VZCZCXRO2939
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHMS #0583 2311220
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181220Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9858
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0555
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0443

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000583 
 
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 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:   Editorials over the past week have primarily focused 
on visits by Sultan Qaboos to Libya, Egypt, and Jordan, and have 
stuck safely to standard language and praise.  On regional issues, 
private daily "AL-Watan" noted that Palestinians should expect 
little from the visit of the U.S. Secretary of State, given Israel's 
ongoing settlement activity.  Another editorial in the same paper 
hoped that China's future of the Chinese will be brighter after the 
current Olympics as a result of public discussion of political and 
economic reforms. State-owned Arabic daily "Oman" deplored dropping 
oil prices and a potential glut on world markets. END SUMMARY 
 
------------------------------------------- 
THE SECRETARY IN THE REGION:  "NOTHING NEW" 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. The private Arabic daily "Al Watan" (circulation 42,000) 
expressed hopelessness on August 13 about the expected visit of the 
Secretary of State to Palestine, suggesting that there are already 
signs that Israel is not ready for any peace in the region and 
calling it "A Visit that Brings Nothing New": 
 
"Palestinians await another visit from the U.S. Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice during this month to assess the ongoing 
negotiations with the Israeli side - and whether they will fail or 
reach a satisfactory end for both sides... However, given Israeli 
practices in real life, and their violations of resolutions, will 
the visit be worth waiting for?  Israeli bids for the establishment 
of more settlements and expansions of existing ones in occupied 
Jerusalem and the West Bank confirm the theory of a plan existing to 
steal the remaining Palestinian territories.  In all, however, 
waiting for Rice to announce the failure or success of negotiations 
is a good step, one that throws the ball to the U.S. so they cannot 
blame the Palestinians, who were keen until the last moment to reach 
real peace, while the other side is neither willing nor seeking any 
peace." 
 
---------------------- 
A "FAIR PRICE" FOR OIL 
---------------------- 
 
¶3. On August 14, government-owned Arabic daily "Oman"(circulation 
38,000) called OPEC and oil-producing countries to find ways to fix 
oil prices so that fluctuations do not harm their interests, in "The 
Fair Price of the Oil Barrel": 
 
"World oil markets have seen sharp retreats... Analysts confirm that 
the reason for the high prices in oil is political tensions and not 
scarcity of supplies.  Then, why the sharp decline? It can be said 
that oil markets are already loaded with supply that is exceeding 
demand, so that speculators are no longer able to seek opportunities 
and exploit political tensions to reap quick profits... From this, 
OPEC and the oil-producing countries need to determine a fair price 
protect their own interests and the interests of consumers.  Having 
prices fall to what they were a decade ago is not acceptable in the 
perspective of developmental plans for the oil-producing countries, 
which are mostly developing countries." 
 
------------------- 
WHITHER THE DRAGON? 
------------------- 
 
¶4. "Al-Watan" on August 15, lauded the spectacular and organized 
activities of the Chinese Olympics and hailed the possibility of 
opening a new door of economic and political reforms despite a 
"Future of Uncertainties for the Chinese Dragon": 
 
"How does the future look for the Chinese dragon after the Olympics 
Summer Games? Will there be fresh air in the form of genuine 
economic reforms, expanded political changes, and concern for the 
environment, or will they continue to give empty speeches excusing 
government interference in everything?  Today, despite the 
spectacular celebrations and the start of competition around the 
stadium in Beijing, these are still questions without clear answers. 
 The regime in China wanted us to believe that a broad reform is not 
only inevitable, but also a reflection of their intentions and 
goals. President Hu Jintao summed up plans for economic and 
political reforms during the Olympic Games, describing them as 
"comprehensive". Despite this, it is worth noting the difficult 
process they will have to go through because of the firm and 
longstanding ideologies that resist such change." 
 
GRAPPO