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