MEDIA REACTION: RICE'S VISIT, DOHA SUMMIT

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000988 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD, NEA/P, INR/R/MR LONDON FOR GOLDRICH PARIS FOR ZEYA USCENTCOM FOR PLUSH FOREIGN PRESS CENTER FOR ASILAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO KMDR OIIP MU SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: RICE'S VISIT, DOHA SUMMIT -------------- Trust . . . -------------- ¶1. "Oman," the government-owned Arabic-language daily, published an editorial on June 20 under the headline "Rice's Visit And The Importance Of The Peace Process": "Secretary Rice's visit to the region is important not only for moving the peace process forward, but also for further developing U.S.-Arab relations. The Arabs hope that Washington finally recognizes the significance of achieving just and lasting settlements for the conflicts in this region.... The United States must act seriously to put pressure on Israel to shoulder its responsibilities for peace in the Middle East." -------------- . . . But Verify -------------- ¶2. The privately-owned Arabic daily "al-Watan" ran an editorial on June 20 entitled "Beware Of Israeli Traps": "Notwithstanding Rice's arrival, Israel has a history of springing traps on various proposals that aim to bring peaceful and fair compromises to the long-suffering Palestinians. Look at the evidence: new settlements in the West Bank, the construction of an underwater barrier off the Gaza coast, and the use of harmful radioactive investigative equipment at Israeli checkpoints are all designed to stop the peace process. However, the Arabs are still holding out hope that the upcoming Abbas- Sharon summit will be free of such traps." -------------- Aligning Our Interests -------------- ¶3. "Oman" carried an editorial on June 13 entitled "Deepening Dialogue and Communication": "The G-77 [or Nonaligned Movement] summit in Doha attracted over 130 countries, and highlighted the efforts of these countries to eliminate the suffering of others. More attention is now paid to the developing nations of the world, particularly the economies of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The G8 resolution to cancel the debts of these poor nations is a positive first step towards removing the obstacles that hinder development. The Sultanate continues to work at deepening the dialogue and communication between countries to serve the best interests of the globe." BALTIMORE