(C) OMAN FM HOSTS QUIET BILATERAL WITH ISRAELI MFA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 002178

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/ARPI, NEA/RA
NSC FOR P. THEROUX

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2014
TAGS: PREL XF IS MU
SUBJECT: (C) OMAN FM HOSTS QUIET BILATERAL WITH ISRAELI MFA
OFFICIAL

Classified By: Ambassador Richard L. Baltimore III.
Reason: 1.4 (b, d).

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Summary
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1. (C) On December 13, at the margins of an Executive Council
meeting of the Middle East Desalination Research Center
(MEDREC),an Israeli Foreign Ministry official held a private
90-minute bilateral with Minister Responsible for Foreign
Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi. The discussion reportedly focused
on Palestine, Syria, and Iran. While the Israeli and Omani
viewpoints did not always coincide, the Israelis were greatly
encouraged by the relaxed and open nature of the
conversation, and by signs that positive trends toward Middle
East peace will likely spur continued bilateral contacts with
Oman. End summary.

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An Auspicious Opportunity
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2. (C) Visiting NEA/RA Senior Advisor for S&T Charles Lawson,
attending an Executive Council meeting of the MEDRC, informed
us of the Israeli delegation's readout of the Israelis'
December 13 bilateral meeting with Minister Responsible for
Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi (YBA). (Note: MEDRC is a
vestige of the MEPP Track II initiatives coming from the
peace process prior to the second Intifada. The US, EU,
Japan, Israel and Arab neighbors belong to it; MEDREC's
headquarters is in Muscat. End note.)


3. (C) According to a technical water expert on the Israeli
delegation, Tel Aviv viewed Oman's decision to host the MEDRC
Executive Council as an opportunity for a low-key bilateral
with MFA Under Secretary Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi, who is
Oman's representative on the Council. After working to get
Omani concurrence for the Israeli MFA's Deputy DG for Near
East Affairs Shalom Cohen to join the delegation, the
Israelis were disappointed to learn that Sayyid Badr would be
going to Rabat for the Forum for the Future meeting and thus
not be available. They were informed, however, that YBA
himself would meet with Cohen.

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On Palestine, Syria and Iran
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4. (C) The Israelis informed Lawson that the lunchtime
meeting on December 13 actually lasted a full 90 minutes,
with YBA conducting a relaxed and open conversation. The two
sides reportedly agreed on the need to support Abu Mazen,
with YBA noting that the interim Palestinian leader is due to
visit Muscat on December 18. YBA allegedly held open the
possibility that, should Israel permit the Palestinian
elections to take place under reasonable conditions, the
Omanis could perhaps welcome another Israeli MFA visit at the
DG level in late March.


5. (C) On the subject of Syria, the Israelis claimed that YBA
was frank in offering his advice, warning Tel Aviv not to
take seriously any Syrian overtures for negotiations at the
present time. YBA was said to have recounted his personal
experiences with the Syrian President, for whom he initially
had high hopes but now sees as being essentially tethered to
the conservative holdovers from his father's regime. YBA
reportedly also said that Syria may be limited in its ability
to rein in Hezbollah, fearing the organization has grown too
strong to control. The Israelis reportedly disagreed with
this assessment. On Iran, YBA's main thrust was that Tehran
was currently focused inward and need not be viewed with
undue concern, either with respect to nuclear ambitions or
Hezbollah. (Note: This characterization of YBA's views on
Iran are not wholly consistent with our experiences with him.
End note.) Again, the Israelis reportedly disagreed on the
scope of the Iranian threat.

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A Positive Start
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6. (C) In total, the Israelis gave a positive assessment of
their longer-than-expected meeting with the Minister. While
no specifics were addressed on the issue of reopening the
Israeli trade mission in Muscat, for instance, the inference
was that a continuation of working-level contacts is wholly
possible should recent positive trends prevail. As further
evidence, one of the Israeli water experts was invited
December 14 to meet with scientists at Sultan Qaboos
University on the possibility of cooperation in the area of
cloud seeding. The Israelis proudly noted that the Omani MFA
put a car and driver at their disposal. We are likewise
encouraged that YBA took advantage of this meeting, perhaps
partially in response to our encouraging Oman to find ways to
promote Middle East peace in light of recent changes in the
Palestinian leadership.


7. (U) NEA/RA Lawson did not clear this message.
BALTIMORE