VZCZCXRO3995
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK
DE RUEHMS #0833 2160810
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 040812Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0665
INFO IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000833 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KMDR IR MU
SUBJECT: OMAN/IRAN: SULTAN'S VISIT ANNOUNCED 
 
REF: MUSCAT 823 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  As discussed reftel, Sultan Qaboos's deferred visit 
to Iran is under way.  The trip has now been announced in local and 
regional media.  In the Omani media, coverage is cautious and 
generic, focusing on how the visit reinforces the Sultanate's 
steadfast policy of cordiality with all its neighbors.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) Word of the visit first appeared on Monday, August 3 in 
London-based "Al Sharq Al Awsat."  On Tuesday, August 4, all seven 
Omani dailies front-paged the story, all using standard (officially 
supplied) language highlighting the visit's place in "His Majesty's 
policy of good neighbourliness and relations between the Omani and 
Iranian peoples and all peoples of the region," and noting that the 
Sultan and Ahmedinejad would "discuss issues of concern for both 
sides in the light of regional and national developments."  State 
news agency ONA's official statement calls the countries' bilateral 
relationship "exemplary," saying both nations "act from a profound 
belief that constructive dialogue among nations ... achieves mutual 
interests, peace, security, and stability."  It adds that the two 
countries' ties are based on "mutual respect, non interference in 
others' internal affairs and fruitful cooperation in various fields." 
 
¶3.  (U) Iranian agencies (but not the Omani press) mention other 
meetings, with ISNA noting that the Sultan will be welcomed by 
Foreign Minister Mottaki (who discussed the visit with the press in 
Tehran on August 3) and Farsnews adding that the itinerary will 
include meetings with "a number of senior Iranian officials" 
including Supreme Leader Khamenei.  Outside the region, to date only 
AFP has picked up the story, and only its coverage has placed the 
royal visit in the context of the aftermath of Iran's elections and 
the inauguration scheduled for August 5. 
 
¶4.  (U) In public statements, both FM Mottaki and the Omani 
ambassador in Tehran emphasized the visit's role in promoting 
Omani-Iranian ties in light of positive relations among Iran and all 
the GCC nations.  Mottaki was fulsome in praise of the Sultan's 
"wisdom...experience and expertise", while, speaking to the Iranian 
press, Ambassador Yahiya al-Oraimi called the trip "a jump towards 
prosperity in Iran-Oman relations in all the political, economic and 
cultural fields." 
 
¶5.  (U) Initial Omani reaction has been muted, with posters on the 
popular Al-Sablah 2 Internet forum (omania2.net) wondering at the 
visit's timing, what U.S. thinking about it might be, and whether it 
might lead to negative portrayals of the Sultanate in U.S. media. 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT:  As expected, Oman is carefully packaging this 
visit within larger themes of Omani "neighbourliness" and 
international friendship.  Initial coverage has closely followed 
models set by previous official visits, neither underplaying this 
one's significance nor giving any indication that, despite being the 
first in some 35 years, it has any special import beyond the 
maintenance of "friendly and historic" ties.  END COMMENT. 
HURTADO