MEDIA REACTION: NATIONAL DAY IN OMAN, AL JAZEERA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 001614 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, NEA/PI, AND INR/R/MR STATE PASS USTR FOR N. MOORJANI, J. BUNTIN LONDON FOR TSOU PARIS FOR ZEYA USCENTCOM FOR PLUSH FOREIGN PRESS CENTER FOR SILAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KPAO KMDR MU SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: NATIONAL DAY IN OMAN, AL JAZEERA INTERNATIONAL, AMERICAN "WWIII", OMANI MODEL FOR PEACE ¶1. SUMMARY: Omani media focus this week was squarely - and nearly exclusively - on coverage revolving around the celebration of the country's national day (the Sultan's birthday). The very little press attention to other matters displayed mingled pride and concern over the startup of Al Jazeera international and drew on the Sultan's recent remarks to reflect on the path to peace in the region. END SUMMARY. -------------- COVERAGE -------------- ¶2. All papers, along with broadcast news on radio and television, carried blanket coverage relating to the observation of Oman's national day. The Sultan's November 15 speech to the Majlis Oman (the joint session of the Majlis al Shura and Majlis al Dowla) received laudatory headlines ("His Majesty to grace Council of Oman's annual meeting today", "His Majesty declares big drive to develop human resources"). Features in all papers highlighted new and ongoing development projects across the Sultanate ("Muscat Municipality takes up many ambitious projects"),while coverage of the holiday itself is summed up by the "Times of Oman" banner headline, "Tryst with the Glorious Day". The signing of the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement received prominent placement in most of the many year-in-review features present in all media. Several papers published special holiday feature sections, while state-owned Arabic and English papers included a special souvenir portrait of Sultan Qaboos. -------------- --- Al Jazeera Int'l: A "Positive Voice" - Co-opted? -------------- --- ¶3. On November 20, state-owned Arabic daily "Oman" (circulation 38,000) carried a column by academic commentator Muhammad Awadh al-Mashaikhi in which he gave voice to mixed feelings about "Al-Jazeera International News Channel: the Positive Voice Coming from the South": Although Al Jazeera has surpassed any other news channel in the Arab world (not least as a result of the enormous funds invested in it and the political will that facilitated its freedom of expression), it is difficult to judge the new channel in its own context. [Al Jazeera International] is operating in a very competitive environment in which other international English news channels, such as CNN and the BBC, dominate. Now its competition is not regional Arabic channels, but those with a track record of attracting billions of viewers worldwide. Already it has been noticed it started with excessive focus on Israeli news; on the first day it had a lengthy interview with Shimon Peres, and the first sports item was about the Israel vs. Croatia football match. In addition, its political programs received participation from Israelis from occupied Jerusalem through telephone calls. The world is expecting from "Al Jazeera International" to provide an informative media message that is based on honesty, creditability, authenticity, balance, and objectivity. This will be expressed through showing the bitter realities that the Arabic and Islamic nations are living in." -------------- --- "Americanized Model" to blame for World War III? -------------- --- ¶4. Private Arabic daily "Al-Watan" (circulation 42,000) reflected November 20 on CENTCOM Commander Abizaid's comments on the need to confront Islamic extremism, asking "Who is Provoking World War III?": "General John Abizaid turned the cameras on himself when he spoke about the possibility of "World War III" erupting in the region. When American military leaders use statements like this, usually they are looking for higher political positions. [Abizaid] did not provide any reasons why the situation is going in the wrong direction that he talked about. However, the wrong actions that his leaders are committing, their handling the nations of this region with an iron hand - these are the reasons for such a war. He is forgetting that the Iraqi wound is only of American making, Palestinian suffering results from an American model of tyranny, the game in Lebanon is a mere draft of what America wants to create, and the pressure against Afghanis to discard the Taliban is an excuse for the American invasion. The reason for this "World War III" is not because these nations need freedom, something they completely MUSCAT 00001614 002 OF 002 comprehend and fight for, rather, it is the Americanized model of freedom." -------------- A ROYAL VISION FOR PEACE -------------- ¶5. "Al Watan" drew from Sultan Qaboos's November 15 speech to recommend his thinking as the way to create peace and stability in its November 20 column, "Understanding Peace...A Vision in the Sultan's Message": "The national approach to foreign policy was very clear in the Sultan's message: it is based on integrity, justice, peace, security, and tolerance. His political vision shows what is needed internationally in the future to consolidate peace and stability in the world, and to do so on proper, solid political and diplomatic bases. Everyone knows that the Sultanate has been the first to support peace in the world, and that this is the main criterion in its foreign policy. The Sultan's method of foreign policy has always originated from his support of rights, regardless of geographic and demographic dimensions or any religious or ideological differences. Only on these bases will the world know peace and stability, allowing it to develop and flourish." GRAPPO