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UNCLAS        MUSCAT 01054

SIPDIS
MUSCATCX:
    ACTION: PAO
    INFO:   AMB DCM POLE

DISSEMINATION: PAO
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: POLE:MSNOWDEN
DRAFTED: PAO:MMASKARY
CLEARED: PAO:DHOFFMANN

VZCZCATI958
PP RUEHC RUEHEE RUEHLO RUEHFR RHMFISS
DE RUEHMS #1054/01 1841139
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031139Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6835
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0413
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0308
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 001054 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, NEA/PI, AND INR/R/MR 
STATE PASS USTR FOR N. MOORJANI, J. BUNTIN 
LONDON FOR TSOU 
PARIS FOR ZEYA 
USCENTCOM FOR PLUSH 
FOREIGN PRESS CENTER FOR SILAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KPAO KMDR MU
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ISRAEL'S GAZA INCURSION, U.S. SENATE 
RATIFICATION OF FTA 
 
SUMMARY:  Oman's Arabic-language press slams Israel's Gaza 
incursion, and alleged American support for the operation. 
Government-owned "Oman" hails U.S. Senate ratification of the 
U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA).  In online discussion, 
participants question why the issue of forced labor has affected 
FTA ratification.  END SUMMARY. 
 
-------- 
COVERAGE 
-------- 
 
¶1.  Israel's Gaza incursion received front page coverage in both 
the English and Arabic-language press this week.  Most Arabic 
articles were accompanied by photographs of bombed-out 
Palestinian government buildings, and scenes of distressed 
civilians.  The U.S. Senate's ratification of the U.S.-Oman FTA 
received positive, front page coverage in Oman's English and 
Arabic-language newspapers. 
 
------------------------------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: ARROGANT POWER POLITICS 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  A June 29 editorial carried in government-owned daily "Oman" 
(circulation 38,000) denounced "The Gaza Attack and the Arrogance 
of Power": 
 
"[The Gaza operation] is another instance of the arrogant power 
politics that Israel has practiced for over 50 years, yet 
surprisingly some still envision Israel as a partner for peace. 
The international community is doing nothing, which is natural 
given that current international policy cares nothing about 
international legitimacy.  Since America is heavily involved in 
Iraq, Afghanistan and the war against terrorism, its political 
position [on Gaza] is nothing new...the Palestinian resistance 
needs Arab support and a campaign to reveal Israel's crimes to 
the whole world." 
 
------------------ 
RULE OF THE JUNGLE 
------------------ 
 
¶3.  The privately owned Arabic daily "Al-Watan" (circulation 
42,000) also commented on Israel's Gaza incursion on June 29, 
asking "Was it the Law of the Jungle or the Rule of Law?" 
 
"Although we are used to various kinds of Israeli state 
terrorism, which all are classified as war crimes and crimes 
against humanity, the current storming of Palestinian territories 
is paired with a new phenomenon, the absolute silence by the 
international community towards the ongoing genocide which the 
United States continues to describe as "Israel's right to self 
defense."  In this way America legitimizes and legalizes the acts 
of killing, destruction and terrorism, as it grants the murderers 
certificates of amnesty that protect them against accountability. 
Thus the U.S. prizes the rule of the jungle, and places power 
over justice, law, and international standards and norms." 
 
--------------------------------- 
AMERICA'S "SELECTIVE DEFINITIONS" 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  "Oman" continued to condemn Israeli operations in Gaza with a 
June 30 article about the abduction of ministers and members of 
the Palestinian Legislative Council under the headline 
"International Legitimacy, Gone with the Wind": 
 
"By abducting persons enjoying political and parliamentary 
immunity, Israel is distancing itself from all international 
conventions and protocols inherent in international legitimacy, 
which is now gone with the wind except under America's selective 
definitions. Why does America escalate unnecessarily over Iran's 
nuclear file, the situation in Darfur and Arab governments' human 
rights records while turning a blind eye to Israeli crimes 
committed in broad daylight?  Even the UN will not release a 
statement calling for restraint, as if it were the Palestinian 
people who are attacking Israel." 
 
----------------------- 
SENATE FTA RATIFICATION 
----------------------- 
 
¶5.  On July 2, "Oman" carried an editorial entitled "The FTA 
between the Sultanate and the U.S.": 
 
"In confident and steady steps, the Sultanate is advancing 
towards the goals planned by His Majesty, the most important 
being sustainable development, progress and prosperity.... In 
this regard, the FTA with the U.S., which was signed last January 
and is undergoing ratification in the U.S. Congress...is an 
important step towards enhancing and developing relations between 
the Sultanate and the U.S., and offers ample opportunity to 
achieve common interests.  Omani-U.S. relations go back more than 
two centuries, and have been profoundly enhanced in different 
fields in past years.  Ratifying the FTA between the Sultanate 
and the U.S. provides the opportunity for the Omani economy to 
introduce its products to large U.S. markets, in addition to 
providing the opportunity to attract big American investments in 
the rapidly developing Omani economy.... The approval of the 
Senate's Finance Committee, the House of Representatives' Finance 
Committee, and the Senate's recent ratification clearly indicate 
that the House of Representatives will approve the FTA.... A 
number of representatives have emphasized the importance of this 
agreement as an example to be followed when the U.S. negotiates 
with other countries in the region.... After ratification by the 
House of Representatives, the Sultanate will be the second GCC 
country to sign an FTA with the United States.... The FTA will 
push trade forward, compelling Omani factories and commercial 
companies to exert more effort in order to adhere to 
international quality standards and retain their share of the 
U.S. market.  This is in addition to the fact that the FTA gives 
the Omani economy opportunity to interact more with the global 
economy." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
OMAN ONLINE: QUESTIONS ABOUT FTA AND FORCED LABOR 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶6.  Members of Oman's most popular Internet discussion forum "Al- 
Sablah" commented on the Senate's ratification of the U.S. - Oman 
FTA, and the involvement of President Bush: "President Bush 
stated that Oman is the best example of a good trading partner 
and strategic ally, through its efforts to lead social and 
economic reform in the region."  Many Al-Sablah participants were 
concerned about the "forced labor" issue that has slowed down 
ratification of the FTA, questioning what that term means.  Some 
opposed the FTA in principle, agreeing with the statement that 
"The Americans fight Muslims everywhere and do not give 
legitimacy to the present Palestinian government.  Therefore, we 
should not deal with their government."  The topic generated 875 
hits and 24 responses. 
 
GRAPPO