EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 02/20/2005

S E C R E T MUSCAT 000293

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 MU EAC
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 02/20/2005

REF: MUSCAT 0280

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

--------------
Summary
--------------


1. (SBU) The Deputy Chief of Mission chaired a meeting of
the Emergency Action Committee February 20 to review the
Embassy's security posture following the local holiday
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 FPCON remain appropriate. End Summary.

--------------
Security Environment
--------------


2. (SBU) On February 20, the Deputy Chief of Mission
chaired a meeting of the Emergency Action Committee ("EAC")
to review the Embassy's security posture following the local
holiday weekend. The meeting opened with a discussion of the
local security situation, which the EAC continued to
characterize as stable. The EAC noted no/no new threat
reporting specific to Oman. Likewise, members of the EAC,
including the Duty Officer, cited no security incidents among
their staffs or family members over the weekend, and CONS
confirmed that there were no reported security incidents or
security-related queries from the private American citizen
community.

--------------
Sustained Vigilance
--------------


3. (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. RSO further re-emphasized the importance of
immediately reporting all suspicious activity or
security-related incidents to Post One.

--------------
EAC Conclusion
--------------


4. (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
February 16 (reftel),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. DCM, MGT,
RSO, ARSO, RMAS, P/E (Duty Officer),CONS, MSG, DAO, OMC
(USDR),and ECA (USCENTAF) participated in the meeting.
BALTIMORE