UNESCO CONVENTION: OMAN

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000193 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR IO/UNESCO (MCNOVO),IO/PPC (RWILBUR) DEPT ALSO FOR EB/TPP/MTA (LCHASON),NEA/ARPI (RSMYTH) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD SCUL MU SUBJECT: UNESCO CONVENTION: OMAN REF: A. SECSTATE 19851 ¶B. 05 MUSCAT 1574 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The ratification of international conventions by Oman can be a time-consuming process. In light of Omani statements supporting USG interpretations of the UNESCO Convention and the pending ratification of the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement, there is little reason to believe the Convention will be ratified by Oman any time soon. There has been scant discussion of the Convention in the local media or within academic or civil society circles. End summary. ¶2. (U) The following information is keyed to ref A questions. -------------- Treaty Approval Process/State of Play -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Per ref B, the Omani Foreign Ministry closely coordinated its position on the Convention with the USG, issuing (as noted in ref A) a statement with its vote echoing USG views that the Convention cannot modify rights and obligations under other international agreements, including WTO. It is standard practice that international conventions signed by the Sultanate are typically referred to an inter-ministerial committee that determines which other legal modifications are required prior to ratification, and what unanticipated equities might be affected. Once the committee has finished its work and reported its findings, the material is reviewed by the Ministry of Legal Affairs before submission to the full Council of Ministers. Once approved by the cabinet, a royal decree is prepared for the Sultan's approval. The issuance of that royal decree constitutes Oman's ratification of an agreement. While some bilateral agreements can be ratified within a few months of signature, UN and other international conventions often take much longer. A number of such international conventions have been pending Omani ratification for several years. Given the Omani reservations to the Convention cited above, there is little reason to believe that this Convention is on the fast-track for ratification. Moreover, as the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement, signed on January 19 of this year, is still pending Congressional ratification, Oman would be less likely to take actions on trade matters that could complicate that process. -------------- Media, Public Diplomacy -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The UNESCO Convention on Cultural Expressions has not to date been featured in the Omani media. Moreover, as the ratification process is fully in the province of the Omani government (rather than a legislative body),there is little or no advantage to raising unnecessarily the subject's profile among the Omani public. As esoteric trade regimes are typically more difficult to explain than populist notions of "defending culture," publicity on the matter could be hijacked against USG interests. Within Oman's small civil society community, there are no NGO's that would likely take up a pro-Convention stance. There is a non-governmental Oman Economic Association, centered around the academic community, that has not discussed the Convention (to our knowledge),but that would likely have at least some sympathy for USG concerns over the text. ¶5. (SBU) P/E Chief has a tentative appointment with the MFA International Organizations Department Chief for the week of February 18 to discuss, inter alia, the ratification status of two outstanding UN counter-terror conventions. Any insights the MFA official might divulge concerning the status of the UNESCO Convention will be reported. BALTIMORE