MEDIA REACTION: USTDA CONFERENCE, PALESTINIAN UNITY,

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000784 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD, NEA/P, AND INR/R/MR 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: USTDA CONFERENCE, PALESTINIAN UNITY, PALESTINIAN PROGRESS -------------- -- USTDA Conference Raises U.S. IT profile in Oman -------------- -- ¶1. The government-owned Arabic daily "Oman" (circulation 38,000) highlighted this week's USTDA-sponsored conference on Information Communications Technology (ICT) in its May 14 editorial, "Communications in the Middle East and Developing Skills": "The conference that His Excellency Ahmad Macki, Minister of National Economy, will convene today is very important not only because it has attracted many attendees, but also because of the growing importance of the IT and communications sector. The conference...contributes to regional development, and to the achievement of Oman's strategic information-technology development goals, under the leadership of His Majesty [Sultan Qaboos]." -------------- Promoting Palestinian Unity... -------------- ¶2. "Oman" called for an end to internecine strife among the Palestinians in its May 10 editorial, "The Gaza Clashes and the Palestinian Ship": "Strengthening Palestinian unity will guarantee Palestinian rights...Unfortunately, the current confrontations are between the largest Palestinian groups themselves, Fatah and Hamas, rather than with Israel. Finding the source of the conflict between the peoples of one nation...is half way to solving the crisis. Thus the time is right for the presidency and the government to meet and agree on clear terms for the safety and stability of the Palestinians." -------------- ...To Resist "Inhumane Pressure" -------------- ¶3. The privately owned Arabic daily "al-Watan" (circulation 42,000) headlined its May 14 editorial "The Necessity of Finding Common Points in the Palestinian Dossier": "Palestinians have no choice but to build on what was achieved after the Oslo Accords, which stimulated the latest democratic change in Palestine. Palestinians must come to an agreement and go forward. Meanwhile, Israel and the Quartet must stop inhumane pressure on the Palestinian people." GRAPPO