URGENT: PSI: U.S. ASSISTANCE IN STOPPING GERMAN

S E C R E T MUSCAT 000672 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NP/CBM, EUR/PRA, AND NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2015 TAGS: ETTC PARM PREL IR MU SUBJECT: URGENT: PSI: U.S. ASSISTANCE IN STOPPING GERMAN CRANE SHIPMENT TO IRAN (S) REF: A. SECSTATE 74305 ¶B. BERLIN 1338 Classified By: Ambassador Richard L. Baltimore III. Reason: 1.4 (b, d, e) ¶1. (S) German Ambassador Hartmut Blankenstein confirmed to us mid-day on April 24 that he had not yet approached the Omani government with a demarche to interdict the crane shipment for Iran (ref A). As reported ref B, the instructions from Berlin were transmitted after close of business on April 20, which was the start of a 3-day religious holiday weekend during which all Omani government offices were closed. He indicated he would ask to see MFA Under Secretary Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi as soon as possible to deliver the demarche, and would inform us afterwards of the response. ¶2. (C) Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi returns to his office on April 25 following lengthy travels through the region and to Asia. We are seeking an appointment for the Ambassador to call on him at the earliest opportunity on April 26 to deliver the parallel U.S. demarche. BALTIMORE