OMAN MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000651 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 ¶1. SUMMARY: Of note this week in Omani media is the almost total lack of coverage of Oman's Tier 2 ranking in the TIP report, issued June 16. Only Arabic daily "Al Zaman" broke rank by running a statement by the Charge d'Affaires verbatim. No editorial or commentary has emerged since the release, likely due to state-sponsored silence. On June 17, Arabic daily "Oman" ran a commentary on the Sultan's upcoming trip to Iran, hailing Oman's "balanced relationships" and claiming the strengthening of cultural and economic relations as objectives for the trip. (Note: Government daily "Oman" usually runs articles by Muhammad Saddique al-Hussaini, the Secretary General of the Arab-Iranian Forum for Dialogue, for commentary on Iran. End Note) On June 16, "Al Watan" issued more disappointment on Prime Minister Netanyahu's policy speech, calling the American and European response "strange". END SUMMARY. -------------- "CLEAR, TRANSPARENT, AND BALANCED RELATIONS" -------------- ¶2. On June 17, Arabic-language daily "Oman" (circulation 38,000) commented on the importance of H.M. Sultan Qaboos' visit to Iran, announced June 16. The article states that an "exchange of views" is needed for regional security and peace. According to "Historic and Distinguished Relations that Bring Stability and Prosperity": "The Sultanate has established clear, transparent, and balanced relations with all of its friends and managed to stay away from international polarizations from which the region, and the Gulf in particular, have suffered for many years. H.M. Sultan Qaboos' visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was planned a while ago, is significant because the region needs an exchange of views to strengthen economic and cultural relations and to enhance stability and prosperity for all." -------------- "THEY ONLY NEED TO HEAR THE WORD STATE" -------------- ¶3. On June 16, Omani Arabic daily, "Al Watan" (circulation 42,000), commented that the American and European response to Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech "seemed strange". According to "Who Has the Right to Classify?": "The American and European response to Netanyahu seemed strange. It is as if they only needed to hear the word "State" to begin cheering. That will not end the tragedy, and in reality the speech did not offer any solutions." HURTADO