VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #5239 2331438
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211438Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0777
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS CAIRO 005239 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/PPD FOR ALBERTO FERNANDEZ, ROBIN SMITH AND DAVID BENZE 
R/PPR FOR GRETCHEN WELCH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PREL PREL IS LE EG SY
SUBJECT:  EGYPT MEDIA TRENDS:  AUGUST 18-21, 2006 
 
¶1.  Summary.  Reactions to Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad's August 
17 speech has figured prominently in Egyptian news and commentaries, 
with the majority of monitored columns devoted to the subject since 
August 18.  Commentaries and editorials have been largely 
disapproving of his "insults" toward Arab leaders and his perceived 
posturing of "victory" in Lebanon.  Weekend television news 
highlighted President Mubarak's critical remarks in reaction to 
Al-Assad's statements, most notably President Mubarak's caution 
against "interference in Lebanese internal affairs," and "cheap 
one-upmanship". Today's headlines quoted the Syrian information 
minister refuting claims of insulting Egypt, with a focus on 
President Mubarak's comments over the weekend.  In breaking news of 
the day, two trains collided in northern Egypt.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  Today's headlines and lead stories.  Today's television coverage 
focused largely on the fatal morning train collision in northern 
Egypt. News of the death toll continued throughout the day and 
government officials, such as Prime Minister Nazif, traveled to the 
scene. Many of the day's headlines continued the weekend focus on 
reactions to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad's speech of August 17. 
Government-controlled dailies, such as Al-Ahram, Al-Akhbar and 
Al-Gomhouriya carried headlines from Damascus, such as, "Syrian 
Information Minister Says Bashar's Words Were Not Directed at 
Mubarak or Egypt", "Damascus Says it Does Not Deserve Egyptian Media 
Attack", "Cairo-Damascus Ties Strategic, Brotherly", and "Insulting 
Egypt Absolutely Impossible." 
 
¶3.  Weekend headlines and lead stories.  Weekend news coverage 
provided airtime and bylines to President Mubarak's reactions to 
President Al-Assad's comments. Government-controlled weekly paper, 
Al-Akhbar Al-Yom, carried an exclusive interview with Egyptian 
President Mubarak on Saturday, August 19 in which he said, "the 
current stage does not tolerate any type of cheap one-upmanship" and 
warned against "any attempt to interfere with internal Lebanese 
affairs."  He called Hizballah "part of the Lebanese fabric," 
cautioned against "any actions that threaten the unity of Lebanon," 
and commented on Iran, calling it "an important country in the 
region," recommending that "the conflict between the US and Iran be 
solved diplomatically through direct dialogue, as a strike on Iran 
would mean the end of stability in the region and world."  Evening 
news programs on August 19 repeated Mubarak's statements about 
interference in Lebanon and "cheap one-upmanship" but did not focus 
on his comments about Iran. 
 
¶4.  In the commentaries and editorials.  Since the August 17 speech, 
many columnists expressed strongly negative sentiments against 
President Al-Assad's attacks on other Arab leaders, and his alleged 
claims of victory in the recent war between Hizballah and Israel. 
The substance and tenor of the commentaries were largely represented 
in editorials by the influential editors-in-chief of well-known 
dailies.  Osama Saraya, chief editor of leading pro-government 
daily, Al-Ahram, took issue with Syria's "celebrating a victory that 
is not theirs" (August 18).  Editor-in-chief of independent daily, 
Nahdet Misr, criticized Al-Assad's failure to "take any action 
during the Lebanon war or during the past thirty-three years since 
the occupation of the Golan Heights," and "undermining Lebanese 
unity and scheming to return to Lebanon through Hezbollah" (August 
19).   Similary, Momtaz Al-Qot, editor-in-chief of large 
circulation, government-controlled daily, Al-Akhbar, criticized 
Al-Assad for "keeping his mouth shut throughout the Lebanon war and 
doing nothing to support Lebanon" and for "impolite accusations 
against Arab and Lebanese leaders" (August 19). His editorial, 
entitled, "The Cub", went on to accuse Al-Assad of "bringing about 
'creative chaos' in the Arab world, and stoking sectarian strife in 
Lebanon... just like his comrade, Ahmadinejad." 
 
¶5.  Public sentiment.  According to a recent poll in popular 
Egyptian web portal, masrawy.com, when asked their opinion on "the 
next target in the greater Middle East project," 65 percent (1100) 
voted that Syria would be next, while 30 percent (501) voted for 
Iran. Total number of voters was 1,692.  As reported by Reuters on 
Sunday, according to preliminary figures from a separate poll 
conducted by the Ibn Khaldoun Center for Development Studies run by 
Saad Eddin Ibrahim, Hassan Narallah was voted the most popular 
figure in the Middle East, followed by Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal 
and Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Voters totaled 1,200 
from 15 separate governorates in Egypt.        RICCIARDONE