A Public Relations Perspective From Jim Cox Senior Vice President, Hill & Knowlton

1. A Public Relations PerspectiveFrom Jim CoxSenior Vice President, Hill & Knowlton

2. An introduction • Hill & Knowlton is one of the world’s largest public relations firm, and part of WPP, the world’s largest communications services companies. • H&K has been operating in the Arabic Gulf Region for the past 18 years • I serve as the global account manager for SABIC and Saudi Aramco, two of the largest companies in Saudi Arabia. • Watched the War in Iraq on Al-Jazeera

3. The Challenge • Communicating with skeptical audiences is easy • The hard parts are… • Convincing them • Understanding them And the skepticism is mutual. They don’t understand nor persuade us very well.

4. Building Bridges of Understandingto the Muslim World A Public Relations Perspective

5. The Pew Center Perspective • Growth of negative views among Muslims • 7 of 8 Muslim countries see U.S. as a military threat to their country • 20 of 21 countries (even Israel) believes the U.S. favors Israel too much over Palestinians • 71% of Palestinians say they have confidence in Osama bin Laden to “do the right thing regarding world affairs” The Pew Center June 3, 2003

6. “One Size Doesn’t Fit All” “Nobody in the West has really spent enough time thinking about what differentiates in the Muslim mind. We assume that if it works in New York, it will work in Baghdad, but there are significant differences. There has to be more sensitivity to this issue.” Sir Martin Sorrell CEO, WPP Group Wall Street Journal October 1, 2003 Muslims are 26% of the world’s population; 30% by 2014

7. Vast Differences in Style and Substance • Face-to-face communications • Tribal culture – a chief at the top but with abundant dissent and debate • Preponderance of Kingdoms • Disbelief of institutions; lots of gossip to fill the void • Need to communicate at 2 to 3 levels • The vagaries of private diplomacy • The various shades of Islam

8. And Vast Differences in Policy • Palestine • Iraq • Democracy vs. Islamic state • Different approaches to the War on Terrorism – e.g. funds for charities • The threat of radical Muslim clerics A solution to Palestine & an Arab-run Iraq could be big healers in the Gulf

9. Four Points of Considerations To understand the challenge and plan our approach

10. Four Points for Consideration • The search for commonality of interest. • Actions are the operative imperative. • Fear as a distorter. • Domestic politics always has a loud voice.

11. The Search for Commonality of Interest. • Commonality of Interest is a cornerstone in PR planning. • Questions: What might bring us together? What do we agree on? • Some considerations: • Children • Families • Moral issues

12. Actions are the Operative Imperative. • Don’t trust governments. • Don’t trust the U.S. • Actions are the what they can see: • Invasion of Iraq • Civilian deaths and destruction • Immigration policies • Single-minded focus on terrorism • Domestic political speeches at the U.N.

13. Fear as a Distorter In the U.S. • Domestic fear after 9/11 • An anxious search for terrorists • Fearing the worst from Iraq In the Islamic World • Powerhouse militaries – Israel and the U.S. • Angst that their country is next • Muslims under attack Need to understand our fears, and theirs

14. Domestic Politics Always Has a Loud Voice In the U.S. • George Bush gives a domestic speech to the U.N. • Homeland Security, Immigration policies • And there is a re-election campaign starting In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia • King’s title: Keeper of the two Holy Mosques • Islam is protected and advanced • Don’t want to appear subdued by U.S. demands Private diplomacy is private; no public influence

15. Four Recommendations For U.S. State Department initiatives to build better trust in Muslim countries

16. Four Recommendations • Create a Muslim adviser/ombudsman. • Be more visibly consultative/cooperative. • Re-open student exchanges. • Translate U.S. policies abroad. To Build Bridges of Understanding

17. Create a Muslim Adviser/Ombudsman • Consider as a White House adviser • Acknowledge the lack of trust and misunderstandings on both sides • A Muslim widely accepted in the Islamic world • Make the role visible – as a leader of cultural and politic changes • Show policy changes that result Need a symbolic commitment with substance

18. Be More Visibly Consultative/Cooperative • We typically go abroad to sell our position • May need a Islamic World Summit meeting at the White House • Reach beyond our immediate interests to bridge the chasm • Embrace issues of important to Muslims • Create U.S. public support for the initiative Publicly showcase the fine art of listening

19. Re-open Student Exchanges • Huge immigration hurdles for Arab students • Limited cross-exchanges of U.S. studies in Arab countries • Students help to build understanding, acceptance • Scholarships could expand the reach beyond the privileged Challenge of balancing homeland security with need for relations, understanding in Islam

20. Translate U.S. Policies Abroad • Pres. Bush’s U.N. speeches more for domestic politics than bridging the gulf • Need messages that play on both sides of the Atlantic • The “tough” face at home creates fear abroad As a world leader, we need to be able to speak to the world

21. What’s Ahead for U.S.- Muslim Relations? Taking a longer view of relationships

22. A Look Ahead… • A lot is working now – good dialogue among leaders • Iraq will look better with a civilian transition • An agreement on Palestine would be a blessing for all • No new wars would be healing • Need a maturity of anti-terrorism • Less terrorism would give peace a chance And time can heal a lot of wounds

23. A Public Relations Perspective