US embassy cable - 05MUSCAT1361

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 001361 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA AND NEA/ARPI 
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, XF, MU, International Organizations 
SUBJECT: OMANI EXPECTATIONS FOR ARAB LEAGUE MINISTERIAL 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 163365 
 
     B. SECSTATE 159137 
     C. SECSTATE 162250 
     D. MUSCAT 1355 
     E. MUSCAT 1345 
 
Classified By: DCM William R. Stewart. 
Reasons: 1.4 (b, d). 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C) The Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects Arab 
League praise for the Gaza withdrawal and Iraq's 
constitutional process, and a firm denunciation of terrorism. 
 The League will likely push for further implementation of 
the Roadmap, and informally pressure Syria to improve its 
cooperation with Lebanon, Iraq and the UN.  The MFA does not 
believe the Israeli Magen David Adom issue is on the agenda, 
though the fallout from Hurricane Katrina could potentially 
shift that debate.  The time is not yet ripe either to reopen 
the Israeli trade mission or put Omani diplomats in Baghdad, 
but both events are "only a matter of time."  End summary. 
 
2. (U) In the absence of the Foreign Minister and MFA Arab 
Affairs Department Chief, Pol/Econ Chief delivered ref A-C 
demarches on September 7 to acting Arab Affairs Chief Salem 
al-Rawahi and Arab League Affairs officer Khalid al-Zaidi, 
who offered substantive responses to the subjects below. 
Al-Rawahi noted that FM Yusuf bin Alawi had met with his GCC 
FM colleagues on September 6, and would attend the Arab 
League ministerial in Cairo on September 8.  He undertook to 
share our demarche points and non-papers with the Minister's 
party in Cairo. 
 
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Iraq 
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3. (C) Al-Rawahi said that the AL Ministerial agenda 
currently stood at 22 separate items, with terrorism, Iraq, 
and Israel/Palestine topping a list that also includes a 
number of social and economic issues.  He expects the AL to 
strongly endorse Iraq's constitutional referendum and to call 
on all Iraqis to take part in the peaceful political process. 
 He noted that the Arab League was likewise giving serious 
consideration to opening an office in Baghdad.  P/E Chief 
underscored the need for greater effort by AL states in 
stanching to flow of foreign fighters into Iraq.  On 
Omani-Iraqi ties, al-Rawahi said the Ministry has an 
excellent working relationship with the Iraqi Ambassador and 
embassy staff in Muscat, and would welcome any Iraqi 
government visitors.  He lamented, however, that the security 
situation in Iraq was not yet conducive for staffing the 
Omani Embassy in Baghdad, which had been damaged in an attack 
earlier this year.  Rawahi acknowledged USG efforts to 
promote stability and security in Iraq, but raised concern 
over growing allegations in the Arab media that Iraq's 
territorial integrity was in question.  He called for greater 
USG and Iraqi public diplomacy to reassure the region that 
Iraq would not be split into a number of mini-states. 
 
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Israel/Palestine 
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4. (C) Predicting that the AL would voice strong support for 
the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, al-Rawahi said there was 
firm consensus on the need for further progress in 
implementing the Roadmap.  He understood that France and 
Russia may also be ready to launch new initiatives in the 
peace process (NFI).  In light of the success of the Gaza 
withdrawal, P/E Chief noted that it brought into further 
relief the Palestinian Authority's urgent need for additional 
support as it seeks to extend its governing authority, 
including security, into the Gaza Strip.  Highlighting the 
USG's FY2005 assistance to the PA, he urged that the AL not 
neglect the fact that the Gaza withdrawal makes further 
support to the PA all the more important.  Al-Rawahi 
acknowledged the suggestion that Oman consider reopening the 
Israeli Trade Office closed in 2000, saying he is personally 
in favor but that he could not predict how soon Oman might 
deem the timing appropriate.  He stressed that Oman continues 
to engage in periodic dialogue with the Israeli government. 
 
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Magen David Adom 
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5. (C) Echoing ref D comments by MFA International 
Organizations Department Chief Ambassador Talib al-Raisi, 
al-Rawahi said he did not believe the MDA issue was on the AL 
Ministerial's agenda, though he said the AL Secretary General 
could always choose to add it to the list on his own 
authority.  He thought that the AL had previously decided 
that consideration of MDA's case should be deferred into the 
future.  P/E Chief pointed out the magnitude of humanitarian 
relief operations following Hurricane Katrina, the Asian 
Tsunami and other disasters made it plain that, in times of 
 
SIPDIS 
need, no source of assistance should be rejected.  In light 
of the U.S. disaster, and the September 12-13 consultations 
in Geneva, P/E Chief underscored that the Cairo Ministerial 
offered the best opportunity for AL ministers to signal their 
delegations in Geneva to finally resolve this long-overdue 
matter.  Rawahi agreed that Hurricane Katrina might further 
sway Arab thinking on MDA. 
 
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Syria 
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6. (C) Responding to our talking points (refs A and B), 
al-Rawahi confirmed ref D indications that Oman has no plans 
for any high-level bilaterals with the Syrian delegation to 
the UN Summit.  He said the Syrians were certain to come 
under fire in the AL for misdeeds that have come to UN 
Security Council attention.  He asked, however, if the USG 
saw no positive steps by the Syrian government or any merit 
in maintaining a dialogue with Damascus.  P/E Chief said that 
Syria's limited steps only put into starker relief how much 
more it should be doing to halt the flood of combatants, 
weapons, and smuggled goods pouring across its frontier with 
Iraq.  It also contrasted starkly with how effectively Syria 
manages to seal its borders with Lebanon whenever it seeks to 
pressure Beirut.  Until Syria took concrete steps to fulfill 
its international obligations and respect its neighbors, 
there was little likelihood of high-level USG dialogue with 
Damascus. 
 
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Terrorism, Reform 
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7. (C) Al-Rawahi expected a strong denunciation of terrorism 
from the AL Ministerial.  P/E Chief underscored the USG's 
hope that the ministers could also provide further momentum 
at the UNGA for achieving agreement on the UN Comprehensive 
Convention on International Terrorism.  Regarding political 
reform, al-Rawahi noted Oman's attendance at the previous 
Forums for the Future and assured that a delegation would 
likewise attend the November event in Bahrain.  He said the 
Ministry had recently received an invitation from the 
Bahraini government, and that the Minister would decide on 
the composition of Oman's delegation after his return. 
BALTIMORE