OMAN MEDIA REACTION: GULF IGNORED OVER IRAN ISSUE

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000513 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, NEA/PI, INR/R/MR, NEA/SA/EX/PMO LONDON FOR NEA WATCHER PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER FOREIGN PRESS CENTER FOR NEA WATCHER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KPAO KMDR MU SUBJECT: OMAN MEDIA REACTION: GULF IGNORED OVER IRAN ISSUE ¶1. SUMMARY: Omani press focused this week on the nuclear tensions between ISRAEL and Iran, pushing TIP further to the background. Arabic daily "Al Watan" criticized the U.S. administration for ignoring the Gulf in its Iran strategy. An online discussion forum asking about Oman's reaction to a potential closing of the Straights of Hormuz generated interest but few ideas. "Al Watan" ran one editorial this week on TIP, recognizing its existence worldwide, providing a definition, and accusing America of exacerbating TIP through the war on terror. END SUMMARY. -------------- Gulf States Are Ignored -------------- ¶2. On July 4, an editorial in privately owned Arabic daily "Al-Watan" (circulation 42,000) criticized the U.S. administration for ignoring the Gulf countries over the Iran situation. According to "The GCC Deserves to be Listened To": "Israel and the United States are launching contradictory statements about how to deal with Iran's nuclear situation. Israeli states that it will attack Iran without American approval, and then President Bush states that they are going to solve the problem diplomatically. When America decides on military intervention, it usually cooperates with its allies including ISRAEL and Europe. However, when the matter involves the Gulf region, the Gulf States are ignored. The leaders of the Gulf States have declared more than once that tension in the region will hamper their efforts to secure energy resources, but America has continued its military threats. It seems that it will take supernatural powers to convince Washington and Tel Aviv not to repeat the tragedies of Iraq." -------------- Professionals at Human Trafficking -------------- ¶3. On July 6, "Al-Watan" carried an editorial written by Salim al-Badi addressing definitions of TIP and accusing the U.S. for exacerbating the problem. "Human Trafficking" says: "Trafficking in persons is not a new phenomenon. It is a global problem that we have known about for a long time; however, the problem has recently grown, for several reasons. Perhaps the most important reason is the quick and easy gains obtained by exploiting individuals. Some powerful countries have become professionals at human trafficking, disguising the practice under other names such as fighting terrorism or protecting national security. In order to understand the true meaning of human trafficking, we have to look to specialized organizations and institutions. Those organizations define the term trafficking in persons as the transfer of persons through violence, deception or coercion to impose labor or slavery or practices similar to slavery, including the control of freedoms, times and locations of work or remunerations." -------------- America Will Not Care if the GCC is Attacked -------------- ¶4. Oman's most active online discussion site, Al Sabla, (www.omania2.net) hosted a thread on the threat to close the Straights of Hormuz. The thread drew 130 responses and 6,231 hits, making it one of the most active in the forum. "Tehran is threatening to close the Straits of Hormuz while Muscat is silent. Gulf States are silent." Quotes from the forum as follows: "The position of the GCC countries is clear. They will not allow the use of its bases to attack Iran. They will protect their economic and national interests." "America knows that Iran is going to react against any country supporting them and this is what they want. America wants to divide Muslim countries. I hope that all GCC countries unite against the enemies of Islam and Muslims." "If GCC states support America, Iran will definitely fire back. America will not care if the GCC is attacked by Iran or not." FONTENEAU