EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 07/03/2005

S E C R E T MUSCAT 001036

SIPDIS

NOFORN

DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA, DS/IP/ITA, NEA/ARPI, NEA/EX
DEPT ALSO FOR DS/DSS/CC, DS/DSS/OSAC, CA/OCS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X1
TAGS: AEMR ASEC AMGT PTER CASC KHLS MU EAC
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 07/03/2005

REF: A. MUSCAT 1029

B. MUSCAT 1001

Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Michael G. Snowden.
Reason: 1.4(c)(g).

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Summary
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1. (SBU) The Ambassador chaired a meeting of the Emergency
Action Committee (EAC) on July 3 to review the Embassy's
security posture following the local holiday 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 force protection condition (FPCON) remain appropriate.
End Summary.

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Local Security Situation
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2. (SBU) On July 3, the Ambassador chaired a meeting of the
full EAC to review the Embassy's security posture following
the local holiday 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,
including Duty Officer, 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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Independence Day Celebration
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3. (C) The EAC again reviewed security arrangements for the
Embassy's official Independence Day event, scheduled for
Monday, July 4, at the Intercontinental Muscat hotel. RSO
noted that a final walk-through with hotel security staff and
Royal Oman Police (ROP) officials is scheduled for the
morning of the event. As previously reported (reftel B),ROP
support will include extensive uniformed and plain-clothed
coverage in and around the venue, to include EOD personnel,
and the enforcement of a no-parking standoff zone.

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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 - to include maintaining a low profile and remaining
unpredictable. 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 changes
in the local security environment since the last meeting held
on June 29 (reftel A). 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. AMB, A/DCM,
MGT, RSO, ARSO, RMAS, PAO, CONS, MSG, OMC (USDR),and Duty
Officer participated in the meeting.
BALTIMORE