US embassy cable - 05MUSCAT377

S E C R E T MUSCAT 000377 
 
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 - 03/05/2005 
 
REF: MUSCAT 0361 
 
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 Emergency 
Action Committee March 5 to review the Embassy\'s security 
posture following 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 Situation 
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2.  (SBU)  On March 5, the Ambassador chaired a meeting of 
the full Emergency Action Committee (\"EAC\") to review the 
Embassy\'s security posture following the local weekend.  The 
meeting opened with a discussion of the local security 
situation, which the EAC continued to characterize as stable. 
 Likewise, the EAC noted no/no new threat reporting specific 
to Oman.  Members cited no security incidents among their 
staffs or family members over the weekend, while CONS 
confirmed that there were no reported security incidents or 
security-related queries from the private American citizen 
community. 
 
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Upcoming Events 
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3.  (SBU)  The EAC also reviewed upcoming events, 
specifically Free Trade Agreement negotiations scheduled for 
March 11-15, and a visit by the USS Thach (FFG 43) to Port 
Sultan Qaboos from March 10-13.  Security for the events is 
being coordinated with the Royal Oman Police (ROP) and ROP 
Coast Guard, respectively. 
 
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Sustained Vigilance 
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4.  (SBU)  Prior to concluding the meeting, RSO reiterated 
that, despite the relative calm, members of the EAC must 
continue reinforcing to both their staffs and family members 
the need for vigilance regarding all aspects of personal 
security.  RSO further re-emphasized the importance of 
immediately reporting all suspicious activity or 
security-related incidents to Post One. 
 
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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 
March 2 (reftel).  Accordingly, members agreed that the 
Embassy\'s already heightened security posture and FPCON 
remain appropriate.  Embassy Muscat 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, RMAS, PAO, CONS, MSG, DAO, OMC (USDR), and ECA 
(USCENTAF) participated in the meeting. 
BALTIMORE