OMAN MEDIA REACTION: DIPLOMACY, DEMOCRACY, AND EXTREMISM

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000916 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: DIPLOMACY, DEMOCRACY, AND EXTREMISM ¶1. SUMMARY: Omani papers focused on diplomacy, democracy, and the futility of dealing with terrorist organizations this week. Private daily "Al Watan" praised U.S. diplomacy with Sudan while also calling for the lifting of sanctions. Youth-oriented daily "Al Shabiba" extolled the caring and responsible nature of democratic governments, and state daily "Oman" commented on the impact of the rejectionist ideologies of violent extremists. END SUMMARY. -------------- The "Diplomatic Option" Works -------------- ¶2. On August 26, Private Arabic daily "Al Watan" (circulation 42,000) hailed American diplomatic policies that reduce tension among nations, especially in regard to U.S. -Sudanese relations, saying "Achieving Interests Cannot Take Place Through Increasing Tensions": "President Obama's choice of the diplomatic option as a means of addressing international issues is good for the nation. The administration's approach is achieving progress in American-Sudanese relations. Now a complete lifting of sanctions on Sudan is needed so it can meet the needs of its people, especially those in conflict areas. In order to bring about comprehensive peace in Sudan, Washington and its allies should stop supporting the rebels." -------------- Democracies Don't Let Their People Starve -------------- ¶3. Private, youth-oriented Arabic daily "Al Shabiba" (circulation 20,000) carried a column on August 30 from prominent local voice Sa'id al Hashmi declaring that, "Democracy is the Fuel for Development": "Many here believe that advanced civil and political rights are not necessary for economic progress, citing the development of Singapore and China. This notion is absolutely false. Closed systems are always vulnerable to collapse no matter how powerful and dominant they might seem. The Soviet Union is an example of this. True democratic systems, regardless of their level of wealth have never witnessed internal famine. The elected governments of these countries consider feeding their people to be a minimum duty. Dictatorship makes the government less responsive to the needs of the public." -------------- A "Stalemate" in Fighting Terror -------------- ¶4. On August 31, the state Arabic daily "Oman" (circulation 38,000) commented that terrorist groups do not respond to dialogue because they reject it in principle, "The War Against Terrorism is a Stalemate!" "Despite the prominent change in the focus of its foreign policy and efforts to show the world that the United States seeks to build relations through civil dialogue, terrorist groups are unmoved. The fundamental problem lies in the fact that these groups reject dialogue and are threatened by positive change. Groups throughout the world are adopting the ideologies of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. In Nigeria, a group calling itself the "Taliban" are involved in bloody battles with the government, and in Indonesia, the self-styled group called "Al-Qaeda- Indonesia" was involved in bombings in Jakarta. Their war against the U.S., and the U.S. response to terrorism seem to have stalemated." HURTADO