US embassy cable - 05MUSCAT330

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PSI: FM CLARIFIES OMAN'S VIEWS

Identifier: 05MUSCAT330
Wikileaks: View 05MUSCAT330 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Muscat
Created: 2005-02-27 12:33:00
Classification: SECRET
Tags: PARM PREL KNNP EWWT MASS MU Domestic Politics
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.


 
S E C R E T MUSCAT 000330 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR T, NP/RA, PM, NEA/RA, NEA/ARPI 
SECDEF FOR OUSD(P) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2015 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, KNNP, EWWT, MASS, MU, Domestic Politics 
SUBJECT: PSI: FM CLARIFIES OMAN'S VIEWS 
 
REF: MUSCAT 279 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard L. Baltimore III. 
Reason: 1.4 (b, d). 
 
1. (S) In a February 27 telcon on various subjects, the 
Ambassador sought clarification from Minister Responsible for 
Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi on the Omani government's 
attitude toward the Proliferation Security Initiative 
following its communication of February 9 (reftels). 
 
2. (S) The Minister reassured the Ambassador that Oman 
"agrees 100 percent" with the principles and voluntary 
arrangements embodied in PSI.  The Ministry's note verbale of 
February 9, he explained, was not a change of heart. It 
merely reflected the fact that there was no formal PSI 
agreement to be signed or convention to be ratified.  Bin 
Alawi reiterated the government's united position on the need 
to combat proliferation, saying that in the event that the 
USG were to inform Muscat of a suspicious vessel near Oman's 
waters, the Sultanate would "cooperate in full" to inspection 
it. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
3. (S) The Minister's explanation of Oman's PSI stance tracks 
much more closely with its actions on the ground than did the 
February 9 note verbale.  In addition to the Minister's 
prompt reassurances, we further note that a PSI-related air 
interdiction exercise (a first for the region) successfully 
took place within the framework of a broader Omani-Coalition 
air exercise in Thumrait on February 23. 
BALTIMORE 

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