DEMARCHE IN PREPARATION FOR ARAB LEAGUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000636 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2018 TAGS: PREL KPAL IZ MU SUBJECT: DEMARCHE IN PREPARATION FOR ARAB LEAGUE MINISTERIAL: OMAN RESPONSE REF: STATE 93939 Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo for Reasons 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) Summary: During a September 6 MEETING with the Ambassador, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusef bin Alawi said Oman was "confused" by conflicting reports on Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. He was disappointed by events following Annapolis and doubtful that an agreement could be reached by the end of the year. The Minister was similarly pessimistic about Arab League (AL) attempts, led by Saudi Arabia and Egypt, to encourage Palestinian factions - including Fatah, which he deemed a "spent organization" - to work together. Bin Alawi acknowledged progress in Iraq, but asserted that the security in Baghdad still did not allow for an Omani ambassador to be sent there. As the AL recognized countries, rather than their ruling authorities, the envoy of the new junta in Mauritania would be seated at the upcoming AL Ministerial. End Summary. ¶2. (C) The Ambassador delivered reftel points to Minister Yusef bin Alawi during a MEETING on September 6. On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, bin Alawi stated that Oman was "totally confused" regarding the status of negotiations between ISRAEL and the Palestinian Authority (PA). While the Israelis claimed that discussions were progressing and included core issues, Palestinians concurrently complained that there was no movement in the talks. It was, accordingly, difficult for Oman to decide what to do to help push forward peace efforts, said bin Alawi. The Foreign Minister further declared that Oman was "very disappointed" with the "Annapolis (process)." He saw no chance that the U.S. administration would achieve its goal of fostering an agreement between the PA and ISRAEL by the end of the year. ¶3. (C) According to bin Alawi, SAUDI Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal made a strong pitch during the recent GCC Foreign Ministers MEETING in Jeddah for all GCC states to line up behind SAUDI King Abdullah and Egyptian President Mubarak in urging the Palestinian factions to come together. Bin Alawi agreed that there was very little Arabs could do to help the Palestinians unless Hamas and the PA agreed to work together, but was pessimistic that this would happen. He commented that Fatah, in his opinion, was a "spent organization" that had "nothing left." ¶4. (C) Concerning Iraq, bin Alawi agreed that "visible improvements" were taking place. However, while he acknowledged the moves by other GCC states to send ambassadors to Iraq, he asserted that the security situation in Baghdad was still not satisfactory enough for Oman to follow suit. He made clear that that this was in no way a political decision - "we're as supportive of (Iraqi Prime Minister) Maliki as anyone" - but one based solely on security reasons. ¶5. (C) Bin Alawi stated that the diplomatic envoy sent by the new ruling junta in Mauritania would be seated at the AL Ministerial. He explained that the AL recognized "the country, not the ruling authority," and remarked that this would be in line with the seating of Iraq's representative following the ouster of Saddam Hussein. He added, however, that the AL would quietly try to "encourage quick elections" in Mauritania. GRAPPO