US embassy cable - 04MUSCAT2037

UNCLAS MUSCAT 002037 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/PI, NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM, KMPI, KPAO, ECON, PREL 
SUBJECT: OMAN ATTENDANCE, REACTIONS TO RABAT FORUM FOR THE 
FUTURE 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 242059 
 
     B. MUSCAT 2035 
 
1. (SBU) In a November 24 telcon, the MFA Under Secretary's 
Political Affairs Director, Humaid al-Maani, informed Pol/E 
Chief that, for the time being, neither Minister Responsible 
for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi nor Minister of National 
Economy (and de facto Finance Minister) Ahmed bin Abdulnabi 
Macki are likely to attend the Rabat FFF.  MFA Under 
Secretary Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi and National 
 
SIPDIS 
Economy Secretary General (Minister Rank) Mohammed bin Nasser 
al-Khusaibi are instead slated to represent Oman in the 
ministerial sessions.  Al-Maani indicated that he and a 
representative from the Ministry of Social Development (which 
handles NGO affairs) and the Ministry of Education were 
likely also to attend, as well as possibly another official 
from the Ministry of National Economy (to cover business and 
finance dialogues).  Pol/E Chief emphasized that it would be 
unfortunate if neither Bin Alawi or Macki could attend in 
light of Secretaries Powell and Snow's planned attendance, to 
which al-Maani replied that his information was preliminary 
and possibly subject to change before December 10. 
 
2. (SBU) Al-Maani appreciated contact information Pol/E Chief 
was able to provide concerning the civil society dialogue and 
business dialogue components of the preparatory sessions, but 
expressed disappointment that, to his knowledge, Omanis have 
not been involved in either effort thus far.  (Note: An Omani 
businessman was invited to one of the initial business 
dialogue meetings but did not attend.  End note.)  He hoped 
that the Omani delegation during the Rabat FFF would be able 
to contact the relevant parties to ensure Oman was not 
excluded in future from those proceedings.  In a final note, 
though the Moroccan Embassy has not yet formally provided the 
MFA with information on which states were invited to attend 
the Rabat FFF, al-Maani was encouraged by informal 
indications that states such as Syria, Iran, Pakistan and 
Libya were or will be invited.  Such a measure was suggested 
by the Omani FM in a letter to Secretary Powell in October. 
Pol/E Chief emphasized that Morocco, as host, was responsible 
for issuing invitations, and that future participation in the 
Forum was designed to be flexible. 
BALTIMORE