OMAN ATTENDANCE, REACTIONS TO RABAT FORUM FOR THE

UNCLAS MUSCAT 002037

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR NEA, NEA/PI, NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM KMPI KPAO ECON PREL
SUBJECT: OMAN ATTENDANCE, REACTIONS TO RABAT FORUM FOR THE
FUTURE

REF: A. SECSTATE 242059


B. MUSCAT 2035


1. (SBU) In a November 24 telcon, the MFA Under Secretary's
Political Affairs Director, Humaid al-Maani, informed Pol/E
Chief that, for the time being, neither Minister Responsible
for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi nor Minister of National
Economy (and de facto Finance Minister) Ahmed bin Abdulnabi
Macki are likely to attend the Rabat FFF. MFA Under
Secretary Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi and National

SIPDIS
Economy Secretary General (Minister Rank) Mohammed bin Nasser
al-Khusaibi are instead slated to represent Oman in the
ministerial sessions. Al-Maani indicated that he and a
representative from the Ministry of Social Development (which
handles NGO affairs) and the Ministry of Education were
likely also to attend, as well as possibly another official
from the Ministry of National Economy (to cover business and
finance dialogues). Pol/E Chief emphasized that it would be
unfortunate if neither Bin Alawi or Macki could attend in
light of Secretaries Powell and Snow's planned attendance, to
which al-Maani replied that his information was preliminary
and possibly subject to change before December 10.


2. (SBU) Al-Maani appreciated contact information Pol/E Chief
was able to provide concerning the civil society dialogue and
business dialogue components of the preparatory sessions, but
expressed disappointment that, to his knowledge, Omanis have
not been involved in either effort thus far. (Note: An Omani
businessman was invited to one of the initial business
dialogue meetings but did not attend. End note.) He hoped
that the Omani delegation during the Rabat FFF would be able
to contact the relevant parties to ensure Oman was not
excluded in future from those proceedings. In a final note,
though the Moroccan Embassy has not yet formally provided the
MFA with information on which states were invited to attend
the Rabat FFF, al-Maani was encouraged by informal
indications that states such as Syria, Iran, Pakistan and
Libya were or will be invited. Such a measure was suggested
by the Omani FM in a letter to Secretary Powell in October.
Pol/E Chief emphasized that Morocco, as host, was responsible
for issuing invitations, and that future participation in the
Forum was designed to be flexible.
BALTIMORE