OMAN HAS "STANDING ORDER" TO COMPLETE FTA BY JUNE

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000533 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP STATE PASS TO USTR FOR JBUNTIN COMMERCE FOR COBERG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD ECON PREL MU SUBJECT: OMAN HAS "STANDING ORDER" TO COMPLETE FTA BY JUNE REF: BUNTIN-GRIMM EMAIL OF MAY 29 ¶1. (U) This is an Action Request. Please see paragraphs 5 and 6. ¶2. (SBU) On May 29, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Under Secretary Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi (Deputy Minister-equivalent) SIPDIS provided the Ambassador a readout of a May 29 meeting the Ministry held with those Omani agencies involved in the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA) process. The Under Secretary noted that the purpose of the meeting was to SIPDIS identify avenues to overcome stumbling blocks to FTA implementation, emphasizing the importance of gauging progress in the wake of Sultan Qaboos' "standing order" that all outstanding action items associated with the Agreement be completed by the end of June. ¶3. (SBU) The Ambassador took the occasion to review with Sayyid Badr the remaining issues per the checklist contained in ref A. He identified for the Under Secretary those issues requiring Omani action, such as the issuance of FTA-compliant telecommunications, tender, copyright, and industrial property laws; implementation of USG suggestions on intellectual property regulations; creation of FTA-compliant telecommunications licensing standards; and completion of documents pertaining to customs administration and rules of origin requirements. The Ambassador highlighted the importance of both the upcoming trip to Washington by an Omani delegation to resolve outstanding intellectual property concerns and the visit to Muscat of a Booz Allen Hamilton licensing expert during the first week of June. The Under Secretary expressed his appreciation for the assistance and SIPDIS mentioned his interest in meeting with USTR officials during his visit to Washington commencing June 18. ¶4. (SBU) The Ambassador further stressed the necessity of the Omani government's accession to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES),which the Sultanate had agreed to join per a July 2006 letter sent to USTR. Sayyid Badr pledged to make immediate calls to see which Ministry had not signed off on the convention, remarking that the legislation had already received approval from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Legal Affairs, Regional Municipalities, Environment, and Water Resources, and the Royal Oman Police. ¶5. (U) Action Request: Embassy requests that the Department and USTR coordinate efforts to schedule a meeting between Sayyid Badr and USTR Schwab. Such a meeting would provide the Under Secretary valuable insight into the FTA implementation process, and would solidify the Foreign Ministry's role in championing this Agreement to implementation. ¶6. (U) Action Request (continued): Embassy also requests that USTR provide comments that the USG owes on issues pertaining to Omanization, transparency, consular fees, environment, and labor prior to the Ambassador's June 2 meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Maqbool. End Action Request. GRAPPO