TIP: OMAN DISMAYED BY TIER 2 WATCH LIST RANK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000907 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR G/TIP, NEA/ARP, DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2016 TAGS: PREL KCRM KWMN PHUM PGOV MU SUBJECT: TIP: OMAN DISMAYED BY TIER 2 WATCH LIST RANK REF: SECSTATE 88894 Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo. Reason: 1.4 (b, d). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Following the June 5 delivery of the 2006 Trafficking in Persons report to the Foreign Ministry, the MFA Under Secretary roundly condemned the U.S. text in a June 6 phone SIPDIS call with the Ambassador. Calling the report "unfair and arrogant," he accused the USG of ignoring Oman's progress on TIP over the past year and questioned the point of any further engagement. The Ambassador succeeded in winning agreement for further discussions in coming weeks. End summary. -------------- What Point Further Dialogue? -------------- ¶2. (C) The Ambassador spoke on June 6 with MFA Under Secretary Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi regarding the Department's SIPDIS 2006 Trafficking in Persons report for Oman, which the Embassy delivered on June 5. The normally imperturbable Sayyid Badr reacted harshly to the report, calling its assessment of Oman "unfair, arrogant, discourteous and unfriendly," and charging that it ignored Oman's serious, constructive engagement on TIP over the past year as well as the Sultanate's mature, positive relations with the U.S. He said his ministry is "extremely frustrated" that their efforts have been ignored, and openly wondered whether there was a hidden agenda behind the unfavorable ranking. In light of the results of their engagement since the 2005 TIP report, he questioned the efficacy of any further dialogue with the USG. ¶3. (C) The Ambassador acknowledged Oman's ongoing efforts to enhance TIP protections, and noted that the scope of trafficking in persons in Oman is clearly not on the par of a major offender. The Ambassador observed, however, that there remained an absence of certain legal and procedural mechanisms. He urged that the Ministry and Embassy continue to engage in addressing those shortfalls. The Under Secretary launched again into a litany of complaints on the SIPDIS TIP report and expressed profound skepticism that anything can be done to receive a fair assessment. He nevertheless consented to a follow-on discussion with the Ambassador later in June to discuss ways of working together and specific actions to address TIP in Oman. -------------- Fearing Consequences -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Prior to the Ambassador's discussion with the Under Secretary, Pol/Econ Chief delivered the TIP report on June 5 SIPDIS to Humaid al-Maani, deputy chief of the Under Secretary's office, conversing at length regarding the points of concern and implications of the report. Al-Maani acknowledged that Oman is still working to perfect its regulatory framework, which will take some time, but criticized the tenor and substance of the TIP report as being the worst way to move the process forward in Oman. Once the report reaches the Council of Ministers, he warned, reactions are likely to be far less diplomatic than those coming from the Foreign Ministry. Whatever polemics or backlash might result, P/E Chief urged that the Ministry remain focused on taking concrete steps to strengthen Oman's defenses against trafficking in persons, an abominable practice that all can agree must be confronted and eliminated. ¶5. (C) Al-Maani replied that the timing of the unwelcome report could be particularly disastrous for the Free Trade Agreement ratification proceedings still underway in Congress, fearing that the TIP report's blow to the bilateral relationship may quickly overwhelm whatever impulses there may be to seek further trafficking engagement with the USG. P/E Chief underscored the Administration's support for FTA ratification, praised the TIP efforts already underway within the Omani government, and reiterated the Embassy's desire for productive further dialogue on the issue. For examples of other states' efforts to combat TIP, P/E Chief forwarded to al-Maani on June 6 the TIP reports for the GCC states and Yemen, as well as a copy of the September 2005 "Assessment of U.S. Government Activities to Combat Trafficking in Persons" report. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The Embassy is preparing an action plan that the Ambassador will provide to Sayyid Badr when they meet later in the month that will incorporate many of the TIP report's suggestions. GRAPPO