Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
05MUSCAT241 | 2005-02-13 12:30:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Muscat |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000241 |
1. (U) SUMMARY: The Muscat Counter-Terrorism Action Group (CTAG) met on February 2 to outline, in preparation for the April 29 CTAG meeting in London, key Omani counter-terrorism(CT) needs, and to share details of completed and planned CT assistance from G8 states. The CTAG agreed on a list of gaps between needs and assistance and recommendations on how these gaps might be filled. As in the past, the U.S. and UK remain the most actively engaged G8 members in CT programs with the Sultanate of Oman. END SUMMARY. 2. (U) On February 2, UK Ambassador Stuart Laing hosted a meeting of the Muscat G8 Counter-Terrorism Action Group (CTAG). In addition to the U.S. Ambassador, CTAG participants included Marc Barety, French Ambassador; Hartmut Blankenstein, German Ambassador; Vladimir Nosenko, Russian Ambassador; Nobu Ebina, Japanese DCM; Tarek Chazli, Italian DCM; Alicia Rico, Spanish DCM (at the UK's invitation); and Charles Hill, UK DCM. -------------------------- CURRENT OMANI CT NEEDS -------------------------- 3. (SBU) In preparation for the April 29 CTAG meeting in London, participants identified the following as current Omani CT needs: -- Additional maritime interdiction and VIP protection training for the Royal Omani Police (ROP); -- Equipment such as night vision goggles and training facilities for the ROP; -- Upgrades to coastal surveillance and enforcement capabilities, including sensors, vessels, and communication equipment; -- Enhanced interoperability between the Navy, ROP Coast Guard (ROP-CG) and Air Force for coastal defense; -- Closer government scrutiny of alternative remittance systems such as hawalas and the Bangladeshi hundi system; -- Potential technical assistance to the Central Bank in the areas of banking supervision, reporting suspicious transactions, coordinating with police agencies and improving GCC-wide information sharing; -- Regulation of informal lending societies, potential vulnerabilities for terror networks; -- Better public information policy; -- Strengthening of the civil airport protection at Seeb airport (Muscat); and -- Increased ability to manage general disasters, including the hospital access for mass causalities (there are 2080 hospital beds available in Muscat and 60 beds in the Military Hospital in Salalah). -------------------------- -------------------------- COMPLETED AND PLANNED ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO OMAN -------------------------- -------------------------- 4. (SBU) Ambassador Laing described the UK impression that while Oman was happy to accept assistance on a bilateral basis, there was a reluctance to accept assistance provided by multilateral organizations. The UK Ministry of Defense continued to work with the Omanis on border management issues, both maritime and terrestrial. RAF Nimrods continued to fly over the Omani EEZ working with the Omani Navy and ROP-CG to help interdict small boats from the Makran coast of Pakistan. Those operations aimed to address interoperability issues between those two services. The UK was also providing training to the Omani Armed Forces on border management, VIP protection, disaster management, young officer training, and English Language Training through the work of the UK's loan service personnel. The UK was hoping to do more work in the future with the ROP. On transportation security, a UK company had provided advice to the Omanis on compliance with the International Maritime Organization's requirements for enhanced port security (ISPS). 5. (SBU) The German Ambassador said that German training of the police forces in Iraq and Afghanistan had taken priority, with the result that so far no direct training had been performed with the Omanis. 6. (SBU) The French Ambassador said that in 2004 they had provided training for the ROP both in France and in Oman. Three training sessions were completed: CT training for 20 policemen; crime scene training; and a VIP protection course in St Malo for 2 ROP officers. Courses planned thus far for 2005 were on organization and management of a police investigation in April; and advanced counter narcotics training in October. 7. (SBU) The Spanish DCM said no direct equipment had been provided in 2004, but in 2005 Spain was hoping to furnish boats to the ROP-CG. 8. (SBU) The Italian DCM said that a bilateral MOU on defense matters was signed in 2004 and that this covered some CT elements. A joint naval exercise was aimed, in part, at addressing the need for enhanced interoperability. 9. (SBU) The Japanese DCM said that in 2004 two ROP officers had attended a policing seminar in Japan and two others took part in a crime prevention seminar organized by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency. There was a planned seminar on international terrorism investigation in 2005. 10. (SBU) The Russian Ambassador said that no direct assistance was provided in 2004, but that there were plans to invite the ROP and Internal Security Service (ISS) to visit Russia in 2005 to see the type of armaments and hi-tech weapons that Russia could provide, and to start a wider dialogue on the problems of international terrorism. 11. (SBU) The U.S. provided a non-paper listing assistance that has been provided. Under anti-terrorism assistance the US has completed activities with the ROP on mass casualty emergency medical intervention; forensic science service unit consultation (DNA); interdicting terrorist organizations; and an explosive detector K-9/handlers precourse. In 2005 the US has planned a senior crisis management seminar. Under 'export control activities' Omani officials have participated in a senior policy exchange in the US that helped identify challenges in Oman's export control system; and Omanis participated in the Transportation Security Forum in Cairo and the Global Transshipment Control Enforcement Seminar. In 2005 Omanis are scheduled to participate in WMD basic training and a Legal Technical Forum on US and Omani legal foundations for an export control system. Under counter-terrorism/counter-narcotics programs, the US has replaced the antenna for a maritime surveillance radar in the Musandam peninsula and trained ROP-CG personnel in a fast boat interdiction/interception capability. -------------------------- GAPS IN OMAN'S CT NEEDS AND RECOMMENDATIONS -------------------------- 12. (SBU) It was agreed that the CTAG group would continue to coordinate to avoid duplication in the provision of equipment and training. It was also agreed that as Chair, the UK Ambassador would call on the MFA to discuss the GCC CT Agreement; and on the Chairman of the Central Bank to follow-up the Group's 2004 meeting with him on Oman's efforts to counter terrorist financing and money laundering. As Chair, the UK would circulate a draft report of the meeting before sending it to London and would consult partners again before the April and November meeting in case there was further information that they wished to pass to those CTAG meetings. BALTIMORE |