OMAN'S RESPONSE TO WOOD PACKAGING MATERIAL

UNCLAS MUSCAT 001597 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARPI DEPT OF AGRICULTURE FOR CMP/FFPD DUBAI FOR ATO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD MU ESTH SUBJECT: OMAN'S RESPONSE TO WOOD PACKAGING MATERIAL REGULATIONS REF: USDA FAS 673709 ¶1. Per reftel request for information on Oman's compliance with new regulations governing wood packaging material, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed its response through diplomatic correspondence dated October 24, 2005. ¶2. Begin informal translation of the operative paragraphs: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to convey the following response by the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment, and Water Resources: a. The Sultanate of Oman joined the International Plant Protection Convention in the year 1989, and the contact party in the Sultanate on this convention is the Directorate General of Agriculture. b. Being party to the Vienna Convention on the Ozone Protection, and the Montreal Protocol on the Ozone Depleting Materials, the Sultanate does not permit the use of methyl bromide in fumigating packaging wood. c. Heat treatment of packaging wood is used by some companies in the Sultanate. It is one of the methods consistent with the standards set by the International Plant Protection Convention, as cited in the documents enclosed with the Embassy's note." (End informal translation.) BALTIMORE