OMAN MEDIA REACTION: IRAQI NATIONAL UNITY, APPEAL FOR

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000121

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD, NEA/P, AND 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: OMAN MEDIA REACTION: IRAQI NATIONAL UNITY, APPEAL FOR
MUTUAL RESPECT BETWEEN CIVILIZATIONS, LESSONS FOR ISLAMIC NEW
YEAR

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Iraqi Steps toward National Unity
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1. The government-owned Arabic daily "Oman" published an
editorial on January 29 under the title "The New Iraqi
Government":

"The negotiations in Iraq between different political powers are
important steps toward national unity. There is a discussion
about forming one political bloc which will balance other blocs
in Iraq, especially the Shiite alliance which won the majority of
seats in the Iraqi National Assembly. Reaching political harmony
between all these blocs in Iraq will pave the way toward
formation of a new Iraqi government that will lead the country
for the next four years. The Iraqi people are looking forward to
the return of normal life and rebuilding Iraq, which will provide
all services necessary for better living."

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Appeal for Mutual Respect between Civilizations
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2. "Oman" published an editorial on January 30, which alluded to
continuing controversy over Danish cartoons deemed offensive to
Islam. The piece was entitled "A New Year of Peace and
Security":

"Countries of the world should not seek to promote hatred and
division among people for their own personal and selfish
interests. We hope that they will adopt the peaceful language of
dialogue, and discard any actions that would prompt violence
between religions. Offending a faith and its edifices benefits
no one. There are red lines that should not be crossed when it
comes to religious figures and beliefs, even for the sake of
freedom of expression. Freedom of expression does not mean that
one looks down on any culture, belief, or civilization."

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Lessons for the Islamic New Year
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3. Privately owned Arabic daily "Al-Watan" published an editorial
on January 30 entitled "Islamic New Year and Its Lessons":

"Despite the fact that today's Muslims are trying to deal with
non-Muslims on the basis of Islamic tolerance and human
merit...other non-Muslim thinkers and orientalists in Western
countries insist that Islam is a violent religion. This
unrealistic blame is turning into an organized attack on
everything related to Islam, extending to Muslims' thinking,
talking and behaving. We as Muslims have a responsibility to
depict true Islam, and we must expend additional effort to
convince the world of the reality of Islam and its teachings.

BALTIMORE