COUNTERTERRORISM ACTION GROUP DEMARCHE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 002269 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, S/CT, AND IO LONDON FOR GOLDRICH E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/28/2014 TAGS: PTER PREL ASEC MU SUBJECT: COUNTERTERRORISM ACTION GROUP DEMARCHE REF: STATE 269653 Classified By: Ambassador Richard L. Baltimore III. Reason: 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (C) In a December 27 meeting with Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi (YBA),the Ambassador urged on behalf of the G-8 and EU missions Oman's ratification of the final two of twelve international counterterrorism conventions (reftel). The Ambassador noted that the Foreign Ministry has been assuring the G-8 for more than a year that Oman's ratification of the Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and the Convention of the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings was imminent. The Minister acknowledged the G-8's sustained interest in the matter, but deferred inquiries to the MFA's Chief of International Organizations Department, Ambassador Talib bin Miran al-Raisi, as the responsible official. (Note: The Embassy sent a diplomatic note to the Ministry December 21 urging ratification of the outstanding two conventions. End note.) ¶2. (C/Rel UK) A/DCM has consulted several times on the matter with UK DCM Charles Hill, who will be taking over operational responsibility for CTAG activities for 2005 when Britain assumes CTAG chairmanship. Hill (who arrived in Muscat only in November) was grateful for our providing him copies of our CTAG documents for the year 2004, and noted that he had received instructions from LONDON to convene the first local CTAG meeting under the chairmanship of his Ambassador before January 19. While leaving the matter to the G-8 Ambassadors to decide, A/DCM suggested to Hill that the CTAG consider requesting a group meeting with Ambassador Talib to further emphasize interest in Oman's ratification of the two conventions. Hill considered the idea a viable suggestion, noting that the April 2005 CTAG meeting is to be devoted to issues of terror finance in the Middle East region. BALTIMORE