Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08MUSCAT623
2008-09-02 04:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Muscat
Cable title:
SULTAN'S SUMMER TRAVELS, GCC SUMMIT AND FTA
how-toVZCZCXRO2788 PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR DE RUEHMS #0623 2460419 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 020419Z SEP 08 FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9911 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000623
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON ETRD MU
SUBJECT: SULTAN'S SUMMER TRAVELS, GCC SUMMIT AND FTA
REF: A. MUSCAT 616
B. MUSCAT 572
C. MUSCAT 344
D. MUSCAT 309
Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Gary A. Grappo per 1.5 (B and D
).
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000623
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON ETRD MU
SUBJECT: SULTAN'S SUMMER TRAVELS, GCC SUMMIT AND FTA
REF: A. MUSCAT 616
B. MUSCAT 572
C. MUSCAT 344
D. MUSCAT 309
Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Gary A. Grappo per 1.5 (B and D
).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) Receiving the Ambassador at his residence August 31,
Sultan Qaboos' Advisor for External Liaison, Dr. Omar Zawawi,
reviewed the Sultan's recent official/private trip through
the Middle East and Europe, reaffirmed the Sultan's
commitment to implementing quickly the U.S.-Oman FTA, and
briefly commented on the GCC Summit to be hosted by Oman in
late November. Zawawi's comments regarding trafficking in
persons are reported septel. End Summary.
Libya Stop Highlighted Summer Travel
--------------
2. (C) The Sultan's three-and-one-half month summer travels
(ref C) included official stops in the UAE, Egypt, Libya,
Jordan and Qatar. His nearly month-long stay in the UK
included a private dinner with the Queen and separate
meetings with the prime minister and defense and foreign
ministers. He made private stops, usually aboard his new
yacht, the Al Sa'id, in Italy, France and Egypt.
3. (C) However, per Zawawi, who accompanied Qaboos
throughout most of his travels, the stop that intrigued and
challenged the Sultan's staff most and attracted the most
attention back home was the Sultan,s two-day visit to
Tripoli (ref B). It was Qaboos' first visit to Libya in 35
years. He said that the Libyans had pressed Qaboos
"relentlessly" for a visit for the past two years and
especially upon learning of his expected presence in the
Mediterranean during the summer.
4. (C) Zawawi acknowledged that Libyan President Qadhafi is
"a very different kind of leader" than the Sultan, remarking
offhandedly, "He's just strange." Nevertheless, he claimed
the encounter was valuable to the Sultan in understanding one
of the region's more high profile leaders. Avoiding
specifics of matters discussed, Zawawi allowed that the
Libyans appeared to be concentrating much more on their
relations with African countries as opposed to the Arabs and
that Qadhafi's advisors and cabinet appeared "totally
submissive" to the president.
GCC Summit a Priority
--------------
5. (C) Dr. Zawawi confirmed there was intense focus on
preparing for the late November GCC Summit in Muscat. (Note:
Muscat was to host last year's summit but was forced to
surrender the chair to Qatar following the June 2007 cyclone,
whose flooding and destruction set back by nearly a year the
government,s remodeling project of the Al Bustan Hotel,
where the summit takes place.)
6. (C) Zawawi chuckled at the Ambassador's reference to a
recent Iranian media report that President Ahmadi-Nejad would
be invited to the Muscat summit. "Everyone wants to be
invited to the ball," he joked, but the Sultan has made no
decision to issue invitations outside the GCC. He is a firm
adherent to the view that this is a GCC affair, said Zawawi,
and although not necessarily opposed to including a head of
state on an exceptional basis, it should not be common
practice. In any event, the matter has not been raised and
Sultan Qaboos would always consult his GCC counterparts
before acting.
Committed to Quick FTA Implementation
--------------
7. (C) The Ambassador expressed his gratitude for the
Sultan's quick action after his meeting with the Sultan last
spring (ref D) to break the logjam on two important pieces of
legislation necessary for FTA implementation. He further
briefed Zawawi on what appeared to be the last remaining
major hurdle in the way of FTA implementation, i.e.,
telecommunications licensing fees and procedures (ref A).
(Note: A copy of the Ambassador's recent letter on this
matter to the administrator of the Telecommunications
Regulatory Authority had previously been provided to Zawawi.)
The Ambassador summarized U.S. concerns and promised to keep
Zawawi apprised as we moved forward. Dr. Zawawi took careful
notes and asked to be advised quickly should a problem
develop. He reaffirmed the Sultan,s intention to "get this
done" as soon as possible.
GRAPPO
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON ETRD MU
SUBJECT: SULTAN'S SUMMER TRAVELS, GCC SUMMIT AND FTA
REF: A. MUSCAT 616
B. MUSCAT 572
C. MUSCAT 344
D. MUSCAT 309
Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Gary A. Grappo per 1.5 (B and D
).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) Receiving the Ambassador at his residence August 31,
Sultan Qaboos' Advisor for External Liaison, Dr. Omar Zawawi,
reviewed the Sultan's recent official/private trip through
the Middle East and Europe, reaffirmed the Sultan's
commitment to implementing quickly the U.S.-Oman FTA, and
briefly commented on the GCC Summit to be hosted by Oman in
late November. Zawawi's comments regarding trafficking in
persons are reported septel. End Summary.
Libya Stop Highlighted Summer Travel
--------------
2. (C) The Sultan's three-and-one-half month summer travels
(ref C) included official stops in the UAE, Egypt, Libya,
Jordan and Qatar. His nearly month-long stay in the UK
included a private dinner with the Queen and separate
meetings with the prime minister and defense and foreign
ministers. He made private stops, usually aboard his new
yacht, the Al Sa'id, in Italy, France and Egypt.
3. (C) However, per Zawawi, who accompanied Qaboos
throughout most of his travels, the stop that intrigued and
challenged the Sultan's staff most and attracted the most
attention back home was the Sultan,s two-day visit to
Tripoli (ref B). It was Qaboos' first visit to Libya in 35
years. He said that the Libyans had pressed Qaboos
"relentlessly" for a visit for the past two years and
especially upon learning of his expected presence in the
Mediterranean during the summer.
4. (C) Zawawi acknowledged that Libyan President Qadhafi is
"a very different kind of leader" than the Sultan, remarking
offhandedly, "He's just strange." Nevertheless, he claimed
the encounter was valuable to the Sultan in understanding one
of the region's more high profile leaders. Avoiding
specifics of matters discussed, Zawawi allowed that the
Libyans appeared to be concentrating much more on their
relations with African countries as opposed to the Arabs and
that Qadhafi's advisors and cabinet appeared "totally
submissive" to the president.
GCC Summit a Priority
--------------
5. (C) Dr. Zawawi confirmed there was intense focus on
preparing for the late November GCC Summit in Muscat. (Note:
Muscat was to host last year's summit but was forced to
surrender the chair to Qatar following the June 2007 cyclone,
whose flooding and destruction set back by nearly a year the
government,s remodeling project of the Al Bustan Hotel,
where the summit takes place.)
6. (C) Zawawi chuckled at the Ambassador's reference to a
recent Iranian media report that President Ahmadi-Nejad would
be invited to the Muscat summit. "Everyone wants to be
invited to the ball," he joked, but the Sultan has made no
decision to issue invitations outside the GCC. He is a firm
adherent to the view that this is a GCC affair, said Zawawi,
and although not necessarily opposed to including a head of
state on an exceptional basis, it should not be common
practice. In any event, the matter has not been raised and
Sultan Qaboos would always consult his GCC counterparts
before acting.
Committed to Quick FTA Implementation
--------------
7. (C) The Ambassador expressed his gratitude for the
Sultan's quick action after his meeting with the Sultan last
spring (ref D) to break the logjam on two important pieces of
legislation necessary for FTA implementation. He further
briefed Zawawi on what appeared to be the last remaining
major hurdle in the way of FTA implementation, i.e.,
telecommunications licensing fees and procedures (ref A).
(Note: A copy of the Ambassador's recent letter on this
matter to the administrator of the Telecommunications
Regulatory Authority had previously been provided to Zawawi.)
The Ambassador summarized U.S. concerns and promised to keep
Zawawi apprised as we moved forward. Dr. Zawawi took careful
notes and asked to be advised quickly should a problem
develop. He reaffirmed the Sultan,s intention to "get this
done" as soon as possible.
GRAPPO