DEMARCHE ON NAM SUMMIT: OMAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 001328 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2016 TAGS: PREL PTER KPAL UNGA MU SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON NAM SUMMIT: OMAN REF: A. MUSCAT 1327 ¶B. MUSCAT 1317 ¶C. MUSCAT 1316 ¶D. STATE 145279 ¶E. STATE 145242 Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo for Reasons 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) The Ambassador delivered ref E demarche on September 4 to Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusef bin Alawi regarding the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Cuba, in addition to discussing the upcoming Arab League Ministerial and other topics with the Minister (refs A-C). Alawi confirmed that he would attend the NAM Summit in Havana before proceeding to New York City to head the Omani delegation to the UN General Assembly. He added that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas would also be in Havana "working the crowd." ¶2. (C) Regarding NAM statements on terrorism and the Middle East conflict, Alawi said that he did not expect any substantive debate or heated discussion in Havana on these issues as consensus on a draft final document should have been hammered out during earlier NAM preparatory meetings. While Alawi appreciated the importance of condemning terrorism in all of its forms, he stated that a distinction had to be drawn between terrorism and the legitimate right to defend against and resist aggression. (Alawi's comments on Lebanon and the UN Security Council election are reported in refs A and B.) GRAPPO