US embassy cable - 05MUSCAT321

S E C R E T MUSCAT 000321 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA, DS/IP/ITA, DS/DSS/CC, DS/DSS/OSAC, 
CA/OCS, NEA/EX, NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X1 
TAGS: AEMR, ASEC, AMGT, PTER, CASC, KHLS, MU, EAC 
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 02/23/2005 
 
REF: A. MUSCAT 0293 
     B. MUSCAT 0280 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission William R. Stewart. 
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 February 23 to review the 
Embassy's security posture prior to the local weekend. 
Members 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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Security Environment 
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2.  (SBU)  On February 23, the Ambassador chaired a meeting 
of the core Emergency Action Committee ("EAC") to review the 
Embassy's security posture prior to the local weekend.  The 
meeting opened with a discussion of the local security 
situation, which the EAC continued to view as stable.  The 
EAC noted no/no new threat reporting specific to Oman. 
 
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MEAS 
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3.  (SBU)  Prior to concluding the meeting, both the 
Ambassador and RSO commented on the formidable security put 
into place by the Royal Oman Police for the Middle East Air 
Symposium ("MEAS"), which included high-level U.S. military 
participation.  The MEAS, underway at the Grand Hyatt Muscat, 
is scheduled to culminate on January 23. (reftel B) 
 
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EAC Conclusion 
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4.  (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 
February 20 (reftel A), 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.  ABM, DCM, 
MGT, RSO, ARSO, RMAS, P/E, CONS, DAO, OMC (USDR), and ECA 
(USCENTAF) participated in the meeting, which preceded a 
meeting of the Visas Viper Committee. 
BALTIMORE