SAUDI KING ABDULLAH'S VISIT TO MUSCAT

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 001728 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/26/2016 TAGS: PREL SA MU SUBJECT: SAUDI KING ABDULLAH'S VISIT TO MUSCAT Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo for Reasons 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) During a December 24 meeting with Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yousef bin Alawi to discuss a range of regional issues (septels),Ambassador inquired about the visit of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud to Oman. Bin Alawi stated that King Abdullah, who arrived to a red carpet welcome in Muscat on December 23, had not come to Oman to discuss any particular issue or in response to any perceived bilateral irritant. "Things are very good between us," he asserted. Bin Alawi noted that Saudi Arabia and Oman had recently announced their intent to open a border-crossing point along a new highway linking the two countries. While the Omani portion of the road was complete, bin Alawi said that roadwork on the Saudi side - including construction in the Rub al-Khali - "will take some time." ¶2. (C) Bin Alawi commented that a sitting Saudi monarch had not come to Oman since King Fahd's visit "over 20 years ago." The present King of Saudi Arabia had come to Muscat in 1985 while he was the Crown Prince, as well as one other subsequent time to represent the King (his late half-brother) at a GCC Summit. According to bin Alawi, Sultan Qaboos would "occasionally" meet with the Saudi King and/or Crown Prince during private visits to Saudi Arabia. GRAPPO