Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MUSCAT130
2006-01-31 13:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Muscat
Cable title:  

OMAN FM IN IRAN: CARROTS, NOT STICKS

Tags:  PREL EPET ETTC ETRD IR MU 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000130 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA, NEA/ARPI, EB/ESC
NSC FOR DNSA HADLEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2016
TAGS: PREL EPET ETTC ETRD IR MU
SUBJECT: OMAN FM IN IRAN: CARROTS, NOT STICKS

REF: A. 05 MUSCAT 02

B. 05 MUSCAT 1876

C. 05 MUSCAT 1304

Classified By: Ambassador Richard L. Baltimore III.
Reason: 1.4 (b, d).

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000130

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA, NEA/ARPI, EB/ESC
NSC FOR DNSA HADLEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2016
TAGS: PREL EPET ETTC ETRD IR MU
SUBJECT: OMAN FM IN IRAN: CARROTS, NOT STICKS

REF: A. 05 MUSCAT 02

B. 05 MUSCAT 1876

C. 05 MUSCAT 1304

Classified By: Ambassador Richard L. Baltimore III.
Reason: 1.4 (b, d).

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


1. (C) On January 29, Omani FM Yusuf bin Alawi began an
official visit to Iran, meeting with President Ahmadi-Nejad,
FM Mottaki, and other officials. Publicly, Bin Alawi
endorsed Iran's right to peaceful nuclear energy while
calling for a peaceful solution to the current stand-off. He
also spoke of Iran and Iraq's shared common interests. We
will seek a complete readout from bin Alawi at the earliest
opportunity. End summary.

--------------
Public Remarks
--------------


2. (U) Omani Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusuf
bin Alawi traveled to Iran on January 29 for several days of
talks with Iranian officials, including a call on President
Ahmadi-Nejad and FM Mottaki. Omani and Iranian press reports
have given considerable coverage of the official statements
coming from the meetings, with bin Alawi largely confining
his remarks to bilateral issues. On Iran's nuclear
stand-off, however, he denied carrying any messages from
Western countries, while being quoted as saying "Iran has the
right to avail (itself) of peaceful nuclear energy and the
Sultanate would be very happy if the issue is solved
peacefully." Bin Alawi spoke positively of the potential for
political stability in Iraq while acknowledging that Iraq and
Iran share certain common interests.

-------------- --
Energy, Industry and Transportation Investments
-------------- --


3. (U) Most of Bin Alawi's public statements centered on
desires to spur broader Oman-Iran trade relations.
Specifically, he and Iranian FM Mottaki spoke of joint
development of gas fields in southwest Iran and in the Gulf
waters, the supply of Iranian gas to Oman, and Iranian
investment in industrial projects in the booming city of
Sohar (site of several major U.S. investments). They further

discussed improving cooperation in transport, particularly as
Iran is a bridge to current Omani investments in Central Asia
(notably Kazakhstan). FM Bin Alawi made similar comments on
January 25 when he received an Iranian parliamentary
delegation, during which press reports say he called for
expanding mutual ties in the oil and gas sector.

--------------
Active Diplomacy
--------------


4. (SBU) As reported ref A, bin Alawi has intended to pay a
visit to Iran for more than a year, and his trip comes at a
time of increased activity in their bilateral relations. In
addition to the Iranian parliamentary delegation visit noted
above, Oman also hosted the Oman-Iran Joint Political
Committee meeting on December 26 headed on the Iranian side
by their MFA Director General for Gulf Affairs; the visit
included a call on the Sultan's special Iran envoy Abdulaziz
al-Rowas. Iranian FM Mottaki paid a 2-day visit to Muscat on
October 4, meeting senior Omani officials including bin Alawi
and Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Fahd al-Said. Assistant
Chief of Staff of the Sultan's Armed Forces Brigadier Saud
al-Habsi led the Omani delegation to Tehran on October 1 for
the Oman-Iran Joint Military Conference. Abdulaziz al-Rowas,
formally the Sultan's Special Adviser for Cultural Affairs,
paid a call on newly elected President Ahmadi-Nejad on August
20, marking Oman's first contact with the new Iranian
government.

--------------
Mission Statement
--------------


5. (SBU) FM Bin Alawi effectively encapsulated the
Sultanate's strategy toward Iran in a press conference he
convened in Muscat on October 2. The Times of Oman reported,
"Alawi confirmed the ancient relations based on good
neighborliness between Iran and the states of the region,
especially the Arab Gulf states. He expressed his belief
that the future will witness the preservation of good
relations between Iran and its neighbors because interaction,
mutual interest, positive historical accumulation and
keenness on preserving the mutual interest will prevent
confrontation, which is not in the interest of any of the
parties."
--------------
Seeking Clarification
--------------

6. (C) It is Sultan Qaboos' long-standing strategy to address
tensions with carrots rather than sticks, as Oman's recent
diplomacy with Iran clearly illustrates. As the Sultan's
special envoy Rowas indicated to visiting NEA DAS Gray in
December (ref B),however, Oman in private delivers a strong
and consistent message to Iran on its need to accommodate the
international community's concerns on the nuclear file, Iraq,
terrorism and other points of contention. We will pursue the
earliest readout directly from bin Alawi on the specifics of
his dialogue with Iranian counterparts.
BALTIMORE