VZCZCXRO1377
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHMS #0512/01 1411259
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211259Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8276
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0489
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0381
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000512 
 
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: IRANIAN-OMANI RELATIONS, AMBASSADOR 
SOUTHERN OMAN TRIP, IRI PRESIDENT IN MUSCAT, PALESTINIAN INFIGHTING 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  Iranian President's visit to Muscat garners heavy local 
media coverage; Ambassador Grappo's op-ed on trafficking published 
in two local dailies; Ambassador Grappo visit to Dhofar University; 
president of International Republican Institute visit to Muscat. 
State-run "Oman" newspaper says Israel is "happy" at Palestinian 
infighting; accuses some international and regional "parties" of 
opposing Israeli-Arab peace for their own interests; confirms the 
Sultanate's support for a "peaceful" Iranian nuclear program.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
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COVERAGE 
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¶2. On Tuesday, May 15 and Wednesday, May 16, all dailies gave 
front-page coverage, with large color photos, to Iranian president 
Ahmedinejad's two-day visit to Muscat.  Headlines hailed the 
"deep-rooted" and "historic" ties between the two nations, and 
carried Ahmedinejad's claim that Iran's nuclear program is "no 
security risk."  Articles and pictures featured his meetings with 
Oman's leaders, including the Sultanate's highest Ibadhi religious 
authority Grand Mufti Sheikh Ahmed al Khalili.  The editors-in-chief 
of government-owned, Arabic-language "Oman" (circulation 38,000) and 
privately owned, youth-oriented "Al-Shabiba" (circulation 20,000) 
interviewed Ahmedinejad, the first time that Omani authorities have 
permitted the local press to interview a head-of-state. 
 
¶3.  Two local dailies published Ambassador Grappo's op-ed on human 
trafficking: "Al-Shabiba" on Wednesday, May 16, and English-language 
"Times of Oman" (circulation 25,000) on Thursday, May 17. 
 
¶4.  On Sunday, May 20, all dailies carried photos and brief text 
about the visit of Mr. Lorne Craner, president of the International 
Republican Institute, with the heads of Oman's legislative bodies: 
Dr. Yahya bin Mahfoudh al Mantheri, Chairman of the Majlis al-Dawla, 
and Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali al Qatabi, Chariman of the Majlis 
al-Shura.  Most articles ran just inside the front page. 
 
¶5.  On Sunday, May 20 and Monday, May 21, "Al-Shabiba" carried a 
brief statement about Ambassador Grappo's visit to Dhofar University 
in southern Oman.  On May 21, "Oman" also carried a brief article on 
the Ambassador's university visit.  The May 21 pieces included a 
picture of the Ambassador, Mrs. Grappo, and PAO. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
IRANIAN PRESIDENT SPEAKS TO LOCAL PRESS 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  Government-owned, English-language "Observer" (circulation 
20,000, sister publication to "Oman" newspaper) published 
Ahmedinejad's statement that the solution to controversy over Iran's 
nuclear activities was to "stick to law and justice.  The law should 
be applied to all, equally and fairly."  He added that "some powers 
want to terrorize and intimidate other peoples and government [sic] 
to deter them from setting up nuclear plants so that nuclear energy 
is monopolized by these powers." Ahmedinejad said that Iran would 
dialogue with the U.S. "with a view to supporting the Iraqi people 
and preserving its unity, its security, and its territorial 
integrity."  He also repeated previous calls for "international 
forces" to leave the Gulf since in his view the superpower era was 
over, and the presence of outside forces would harm the region's 
peoples just as this has harmed Iraqis. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: ISRAEL "HAPPY" AT INFIGHTING 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶7. "Oman" published a May 19 article entitled "Israel's Hidden Hand 
and the Worsening Situation." 
 
"Nothing makes Israel happier than to see a Palestinian killing his 
brother or destroying Palestinian infrastructure and institutions. 
This is exactly what Israel is looking for even if it has had to 
recruit Palestinian agents to destroy everything. This shows the 
amount of hatred [Israelis] have toward the Palestinians.  This sad 
environment leads only to more separation between Palestinians and 
consequently brings more suffering to their women and children." 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
SOME "PARTIES" OPPOSE PEACE FOR THEIR INTERESTS 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
MUSCAT 00000512  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶8. On May 20, state-owned daily "Oman" published an editorial 
entitled "Continuous Trials to Weaken the Arabs": 
 
"The last Arab Summit in Riyadh acknowledged the Arab peace 
initiative and pushed to activate it through a follow-up committee. 
But it seemed that some international and regional parties were not 
willing to solve the pending issues such as the Palestinian 
conflict...These parties know that ending Arab-Israeli conflict in 
the region will not fulfill their future interests.  Thus they try 
to use all possible obstacles to challenge the peace process in the 
region.  However, everybody knows that the only people who are going 
to suffer from the actions of some parties who run away from peace 
initiatives to fulfill their own interests are the people of 
conflicting countries.  They are the ones who will pay the price. 
Thus, we need to prioritize stability and security in order to 
maintain a decent life for the people." 
 
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SULTANATE FAVORS IRAN'S "PEACEFUL" NUKE PROGRAM 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶9. "Oman" also wrote on May 21 about the visit of the Iranian 
president to Oman under the headline "Wide Horizons to Consolidate 
Omani-Iranian Relations": 
 
"Today the Sultanate is opening its arms to welcome the Iranian 
President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, at a time when many in both countries 
are looking forward to the exchange of opinions...the Sultanate has 
ensured its support for Iran's right to possess peaceful nuclear 
technology...this is likely to some extent to build trust and deepen 
the bridges of communication between the parties concerned, and 
overcome conflicting views about nuclear power, especially between 
Iran and the Arab countries that support emptying the region from 
any weapons of mass destruction and policies of double standards." 
 
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