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PP RUEHBC RUEHDH RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHAS #0117/01 0420748
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 110748Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8416
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ALGIERS 000117 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O.: 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KPAO KMDR ASEC AG US
SUBJECT:  Algeria Media Reaction to Algeria's Reported Inclusion in 
TSA List of Countries of Concern 
 
SUMMARY 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Media reports that the Transportation Security 
Administration had included Algeria as one of fourteen "countries of 
concern" has sparked a myriad of negative reactions from the 
Algerian press and an obsessive focus on this issue that shows 
little sign of abating.  In fact, the issue has replaced the 
Algerian-Egyptian politico-media dispute since the two countries' 
soccer teams vied for qualification in the World Cup tournament and 
the slow arrival of H1N1 vaccines as the top continuous story.  The 
abundant commentary ranges from damaging analogies comparing the 
lumping of all Algerians into a terrorist category to lumping all 
Americans into the rapist category (a reference to the 2008 Andrew 
Warren case), to supplanting "Obamania" for "Obabushism."  The media 
response may have provoked more hurt feelings than anything else 
from Algerians.  Algerians see themselves as our allies in the 
struggle against terror but believed that the Obama administration 
would bring improved relations between our countries.  TSA's 
announcement has strongly diminished those sentiments -- a blow that 
is felt by not only the government but also by average Algerians. 
END SUMMARY 
 
COVERAGE 
 
¶2.  (U) Coverage of TSA's reported inclusion of Algeria began 
immediately after the story first appeared in the New York Times on 
January 4, 2010.  On day one, there were few headlines, but by day 
two every major and minor newspaper had reported on the issue.  Many 
of the articles focused on the alleged discriminatory and racist 
nature of the decision and the hypocrisy of the United States. 
Algerian Ambassador to the U.S. Abdallah Baali reportedly made the 
rounds in Washington denouncing the decision.  With President 
Bouteflika and his foreign minister in Spain, one newspaper 
suggested caustically that the MFA should take a dose of Viagra to 
stand up to the USG.  After Algerian Foreign Minister Medelci 
summoned Ambassador Pearce on January 11, 2010, coverage increased 
and consumed Algerian mass media.  This coverage coincided with the 
French announcement of heightened aviation security measures to 
complement its decision to include Algeria on a list of "countries 
at risk."  Algerian newspapers carried the Algerian MFA's 
announcement that it had delivered a protest over the TSA list.  In 
response to one newspaper's claim that FM Medelci had been subjected 
to special security screening at Dulles International Airport when 
he visited in December 2009, the same paper ran, in tiny print, an 
official MFA statement denying that any such incident had occurred. 
Interestingly, the MFA's statement on the January 18 phone call 
between Medelci and Secretary Clinton did not mention TSA as a topic 
of discussion, a point criticized by some newspapers that suggested 
the MFA was again not being tough enough with Washington. 
 
¶3.  (U) On January 12, PAO conducted a background meeting with 
several journalists to explain the reasoning behind the measures. 
Coverage immediately following the meeting was reasonably accurate 
and balanced, noting particularly that the U.S. was in no way 
targeting Algerians with these measures, but rather trans-national 
terrorists who pose a threat to Algeria as well as the U.S. 
 
¶4.  (U)However, the respite did not last, and within a couple of 
days the outrage was back in full swing in the media, spurred in no 
small part by radio and TV interviews with FM Medelci, who referred 
to the measures as "humiliating" and "inappropriate."  Medelci did, 
however, affirm that the GOA was committed to dialogue with the U.S. 
to rectify the situation.  (Note:  LES have commented that they 
cannot remember the last time such a high-ranking GOA official had 
conducted two interviews in one week.)  SecState's phone call to the 
FM on January 18 to further discuss the issue received limited but 
positive coverage that highlighted both sides' commitment to working 
together to overcome misunderstandings and reinforce cooperation. 
 
¶5.  (U) In order to signal positive recognition of the progress 
Algeria has made in fighting terrorism, AMB paid a visit on January 
20 to Ain Defla, a region that has in the past been one of the most 
troubled by terrorist activity.  The visit played widely in the 
press as a significant gesture of acknowledgement of Algeria's 
efforts.  However, while the gesture was well-appreciated by the 
press, it also further emphasized what they see as a contradiction 
in our stance towards Algeria.  The most telling headline read, "The 
Embarrassment of the American Ambassador: He visits Ain Delfa but 
Justifies the Black List" (Liberte, January 21). 
 
¶6.  (U) Following the visit of NEA DAS Sanderson to Algiers January 
23-25, coverage of the TSA issue took a more positive turn.  Her 
statement to the press that, "the list of countries of concern is 
constantly being reviewed," was widely interpreted by the press as 
meaning Algeria would be removed from the list soon.  While not an 
accurate portrayal of her words, it did take some heat off the 
issue.  Within a few days, coverage of the issue had fallen to a 
trickle, and within a week was largely absent from the media as the 
advance of Algeria's national team to the semi-finals of the Africa 
Cup of Nations football tournament drew attention from most other 
 
ALGIERS 00000117  002 OF 002 
 
 
stories. 
 
¶7.  (U) On February 3, a few days after the tournament ended, 
Minister of Interior Zerhouni made a statement that Algeria was 
considering applying reciprocity to U.S. travelers, and that 
announcement brought the story back to the front pages of most 
Algerian newspapers. 
 
¶8.  (U) On February 4, PAS hosted a press round table with the 
visiting Deputy Coordinator for Programs and Policy in the 
Secretary's Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Gina 
Abercrombie-Winstanley, which received widespread coverage in the 
Algerian press.  She spent a significant portion of the time 
addressing TSA-related questions.  Coverage was factual and based 
mostly on the article disseminated by the government-owned press 
agency, APS, which highlighted the strong counterterrorism 
partnership between Algeria and the United States.  Other newspapers 
widely reported that the TSA list might be reviewed.  "Liberte", a 
French-language newspaper that has been among the most critical of 
the new screening measures imposed by TSA, considered this visit 
another attempt by the U.S. to appease Algeria.  Nonetheless, it 
appears to have worked, as coverage of the issue since then has been 
scant. 
 
 
EDITORIAL 
 
¶9.  (U) Since the announcement of the list, editorials from major 
publications in French and Arabic mentioned that the new security 
measures would generate and in some cases reinforce anti-Americanism 
among Muslims.  They also wrote that the measures were hurtful, 
maintaining that Algerian pride and dignity had been offended and 
that the measures were another humiliation.  They also emphasized 
the failure of Algeria's diplomacy in improving Algeria's image by 
securing redress.  State-run newspapers emphasized Algerian 
Ambassador Baali's intention to file a complaint against TSA's 
measures and the interviews with FM Medelci.  One of the starkest 
headlines stated, "Paris and Washington are punishing the people of 
other countries to hide the failure of their intelligence services." 
 ("El Khabar," 1/10) 
 
COMMENT 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Many Public Affairs contacts tell us that it is less 
about Algeria being on a special list and more about the publicity 
and the group of countries with which Algeria is being associated. 
There is also the embarrassment factor, as Algerians had been led to 
believe, especially from the almost gushing coverage of AFRICOM 
Commander General Ward's visit in late November, that the bilateral 
relationship with Washington was dramatically improving.  DAS 
Sanderson and other Embassy officials have reiterated that TSA 
measures were intended to respond to a vulnerability to our aviation 
security system and were not meant to single out Algeria or affect 
the bilateral relationship.  That, however, is not the prevailing 
press story.  The Algerian press has been mobilized on this issue 
and will likely continue to cover the issue situation until it is 
somehow resolved. 
 
PEARCE