RARE OMANI CANDOR: AMBASSADOR HEARS LOCAL VIEWS OF

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000545 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, R E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PINR PREL KPAO KISL IR IS IZ MU SUBJECT: RARE OMANI CANDOR: AMBASSADOR HEARS LOCAL VIEWS OF U.S. MIDEAST POLICIES ¶1. (SBU) From May 16-22, the Ambassador traveled overland from Muscat to Salalah and on to the Yemeni border - a trip of more than 1,300 kilometers - meeting with tribal sheikhs and other local officials along the way. The trip provided a unique opportunity to reach out to Omanis at the grassroots level and engage audiences that normally do not have the chance to speak with an official American. On the last day of the trip, Salalah's representative to the Majlis al-Shura (the directly elected lower house of Oman's bicameral advisory body),Sa'id bin Sa'd al-Shahri, organized a lunch for the Ambassador with approximately 30 of Salalah's community leaders. The event was held on a hillside outside the city in traditional Omani fashion, with the invitees on mats, eating by hand from communal bowls and then gathering in a large circle for conversation. ¶2. (SBU) Unlike similar events over the course of the trip in which the Omani hosts mostly limited their conversation to local topics, the Salalah participants quickly turned to a discussion of U.S. foreign policy in the region. A reporter from one of Oman's four private newspapers, "Al-Watan," told the Ambassador that the current U.S. domestic debate over Iraq strategy - particularly disagreements between the legislative and executive branches - make it difficult for Omanis to understand U.S. priorities. He pointed to U.S House of Representative Speaker Pelosi's recent trip to Syria as a high-profile example of this incongruity, asking "How can we be expected to agree with America (on your approach to Iraq) when your own government cannot come to agreement?" Several other participants seemed distressed by what they perceive to be America's "neo-colonial" role in the region. One leader noted that many Omanis were hopeful for a new relationship with the Western world after the U.S. displaced Great Britain as the region's primary foreign interlocutor. To date, however, most feel that the relationship has been marked by disappointment and lost opportunity, he said. ¶3. (SBU) A businessman commented that while he and his colleagues appreciate the important contributions the U.S. has made to regional economic growth over the years - and hope to take advantage of new opportunities under the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement - the war in Iraq has caused many Omanis to see "missiles and bombs" as America's main export to the region. Although no one referred to Iran directly, the Omanis indicated their discomfort with what they perceive as a hard-line U.S. stance toward Tehran and the possibility that this approach could lead to greater regional instability. In general, while still expressing their fundamental goodwill toward the U.S. and continuing desire to engage with the Embassy, the Omanis made it clear that they believe the current U.S. stance on the region's primary flash points - Iran, Iraq, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - has significantly damaged America's image and credibility in Oman. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: The discussion in Salalah provided a rare glimpse into how Omanis view U.S. policy at the popular level. The Ambassador offered general explanations of our policies in Iraq, Israel, the Palestinian territories and elsewhere, but also used the lunch as an opportunity to listen. His Omani hosts seemed satisfied simply to be heard. The lunch was notable in that Omanis rarely engage foreigners, especially foreign officials, so directly on sensitive topics. The freedom of the conversation in a traditional setting indicates the substantial public diplomacy dividends that can be gained from meeting local audiences on their turf. The Ambassador and Mission officers plan to continue creating these kinds of opportunities as part of an overall strategy to reach out to Omani society. End comment. GRAPPO