US embassy cable - 04MUSCAT2291

S E C R E T MUSCAT 002291 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
DEPT. FOR DS/IP/NEA, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/DSS/CC, DS/OSAC, 
CA/OCS, NEA/EX, NEA/ARPI, S/ES-O/CMS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X1 
TAGS: AEMR, ASEC, AMGT, PTER, CASC, KHLS, MU, EAC 
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 12/29/2004 
 
REF: A. SANAA 3167 
 
     B. MUSCAT 2259 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard L. Baltimore III. 
Reason: 1.4(c). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (SBU)  The Ambassador chaired a meeting of the core 
Emergency Action Committee December 29 to review the 
Embassy's security posture prior to the local holiday 
weekend.  Members of the EAC noted no substantive changes in 
the local security environment since the last meeting. 
Accordingly, the EAC agreed that the Embassy's already 
heightened security posture and FPCON remain appropriate. 
End Summary. 
 
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Local Security and Holiday Vigilance 
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2.  (SBU)  On December 29, the Ambassador chaired a meeting 
of the core Emergency Action Committee ("EAC") to review the 
Embassy's security posture prior to the local holiday 
weekend.  The meeting opened with a discussion of the local 
and regional security situations; the EAC continued to 
characterize the former as stable.  Likewise, the EAC cited 
no new threat reporting specific to Oman or the New Year's 
holiday.  With respect to the latter, RSO reviewed security 
coverage for an Embassy-related New Year's Eve function, and 
advised he will confirm that Royal Oman Police Operations is 
familiar with local hotel-sponsored events expected to draw 
an increased number of Americans, from both the official and 
private citizen communities. 
 
3.  (C)  Members also discussed known facts of the December 
24 attempted attack reported by Embassy Sana'a (reftel A). 
The Ambassador noted that the incident, while not carried out 
by an organized terrorist group, reflects the potential for 
other ad hoc-type attacks by individuals, and serves as a 
clear reminder of the need for sustained vigilance regarding 
personal security practices.  Accordingly, the Ambassador 
asked members of the EAC to continue reinforcing this 
necessity to both their staffs and family members - 
particularly during the holiday season, when the mood may 
convey a false appearance of complacency. 
 
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F-77 Report 
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4.  (SBU)  Prior to concluding the meeting, CONS distributed 
a request for all sections to provide data for the annual 
update of Embassy Muscat's F-77 Report of Potential Evacuees. 
 The completed report will be submitted before the end of 
January 2005. 
 
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EAC Conclusion 
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5.  (S/NF)  The EAC concluded that there have been no 
substantive changes in previously reported assessments of the 
local security environment since the last meeting held on 
December 26 (reftel B), and that the Embassy's FPCON and 
already heightened security posture remain appropriate. 
Nonetheless, the EAC remains acutely aware of the need to 
monitor both the regional and local security and threat 
environments, and is prepared to take the necessary 
countermeasures should changes to either occur.  AMB, A/DCM 
(P/E), RSO, A/MGT, RMAS, CONS, DAO, OMC (USDR), and ECA 
(USCENTAF) participated in the meeting. 
BALTIMORE