PROPOSED VISIT OF OMANI FM

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000771 SIPDIS FOR NEA, NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2010 TAGS: PREL OVIP MU SUBJECT: PROPOSED VISIT OF OMANI FM Classified By: Ambassador Richard L. Baltimore III. Reason: 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request for NEA - please see para 4. ¶2. (C) Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi convoked the Ambassador on May 11 to express his interest in visiting Washington DC in early July if meetings with appropriate USG interlocutors could be arranged. Citing the Sultan's request that he defer any travel until the end of June, the Minister said he hopes to take a family vacation throughout July and August (possibly including stops elsewhere in CONUS and Hawaii),and would prefer to have his formal meetings at the front end of his travels. ¶3. (C) Based on a similar program in 2004, the Minister requested calls on the Vice President, Secretary Rice or Deputy Secretary Zoellick, U/S for Public Diplomacy, Secretary Rumsfeld, Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff, and SIPDIS members of the House Ways and Means Committee (particularly Chairman Thomas and the other members of the CODEL with whom he met in November 2004). ¶4. (C) Action request: Apprised of the July 4 holidays, the Minister requested our feedback as to the best time in early July that he might call on the officials listed in para 3, if possible. BALTIMORE