME THROUGH STRONGLY.  ELEVEN MILLION AMONG 
THE 15 MILLION ELIGIBLE VOTERS HAD CAST THE BALLOT IN THE 
LANDMARK POLL.  ITS OUTCOME IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WILL DECIDE THE 
COURSE OF IRAQ HISTORY." 
 
"The insurgents, who claimed to represent the Sunnis, saw the 
community choosing the ballot over the bullet. If there had been 
more polling booths in Sunni-dominated areas, the voting 
percentage would have been higher.  They were willing to defy Al 
Qaeda's call to scuttle the electoral process. " 
 
"Bush proclaimed that the vote was a major milestone and hoped 
the US would have a democratic ally.  But the quality of that 
alliance depends on the kind of ties Washington intends to build 
with Baghdad's new rulers.  Any overbearing sign will meet with 
resistance." 
 
"Attempts to leverage the new Baghdad government as an instrument 
of US policy to dominate the Middle East will fail.  The Iraqis 
are proud people, who will refuse any interference.  They want to 
rebuild the country with their own hands, as Prime Minister 
Ibrahim Al Jaafari said.  He expressed the ordinary Iraqi's 
sentiment when he said people want to turn their poverty into 
wealth and misery into happiness with resources God granted them. 
The months ahead are crucial for Iraq and the entire region." 
 
 
QUINN