[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 67 (Thursday, May 25, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E855-E856]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONTRIBUTION OF SULTAN QABOOS OF OMAN TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIS COUNTRY 
                      AND TO U.S.-OMANI RELATIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 25, 2000

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, without doubt, the most distinctive feature 
of my office in the Rayburn House Office Building is a model ship. This 
is not just any model of a ship, it dominates my office--the ship fills 
one entire wall of the office standing nine feet tall and stretching 
about 12 feet long. This ship model, Mr. Speaker, is an accurate scale 
model of the ship Sultanah, a vessel built in Oman in the last century. 
The model was constructed from the original blueprints for the ship 
which are still in the hands of the Omani government. The Sultanah has 
great importance for United States relations with Oman because this 
ship brought the first Arab ambassador to the United States in 1840. In 
fact, Mr. Speaker, April 13 of this year was the 160th anniversary of 
the arrival of the Sultanah in New York harbor.
  This ship is not only an important symbol of U.S.-Omani relations, 
but it is important for U.S. relations with the entire Arab world. This 
model ship was given to the United States Congress by the government of 
Oman in 1995 when I hosted an exhibit of Omani culture and history in 
the Rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building to mark the 25th 
anniversary of the ascension to the throne of Oman of His Majesty 
Sultan Qaboos Bin Sid Al-Said. The model of the Sultanah is temporarily 
in my office, Mr. Speaker.
  I mention this model of the Sultanah, Mr. Speaker, as an introduction 
to remarks I wish to make today in paying tribute to His Majesty Sultan 
Qaboos of Oman. First, I want to call to the attention of my colleagues 
the singular honor recently bestowed on His Majesty. Georgetown 
University presented the 25th Anniversary Founders Award of the Center 
for Contemporary Arab Studies to Sultan Qaboos in recognition of his 
important contribution to the establishment of the Center. In 1975, 
when the Center was established, the Sultan made one of the first 
grants to permit its establishment. Five years later, he endowed the 
Sultanate of Oman Chair in Arabic and Islamic Literature, and in 1993 
he made a further endowment by establishing a scholarship fund for the 
Department of Arabic at the university.
  This is only the latest recognition of the Sultan's role in improving 
relations between Oman and the United States and between the Arab world 
and the United States. His commitment to better ties between our two 
countries has been an important element in the friendship that marks 
our relationship with Oman.
  Mr. Speaker, the second reason I call the attention of my colleagues 
to the activities and role of Sultan Qaboos is that this year marks the 
30th anniversary of his assumption of power on July 24, 1970. When he 
became the new leader of Oman, he was confronted with insurgency in a 
country plagued by endemic disease, illiteracy, and poverty. One of the 
new sultan's first measures was to abolish many of his father's harsh 
restrictions, which had caused thousands of Omanis to leave the 
country. He offered amnesty to opponents of the previous regime, and 
many of them returned to Oman and have played critical roles in the 
economic, political, and cultural development of the country.
  Sultan Qaboos established a modern government structure, launched a 
major development program to upgrade educational and health facilities, 
built a modern infrastructure or roads, airports, and public utilities, 
and began the development of the country's resources. The results of 
this effort have been dramatic. The number of schools rose from three 
in 1970 to more than 840 by 1993, while hospital and clinic beds 
increased during this period from 12 to 4,355. There have been further 
substantial increases in quantity and quality of public services since 
that time.
  Under the leadership of Sultan Qaboos, Oman has pursued a foreign 
policy that has

[[Page E856]]

contributed to stability and moderation in that important part of the 
world. The relationship between the United States and Oman has been 
cordial and cooperative. In an important indicator of the warmth and 
importance of our relationship with Oman, President Clinton stopped in 
Oman on his return from India earlier this year and held important 
discussions with Sultan Qaboos. Agreements on security and economic 
cooperation between the United States and Oman have established a firm 
and secure basis for our relationship.
  Oman has also played a positive role in encouraging peace and 
reconciliation in the Middle East. It supported the Camp David accords 
and was one of only three Arab League states that did not break 
relations with Egypt after the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli Peace 
Treaty in 1979. Not long after the signature of the Oslo Accords, 
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres 
were invited to visit Oman, and the country has taken a positive role 
as chair and host of a Middle East working group on water issues. 
During the Gulf War, Oman assisted the UN coalition effort.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to call the attention of my colleagues to 
important legal and political changes that have been taking place in 
Oman under the leadership of His Majesty. In 1996 with the personal 
involvement of the Sultan, a Basic Charter was promulgated which 
provides for many basic human rights, such as an independent judiciary, 
and freedoms of association, speech, and the press. Some of the 
enabling legislation issued under the Basic Charter has been issued by 
the government, but others still remain to be issued.
  Sultan Qaboos has also taken a number of important steps to increase 
the involvement and participation of the citizens of Oman in their 
government. In November 1991, he established the Majlis ash-Shura 
(Council of Deliberation/Consultation), in an effort to systematize and 
broaden public participation in government. In 1997 he established a 
second consultative body, the Majlis al-Dawla, to further increase the 
accountability of the government to public representatives. In 
forthcoming elections, sufferage has been expanded and the 
participation of women in the political process significantly 
increased. These political institutions and the broadening of political 
participation are important steps toward greater democracy, and I 
commend Sultan Qaboos for taking these important steps.
  Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleague to join me in commending Sultan 
Qaboos and the people of Oman as we mark the thirtieth anniversary of 
the ascension of the Sultan to the throne of Oman, and as we note 
Georgetown University's appropriate honor to him for his contribution 
to better understanding between the people of Oman and the United 
States.

                          ____________________