DR. EDWARD GRAHAM: A WISE INVESTMENT FOR OMAN

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000929

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/PD (CWHITTLESEY),NEA/ARPI (TROBERTS),IIP/T/ES
(BDURANT-HAIRSTON),IIP/G/NEA-SA (TSCOTT, LKUYUMCU)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO OIIP MU
SUBJECT: DR. EDWARD GRAHAM: A WISE INVESTMENT FOR OMAN

REF: STATE 083422

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Summary
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1. PA Muscat organized a one-hour digital videoconference (DVC)
with Dr. Edward Graham, Senior Fellow at the Institute for
International Economics, on June 7, 2005 at the Embassy.
Revolving around the topic of foreign direct investment (FDI),
and optimally timed to take advantage of the anticipated free
trade agreement between the U.S. and Oman, the DVC created a
thought-provoking environment for the audience while showcasing
Dr. Graham's accomplished skills as a communicator. End summary.

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IIP Results Reporting
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2. The following information is keyed to para. 2 of reftel:


A. Name and date: Dr. Edward Graham, June 7, 2005.

B. Audience summary: The audience included both government
officials and representatives of Oman's private financial sector,
all of whom share an interest in FDI.

C. Speaker effectiveness: Dr. Graham expertly communicated his
intended message to the audience, combining academic theories
with real-world examples.

D. Quality of IIP support: Excellent/outstanding. IIP's program
officers were uniformly responsive and helpful.

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Excellent Returns
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3. Dr. Edward Graham, who recently returned to the United States
from a visit to Bahrain, proved to be an ideal speaker for this
DVC. After sharing some initial thoughts about the economic
impacts of FDI, Dr. Graham engaged in a lively Q&A session with
audience members, who quizzed him about FDI trends in the United
States, intellectual property rights issues, and strategies for
how Oman can attract more FDI. Referring to the track record of
the North America Free Trade Agreement, Dr. Graham noted that
"economic integration brings everybody up" - a valuable message
for the Omani attendees.


4. Given the Sultanate's rapid advancement toward signing a free
trade agreement (FTA) with the United States, the DVC came at an
opportune time, and Dr. Graham's insights lent additional
credence to the FTA push. Although the turnout was lighter than
expected, the quality of the guests was superb: a member of the
Majlis al-Dawla (State Council),the head of Oman's Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, an economics professor from Sultan Qaboos
University, and the head of Brokerage and Marketing for Oman's
most profitable bank, BankMuscat, were among the featured
visitors.

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Hot Tip
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5. Embassy Muscat highly recommends Dr. Edward Graham to other
posts in the region.

BALTIMORE