MESSAGE TO THE ARAB LEAGUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000456 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA, NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2015 TAGS: PREL SY LE IS IZ MU SUBJECT: MESSAGE TO THE ARAB LEAGUE REF: A. SECSTATE 45505 ¶B. MUSCAT 364 Classified By: Ambassador Richard L. Baltimore III. Reason: 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (C) With the minister out of the country, the Ambassador spoke on March 15 with Foreign Ministry Under Secretary Sayyid Badr bin Hamed al-Busaidi to convey the USG concerns per ref A. Regarding Syria/Lebanon, Sayyid Badr reiterated Oman's support of the USG position, as expressed by Minister Yusuf bin Alawi in ref B. With respect to Israeli-Palestinian affairs, the Under Secretary listened to the Ambassador's points but offered no response other than to pledge to review our points carefully. ¶2. (C) On Iraq, Sayyid Badr took on board the USG views. Offering what was most likely his personal assessment, however, the Under Secretary said the delay in forming the ITG is unhelpful. He felt that if Iran was violating Iraq's sovereignty by interfering in the ITG's formation, then perhaps the U.S. should quietly abandon its neutrality and take countermeasures to shape the outcome in Baghdad. The sooner the ITG can be formed, the better, in his view. He also said that Oman would disburse its Iraq reconstruction pledge following the formation of a formal government in Baghdad. BALTIMORE