EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 01/29/2005

S E C R E T MUSCAT 000161 SIPDIS NOFORN DEPT. FOR DS/IP/NEA, DS/IP/ITA, DS/DSS/CC, DS/DSS/OSAC, CA/OCS, NEA/EX, NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X1 TAGS: AEMR ASEC AMGT PTER CASC KHLS KVPR MU EAC SUBJECT: EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 01/29/2005 REF: A. SECSTATE 15960 ¶B. MUSCAT 0135 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission William R. Stewart. Reason: 1.4(c). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The Ambassador chaired a meeting of the Emergency Action Committee January 29 to review the Embassy's security posture following the local weekend. Members of the EAC 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 FPCON remain appropriate. End Summary. -------------- Security Environment -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On January 29, the Ambassador chaired a meeting of the Emergency Action Committee ("EAC") to review the Embassy's security posture following the local weekend. The meeting opened with a discussion of the local and regional security situations; the EAC continued to characterize the former as stable. The EAC noted no new threat reporting specific to Oman. Likewise, the EAC cited no significant security incidents among their staffs or family members over the weekend, and CONS confirmed that there were no security incidents or security-related queries from the private American citizen community. -------------- Iraqi Elections -------------- ¶3. (C) RSO led a review of reftel A, describing the potential threat relating to the upcoming Iraqi elections. Members of the EAC confirmed that there are no Iraqi polling centers in Oman, and, given the minimal presence of Iraqi nationals, the aforementioned elections are not expected to resonate significantly in Oman. -------------- Sustained Vigilance -------------- ¶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, including the need to maintain a low profile and to remain unpredictable. RSO further re-emphasized the importance of immediately reporting all suspicious activity or security-related incidents - especially those involving suspected surveillance - to Post One. -------------- EAC Conclusion -------------- ¶5. (S/NF) The EAC concluded that there have been no substantive changes in previously reported assessments of the local security environment since the last meeting held on January 25 (reftel B),and that the Embassy's FPCON and already heightened security posture remain appropriate. Nonetheless, the EAC 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, RSO, ARSO, RMAS, P/E, PAO, CONS, MGT, MSG, DAO, OMC (USDR), and ECA (USCENTAF) participated in the meeting, which was followed by a meeting of the Visas Viper Committee. BALTIMORE