OMAN QUESTIONS NEVADA TEST EXPLOSION

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000879 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR ISM/MNSA, ISN/RA, VCI/NA, INR/B, AND NEA/ARP ENERGY FOR NNSA/NA-1 (AMB. L. BROOKS AND DR. J. HARVEY) DOD FOR ATSD/NCB (DR. KLEIN),DTRA/RD (DR. NANOS, DR. LINGER) DOD ALSO FOR OSD/ISP/CBTWMD (DR. J. BLADY) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL KTBT KTIA PINR MU SUBJECT: OMAN QUESTIONS NEVADA TEST EXPLOSION REF: A. STATE 52643 ¶B. RAY-GRIMM E-MAIL OF 2 JUNE 2006 ¶1. (SBU) In a June 4 meeting requested by MFA Disarmament Affairs officer Abdullah al-Riyami, Pol/Econ Chief addressed a number of Omani concerns regarding the high explosives test previously scheduled to take place in Nevada on June 6 known as "Divine Strake" (ref A). Al-Riyami specifically inquired whether the test will involve a nuclear detonation, and whether this signaled the USG's desire to withdraw from the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Drawing from the Embassy's April note to the Ministry explaining these details, P/E Chief assured al-Riyami that the test is not/not unconventional and that the USG remains fully committed to its treaty obligations. ¶2. (SBU) P/E Chief noted, however, that the date of the test was postponed by decision of the U.S. Department of Energy (ref B) for further study of the potential environmental impact, and that the test would be rescheduled for no sooner than June 23. Al-Riyami requested to be informed of the new test date as soon as it is known. ¶3. (SBU) Bio Note: Al-Riyami is new to the disarmament portfolio at MFA, having only recently returned to Muscat from an overseas posting in Bangladesh (2002-2005). Prior to that, he was the USA desk officer in MFA's Europe and North America Department, during which time he appears to have developed an affinity for the U.S. He has been selected to take part in a 95-day UN training fellowship on disarmament issues to start in September in New York and Vienna. Al-Riyami hails from the city of Nizwa in Oman's interior Dakhaliya region, and speaks fair English. GRAPPO