VZCZCXRO3269
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHMS #1726 3580824
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 240824Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7579
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0467
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0361
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS MUSCAT 001726 
 
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: FTA AND OMANI PAY RAISE, CRITICISM OF 
SHUTTERED WEBSITE, SAUDI STATE VISIT TO OMAN 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: Privately owned "Al-Watan" ties a royal decree raising 
civil-service wages to Oman's international economic policies 
including the U.S-Oman FTA; the same paper also criticizes closed 
Internet forum forum "Al-Sablah" for "crossing red lines."  As Saudi 
King Abdullah visits Oman, state-owned daily "Oman" hails "strong" 
bilateral relations and expresses hope for a solution to regional 
crises.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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COVERAGE 
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¶2.  All Omani dailies carried front page photographs of Saudi King 
Abdullah and his delegation on their state visit to Oman. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
BLOCK QUOTES: NATIONAL PAY RAISE A "WISE STEP" 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶3.  Privately owned "Al-Watan" (circulation 42,000) on December 20 
highlighted the civil-service pay raise, saying "Thank You Your 
Majesty": 
 
"His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has always ensured that the Omani citizen 
is the basis of development and its goal, and in doing so he affirms 
that the country's development is a continuous process.  However, 
any process is challenged by unexpected factors like the increase of 
living expenses, which is a result of changes in the economy and the 
global market that the Sultanate is a part of.  We are part of this 
huge world and its economic policies, which related to the legal 
framework of the World Trade Organization that Oman joined in 2000. 
Oman has been very keen to merge its economy into the international 
economy, thus the Free Trade Agreement with the United States... The 
combination of the above factors has led to an increase in living 
standards and consumption, to the extent that the state has had to 
intervene to bring things into balance.  The decision to grant a 15% 
increase to all civilian employees in various government 
institutions was a wise step by the Sultan." 
 
----------------------------------- 
OMANI WEB FORUM "CROSSED RED LINES" 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶4. On December 20 "Al-Watan" criticized Oman's popular "Al Sablah" 
discussion forum, calling it "An Electronic Hiding Place": 
 
"Al Sablah was an important electronic channel for individuals to 
learn about domestic developments, but it crossed a red line when it 
started to defame peoples' reputation.  It went beyond even that 
when it initiated discussion about sectarian and minority issues, 
discussions that are prohibited by religion and law.  It also 
interfered with other countries' internal affairs and defamed their 
people.  This electronic media provided a forum for anyone, even 
those with no journalistic training, to discuss the lives of others 
without any moral limits." 
 
------------------------------------ 
PRAISE FOR "STRONG" OMANI-SAUDI TIES 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶5.  On December 24, state-owned daily "Oman" (circulation 38,000) 
extolled "Strong Omani-Saudi Relations" in connection with the visit 
of King Abdullah: 
 
"King Abdullah's visit is important for two reasons.  First, it is 
the beginning of deeper relations between the two countries in all 
areas... Relations will extend to the private sector and the 
opportunities to invest in Oman's booming economy.  Second, the 
visit demonstrates the ability of the two countries to play a vital 
role in efforts to contain regional tensions.  It is natural that 
many in the region are looking to these meetings as a step towards 
solving challenging issues in a peaceful way that will enhance 
regional stability. 
 
GRAPPO