US embassy cable - 04MUSCAT2053

UNCLAS MUSCAT 002053 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR IO/T, NEA/RA, NEA/ARPI 
PARIS FOR UNESCO OBSERVER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, MU, International Organizations 
SUBJECT: OMAN LOBBIES FOR UNESCO GENERAL CONFERENCE 
CHAIRMANSHIP 
 
REF: A. MUSCAT 381 
 
     B. ROBERTS-SNOWDEN E-MAIL 3/31/04 
 
1. (U) This is an action request for IO/T and NEA/APRI - 
please see para 4. 
 
2. (U) As reported ref A, Oman is lobbying for its Permanent 
Representative at UNESCO, Dr. Musa bin Jaffar bin Hassan, to 
be elected to the presidency of the 33rd session of the 
UNESCO General Conference in 2005.  To that end, Oman 
recently played host to a 36-member Circle of Delegates from 
UNESCO, headed by current General Conference President Amb. 
Michael Omolewa (Nigeria) and Circle of Delegates President 
Amb. Hector Villarroel (Philippines).  While the Circle of 
Delegates toured various Omani cultural and heritage sites as 
part of a bonding process for UNESCO PermReps, the Omanis 
clearly put forth their best effort to burnish the 
Sultanate's case for winning the General Conference 
presidency.  The delegation was also received by the Omani 
Ministers of Heritage and Culture, National Economy, and 
Education. 
 
3. (U) During a local press conference, the UNESCO delegation 
cited its desire to promote Dr. Musa's candidacy as a prime 
motivation in visiting Oman.  As widely covered by the Omani 
press, several PermReps joined Amb. Omolewa in expressing 
confidence that Dr. Musa bin Hassan will be the next 
president.  Dr. Musa and the Somali PermRep both indicated 
that the Arab region backed the Omani as consensus candidate. 
 (Note: Yemen held the General Conference presidency during 
the Arab block's last rotation in 1993.) 
 
4. (SBU) Action Request: Ref B indicated that the USG was 
inclined to support Oman's candidacy for the 2005 General 
Conference presidency.  Given past Omani support for various 
U.S. candidates, the Embassy would like to respond formally 
to the Foreign Ministry's March 1 diplomatic note soliciting 
USG support.  Please provide guidance on the USG position. 
BALTIMORE