MEDIA REACTION: LONDON IRAN DISCUSSIONS, PRE-EMPTIVE

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000857 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: LONDON IRAN DISCUSSIONS, PRE-EMPTIVE WARS, AND OLMERT'S BORDER PLAN -------------- London Iran Discussions -------------- ¶1. The government-owned Arabic daily "Oman" (circulation 38,000) carried an editorial on May 24 entitled "London Meetings and the Iranian Nuclear Dossier": "The LONDON meeting, which includes intensive talks with multiple parties, has the potential to forge a unified stance regarding the Iranian nuclear dossier. The Islamic Republic of Iran has assured the world that it is not after the possession of nuclear weapons in any way, but rather that it wants only peaceful nuclear technology, a right guaranteed by the nuclear non- proliferation treaty. Thus in dealing with Iran it is important to resort to dialogue and avoid attempts to escalate the situation." -------------- American "Pre-emptive Wars" -------------- ¶2. In a May 26 editorial entitled "Pre-emptive Wars and International Peace, "Oman" alleged that American miscalculations in the Middle East have spurred regional instability: "American pre-emptive wars after 9/11 have wrenched peace and stability from the world and have instead increased violence and hatred... The philosophy of power and war rests on twisted logic that does not support the world's common interests. Neither does it lend itself to any prospects for peaceful coexistence between people. American pre-emptive wars have failed not only in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also in the general struggle against violence. Americans must closely examine the causes of the violence if they want to achieve realistic solutions and end this episode of blood and instability." -------------- Olmert's Border Plan -------------- ¶3. The privately owned Arabic daily "al-Watan" (circulation 42,000) published a May 26 editorial on the ongoing Israeli/Palestinian conflict, "New Chapters in an Old Play": "Another scene and a new chapter of an old play have been completed. Washington has yielded to the interest groups and Zionist lobbies in Congress and within the administration and is supporting Israeli Prime Minister Olmert in his plan to carve up the West Bank... The Palestinians have the right to call for the implementation of the international resolutions 242 and 338 that call for Israel's withdrawal to the 1967 borders. The Israelis are supported by America when it comes to drawing up their final borders, but the Palestinians will not give up their legal rights easily -- they have paid too a dear price for them." GRAPPO