EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 08/06/2005

S E C R E T MUSCAT 001230

SIPDIS

NOFORN

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X1
TAGS: AEMR ASEC AMGT PTER CASC KHLS KVPR MU EAC
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 08/06/2005

REF: A. TDX-315/47352-05

B. SECSTATE 144320

C. SECSTATE 142641

D. MUSCAT 1206

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission William R. Stewart.
Reason: 1.4(c).

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Summary
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1. (SBU) The Ambassador chaired a meeting of the Emergency
Action Committee (EAC) on August 6 to review the Embassy's
security posture following the extended local 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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Security Environment
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2. (S/NF) On August 6, the Ambassador chaired a meeting of
the full EAC to review the Embassy's security posture
following the extended local weekend observed by the Omani
government following the passing away of Saudi Arabia's King
Fahd. The meeting opened with a discussion of the local
security situation, which the EAC continued to characterize
as stable. SIMO went on to raise regional reporting
referencing Oman (reference A),but noted no/no new specific
threat information. And with the exception of an August 4
possible surveillance incident at the Chancery briefed by RSO
(SIMAS #74658),members cited no other security incidents
over the weekend.


3. (SBU) CONS briefed the EAC on the Department's updated
Worldwide Caution and Middle East/North Africa Public
Announcements (reftels B and C),issued on August 2 and 4,
respectively. CONS confirmed that the Public Announcements
will be distributed via Warden Message to both the official
and private American citizen communities. CONS also
confirmed that there were no reported security incidents or
security-related queries from the private American citizen
community over the weekend.

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Sustained Vigilance
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4. (SBU) Prior to concluding the meeting, and consistent
with the aforementioned Public Announcements, 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 and situationally aware. 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
substantive changes in the local security environment since
the last meeting held on July 30 (reftel D). 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, DCM, P/E, A/MGT, RSO, ARSO, SIMO, CONS, MSG,
DAO, OMC (USDR),and ECA (USCENTAF) participated in the
meeting, which proceeded a meeting of the Visas Viper
Committee.
BALTIMORE