MFA UNDER SECRETARY ON IRAN, HAMAS, IRAQ

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000671

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA, NEA/ARPI, NEA/RA, T, P

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2016
TAGS: PREL KPAL MNUC IR IZ XF MU
SUBJECT: MFA UNDER SECRETARY ON IRAN, HAMAS, IRAQ

REF: A. MUSCAT 670

B. MUSCAT 649

C. MUSCAT 590

D. SECSTATE 65124

Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo. Reason: 1.4 (b, d).

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Summary
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1. (C) Foreign Ministry Under Secretary Sayyid Badr
reiterated to the Ambassador on April 25 Oman's paramount
concern at finding a peaceful resolution to the Iranian
nuclear standoff, expressing frustration that creative
solutions and confidence-building measures are not being more
aggressively pursued. He welcomed offers to continue sharing
information on Iran's nuclear program, saying that Oman has a
unique dialog with Iran that can serve USG interests. Sayyid
Badr said he again urged a visiting Palestinian official on
Hamas' need to agree to peaceful dialog with Israel, and
responded to news of the increase in USG aid to Palestinians
with a request that we find ways to help President Abbas. He
hailed progress in the formation of a new Iraqi government.
End summary.

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Iran
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2. (C) In an April 25 call on Foreign Ministry Under
Secretary Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi, the Ambassador inquired

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about his recent public statement (ref B) on Iran. Sayyid
Badr acknowledged it was highly unusual for him to be quoted
directly, saying that he was ambushed by the media when
seeing off the visiting Spanish foreign minister, and had no
idea his remarks would get such wide press distribution. He
stood by his basic position on Iran, however, reiterating
familiar Omani talking points that "no stone" can be left
unturned in the effort to find a peaceful solution to the
standoff on Tehran's nuclear program. Repeating some of FM
Bin Alawi's remarks to U/S Joseph on April 9 (ref C),Sayyid
Badr's central theme was that the mountains of
Iranian-Western mistrust built up since Iran's revolution
have to be reduced through confidence-building measures if
there is to be serious progress on such specific topics as
the nuclear file or interference in Iraq. He admitted it
would not be easy, but expressed frustration that nobody was
even attempting it. Without CBMs, threats of sanctions,
setting deadlines, and passing resolutions will simply
further harden both sides' positions. He urged that the IAEA
be allowed to resolve its own issues with Iran. Noting that
the "devil is in the details," the Under Secretary was not
certain how to arrive at the desired objective, but said
finding a win/win resolution without resorting to violence is
Oman's paramount concern.


3. (C) The Ambassador, echoing the Secretary's points to the
FM on April 21 (ref D),reminded Sayyid Badr of Iran's many
missed opportunities in resolving the crisis, citing the many
years Iran hid its nuclear R&D program, numerous visits by
IAEA investigators, and the extended negotiations with the
EU-3. He assured the Under Secretary, however, that the USG
is sensitive to Oman's special concern over Iran given its
geographic proximity and joint stewardship of the Strait of
Hormuz. Sayyid Badr welcomed the Ambassador's offer to give
Oman updates on our views on Iran and its WMD efforts, noting
that Oman has a unique and frank dialogue with Iran that can
be of benefit to Washington. He stressed that while Oman
keeps an objective view of its giant neighbor to the north,
it has been able to maintain a useful dialog. He also
clarified that his press comment regarding navigation in the
Strait of Hormuz was in direct response to a journalist's
question, saying that he questioned whether Iran could block
the Strait even if it wanted to.

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Palestine/Hamas
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4. (C) When solicited for his views on recent infighting
between Hamas and Fatah, Sayyid Badr said it was obviously
unhelpful, as he told the visiting Palestinian Communications
Minister Jamal al-Khadri in a reportedly blunt exchange on
April 21. He said Oman has told Hamas consistently that it
needs to amend its behavior and act like a responsible
government rather than resistance party, and that it is not
sufficient to allow President Abbas to say one thing and the
Hamas government the opposite. The Arabs, Sayyid Badr
recounted, will give Hamas some time to sort out its
policies, but that its only choice was to accede to
international and Arab plans for peaceful resolution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He admitted that he does not
know if Hamas will follow Oman's advice. In response to the
Ambassador's question, he said there will be no increase in
Omani aid to Palestine. He welcomed Secretary Rice's
announcement of the increase in USG aid to Palestinians (we
provided fact sheets),and urged the USG to find ways to
provide direct support to President Abbas.

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Iraq
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5. (C) Sayyid Badr warmly welcomed the recent progress in
forming a new Iraqi government, sardonically noting that
after so many months of stalemate, "any government is better
than none." It has been a "painful" waiting period, but the
Under Secretary was hopeful that a full government will soon
be formed, allowing the political process to move forward.
The violence in Iraq and terror elsewhere, he said, is "truly
crazy."


6. (SBU) True to the Under Secretary's pledge, an MFA
statement condemning the recent terror attack in Egypt's
Sinai was released April 26; see ref A.
GRAPPO