EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 02/04/2006

S E C R E T MUSCAT 000146

SIPDIS

NOFORN

DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/NEA, DS/IP/ITA, NEA/ARPI, AND NEA/EX
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR DS/DSS/OSAC, DS/DSS/CC, AND CA/OCS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X1
TAGS: AEMR ASEC AMGT PTER CASC KSAC KHLS KVPR MU EAC
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 02/04/2006

REF: A. SECSTATE 018503

B. MUSCAT 0133

C. MUSCAT 0131

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission William R. Stewart.
Reason: 1.4(b)(c)(d).

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Summary
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1. (SBU) The Ambassador chaired a meeting of the full
Emergency Action Committee (EAC) on February 4 to review the
Embassy's security posture following the local holiday
weekend. Members noted no substantive changes in the local
security environment since the last meeting, and agreed that
the Embassy's already heightened security posture and force
protection condition (FPCON) remain appropriate. End Summary.

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Local Security Environment
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2. (SBU) On February 4, the Ambassador chaired a meeting of
the full EAC to review the Embassy's security posture
following the local holiday weekend. The meeting opened with
a discussion of the local security situation, which the EAC
continued to characterize as stable. RSO raised only one
incident that occurred over the weekend, in which a female
Emboff reported being followed while returning to her home
during the early morning hours of February 2 (SIMAS #84495).
Otherwise, members, including Duty Officer, cited no security
incidents among their staffs or family members, while CONS
confirmed that there were no reported security incidents or
security-related queries from the private American citizen
community. The EAC noted no/no new threat reporting specific
to Oman.

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Reaction to Danish Publication
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3. (C) RSO also raised reftel A, regarding anti-European
incidents occurring worldwide related to the Danish
publication, and recent European republications, of a
caricature of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed. EAC Members noted
that while Omani consumers continue to boycott Danish
products (reftel B),isolated talk of demonstrations has not
materialized beyond a small, peaceful, carefully supervised
student gathering on the campus of Sultan Qaboos University
some thirty kilometers outside Muscat. It was further noted
that the Danish do not maintain an embassy in Oman.

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EAC Conclusion
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4. (S/NF) The EAC concluded that there have been no
substantive changes in the local security environment since
the last meeting held on January 31 (reftel C). Accordingly,
members agreed that the Embassy's already heightened security
posture and FPCON remain appropriate. Embassy Muscat remains
acutely aware of the need to monitor both the regional and
local security and threat environments, and is prepared to
take the necessary countermeasures should changes to either
occur. AMB, DCM, P/E, MGT, RSO, SIMO, CONS, OMC (USDR),ECA
(USCENTAF),and Duty Officer participated in the meeting,
which proceeded a meeting of the Visas Viper Committee (to be
reported septel).
BALTIMORE