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).

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Summary
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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.

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Security Environment
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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.

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Iraqi Elections
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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.

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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, 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.

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EAC Conclusion
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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