VZCZCXRO7705
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHMS #1703/01 3521302
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181302Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7552
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0465
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0358
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 001703 
 
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: BAKER-HAMILTON REPORT, ISRAELI NUCLEAR 
PROGRAM, CRITICISM OF LOCAL NGO 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: Government-owned "Oman" hopes that implementing the 
Baker-Hamilton report can "save" Iraqis; privately owned "Al-Watan" 
calls on the U.S. and Europe to shoulder their "responsibilities" 
towards Israel's nuclear program; a surprisingly outspoken editorial 
in "Al-Watan" calls the Omani Center for Investment Promotion and 
Export Development (OCIPED) a "burden" on Oman.  All dailies 
highlight Assistant Secretary of State Welch's visit with Sultan 
Qaboos, and also publish Ambassador Grappo's editorial on U.S. 
education.  END SUMMARY. 
 
-------- 
COVERAGE 
-------- 
 
¶2.  On Wednesday, December 13, all Omani dailies carried front page 
photographs of Assistant Secretary Welch's audience with Sultan 
Qaboos.  Interior pages included pictures of A/S Welch and 
Ambassador Grappo meeting with General Ali bin Majid al Maamari, 
Minister of the Royal Office.  All dailies also carried Ambassador 
Grappo's editorial, "U.S. Colleges and Universities: 'Open Doors' 
for Omani Students." 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
BLOCK QUOTES: BAKER-HAMILTON CAN "SAVE" IRAQIS 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶3.  On December 14, state-owned daily "Oman" (circulation 38,000) 
highlighted the Baker-Hamilton report in "Iraq between Violence and 
Reconciliation": 
 
"What is happening in Iraq is considered a human catastrophe, one in 
which hundreds of people fall prey every day to the mad sectarian 
and political violence that has occurred in the three years since 
the American invasion.  The Baker-Hamilton report on U.S. policy 
sheds light on the options for the American administration as Iraq 
continues to deteriorate.  Two choices present themselves: 
continuing division and civil war, or a national reconciliation that 
can save Iraqis from endless problems that the international 
community seems unable to solve.  Since Baker-Hamilton points out 
the failures of American policy in Iraq, Washington now has a golden 
opportunity to get things right with policies that can lead to 
stability and a lack of violence." 
 
---------------------------------------- 
U.S. "RESPONSIBILITIES" ON ISRAELI NUKES 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. Privately owned "Al-Watan" (circulation 42,000) wrote about 
Israel's nuclear program in "Facts to Uncover": 
 
"American and Israeli efforts to stop the nuclear programs of Middle 
Eastern states are nothing but tactical and strategic maneuvering. 
Israel recently revealed its nuclear weapons program... Regardless 
of Israeli motivations, what really matters to Arab states is that 
all the excuses for supporting Israel's nuclear program are now 
worthless.  The Arabs have a blank check to punish Israel for 
developing nuclear weapons and for breaking international laws 
against this.  America and Europe waged war on Iraq because of 
allegations about Iraq's nuclear weapons program.  They must now 
shoulder their responsibilities in facing Israel and its lies." 
 
------------------------- 
OCIPED A "BURDEN" ON OMAN 
------------------------- 
 
¶5. In a December 16 editorial entitled "Toward Developing A Center 
for Investment Promotion, "Al-Watan" went beyond Omani papers' 
generally constrained tone in relation to domestic affairs, 
editorializing on the Omani Center for Investment Promotion and 
Export Development (OCIPED), Oman's official import-export 
development arm: 
 
"OCIPED was founded to promote investment and develop exports in 
Oman, yet it has proven unable to carry out its duties.  Some of the 
explanations for this might be that the organization has very 
limited authority, does not cooperate with other institutions, and 
commands only meager resources.  Centers and institutions like 
OCIPED are supposed to manage various types of investments.  It is 
important for such organizations to develop investment by increasing 
their ability to function in a high-quality way, as in other 
countries.  In this current situation, OCIPED is nothing but a 
burden on the country.  The Omani Center for Investment Promotion 
 
MUSCAT 00001703  002 OF 002 
 
 
and Export Development has an impressive-sounding name, but what 
does it actually do?  This is the question that Omani investors are 
asking." 
 
GRAPPO