Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MUSCAT1016
2007-11-04 13:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Muscat
Cable title:
GOVERNMENT TO ALLOW PUBLIC VIEWING OF OFFICIAL
how-toVZCZCXRO7379 RR RUEHDE RUEHDIR DE RUEHMS #1016 3081345 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 041345Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8937 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS MUSCAT 001016
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI MU
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT TO ALLOW PUBLIC VIEWING OF OFFICIAL
DOCUMENTS
UNCLAS MUSCAT 001016
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI MU
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT TO ALLOW PUBLIC VIEWING OF OFFICIAL
DOCUMENTS
1. The Omani government recently promulgated Royal Decree
60/2007, authorizing the creation of the National Authority
for Documents and Archives to manage official documents.
Under this decree, the newly-established authority, to be
temporarily supervised by the Minister of Heritage and
Culture, is authorized to provide public access to most
official documents 30 years after their publication. For
those documents pertaining to issues of national security or
court cases, the law allows public access after 60 years.
Personal records, including birth, professional, and
health-related documents, are available for viewing after 100
years. During the last week of October, the authority held
its first awareness seminar on the new decree, which received
only light coverage in the Arabic press, with no coverage in
the English dailies.
2. Comment: The government's move to allow public access to
official records is an important milestone for Oman, as the
only government documents previously available were those
royal decrees, ministerial decisions, and tender
announcements published in the twice-monthly Official
Gazette. Instead of heralding these changes, however, the
government has been muted in informing the public about its
newfound access. End Comment.
GRAPPO
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI MU
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT TO ALLOW PUBLIC VIEWING OF OFFICIAL
DOCUMENTS
1. The Omani government recently promulgated Royal Decree
60/2007, authorizing the creation of the National Authority
for Documents and Archives to manage official documents.
Under this decree, the newly-established authority, to be
temporarily supervised by the Minister of Heritage and
Culture, is authorized to provide public access to most
official documents 30 years after their publication. For
those documents pertaining to issues of national security or
court cases, the law allows public access after 60 years.
Personal records, including birth, professional, and
health-related documents, are available for viewing after 100
years. During the last week of October, the authority held
its first awareness seminar on the new decree, which received
only light coverage in the Arabic press, with no coverage in
the English dailies.
2. Comment: The government's move to allow public access to
official records is an important milestone for Oman, as the
only government documents previously available were those
royal decrees, ministerial decisions, and tender
announcements published in the twice-monthly Official
Gazette. Instead of heralding these changes, however, the
government has been muted in informing the public about its
newfound access. End Comment.
GRAPPO