Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08MUSCAT683
2008-09-23 13:37:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Muscat
Cable title:
OMAN REQUESTS MEETING WITH U.S. IAEA DELEGATION TO
how-toVZCZCXRO9466 PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR DE RUEHMS #0683 2671337 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 231337Z SEP 08 FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT TO RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9976 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 0037
C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000683
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2018
TAGS: PREL KNNP MNUC ENRG MU
SUBJECT: OMAN REQUESTS MEETING WITH U.S. IAEA DELEGATION TO
DISCUSS COOPERATION ON NUCLEAR ENERGY ISSUES
REF: STATE 48644
Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo for Reasons 1.4 (b, d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000683
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2018
TAGS: PREL KNNP MNUC ENRG MU
SUBJECT: OMAN REQUESTS MEETING WITH U.S. IAEA DELEGATION TO
DISCUSS COOPERATION ON NUCLEAR ENERGY ISSUES
REF: STATE 48644
Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo for Reasons 1.4 (b, d)
1. (U) This is an Action Request. Please see paragraph 5.
2. (C) At the request of the Omani Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MFA),the Ambassador met on September 21 with
Ambassador Ali bin Salim bin Mas'ud al-Ma'amari, Chief of the
MFA's newly established Office of Peaceful Nuclear
Technology. In addition to an MFA note-taker, al-Ma'amari
was accompanied by a man identified only as Dr. Suleiman
al-Sharif. Al-Ma'amari told the Ambassador that he would
travel at the end of the month with an Omani government
delegation, headed by MFA Secretary General Sayydi Badr
al-Busaidi, to Vienna, Austria for the annual General
Conference of the IAEA during which Oman will become a full
member of the organization. While in Vienna, he hoped to
meet with members of the U.S. delegation to the IAEA to
discuss "cooperation and coordination" on issues related to
nuclear energy and asked the Ambassador to help arrange such
a meeting. Al-Ma'amari confirmed that Oman was "looking at"
the possible use of nuclear energy in the future, which
prompted in part the request to talk with U.S. officials in
Vienna.
3. (C) The Ambassador promised to help facilitate a meeting
between the Omani delegation and U.S. representatives at the
IAEA General Conference. He also noted that in May 2008, the
U.S. had sent an interagency delegation led by Ambassador
Jackie Wolcott, Special Envoy for Nuclear Nonproliferation,
to the region to discuss U.S. interest in assisting countries
in their pursuit of nuclear power (reftel),and regretted
that Oman had not been able to receive the delegation at that
time. Al-Ma'mari replied that he and other Omani officials
would be very pleased to meet with Ambassador Wolcott or a
similar delegation either in Geneva or Muscat, repeating that
Oman was intent on "improving cooperation with the U.S. on
peaceful nuclear technology for the future."
4. (C) On September 22, Abdullah al-Riaymi, Deputy Director
of the MFA's International Affairs Department, told Pol-Econ
Chief that approximately 13 Omani officials would comprise
Oman's delegation to the IAEA General Conference in Vienna.
He also identified the individual who had sat in on the
Ambassador's meeting with al-Ma'amari, Dr. Suleiman
al-Sharif, as an independent consultant whom the Omani
government had hired to advise it on nuclear and IAEA issues.
According to al-Riyami, Dr. Sharif was a former Algerian
energy minister who had worked for more than 10 years in the
office of the IAEA Director General. (Note: During the
meeting between the Ambassador and al-Ma'amari, Dr. Sharif
stated that he personally knew the U.S. representatives to
the IAEA in Vienna. End Note.) Al-Riyami also added that
Oman had not taken any firm decision on whether to develop a
peaceful nuclear energy program.
5. (C) Action Request: Post requests that the Department,
in coordination with the U.S. UN Mission in Vienna, directly
contact the Omani Embassy in Vienna to attempt to schedule a
meeting between al-Ma'amari (with Dr. Sharif) and relevant
U.S. officials during the IAEA General Conference. (Note:
The MFA Secretary General will be in Vienna for only one day
and reportedly will not have time for any outside meetings.
End Note.) Al-Ma'amari indicated that he would be in Austria
September 29 - October 4. As the UK Ambassador in Muscat
told the Ambassador that al-Ma'amari had also requested a
meeting with British officials while in Vienna, it is likely
that al-Ma'amari is arranging appointments with several
foreign delegations. End Action Request.
6. (C) Bio Note: Al-Ma'amari is a retired military officer
with the rank of Major General. Until returning to Muscat
this year, he served as the Assistant Secretary General for
Military Affairs at the GCC Headquarters in Riyadh. He
appears to be in 50s and speaks English, although not with a
high degree of fluency. End Bio Note.
GRAPPO
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2018
TAGS: PREL KNNP MNUC ENRG MU
SUBJECT: OMAN REQUESTS MEETING WITH U.S. IAEA DELEGATION TO
DISCUSS COOPERATION ON NUCLEAR ENERGY ISSUES
REF: STATE 48644
Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo for Reasons 1.4 (b, d)
1. (U) This is an Action Request. Please see paragraph 5.
2. (C) At the request of the Omani Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MFA),the Ambassador met on September 21 with
Ambassador Ali bin Salim bin Mas'ud al-Ma'amari, Chief of the
MFA's newly established Office of Peaceful Nuclear
Technology. In addition to an MFA note-taker, al-Ma'amari
was accompanied by a man identified only as Dr. Suleiman
al-Sharif. Al-Ma'amari told the Ambassador that he would
travel at the end of the month with an Omani government
delegation, headed by MFA Secretary General Sayydi Badr
al-Busaidi, to Vienna, Austria for the annual General
Conference of the IAEA during which Oman will become a full
member of the organization. While in Vienna, he hoped to
meet with members of the U.S. delegation to the IAEA to
discuss "cooperation and coordination" on issues related to
nuclear energy and asked the Ambassador to help arrange such
a meeting. Al-Ma'amari confirmed that Oman was "looking at"
the possible use of nuclear energy in the future, which
prompted in part the request to talk with U.S. officials in
Vienna.
3. (C) The Ambassador promised to help facilitate a meeting
between the Omani delegation and U.S. representatives at the
IAEA General Conference. He also noted that in May 2008, the
U.S. had sent an interagency delegation led by Ambassador
Jackie Wolcott, Special Envoy for Nuclear Nonproliferation,
to the region to discuss U.S. interest in assisting countries
in their pursuit of nuclear power (reftel),and regretted
that Oman had not been able to receive the delegation at that
time. Al-Ma'mari replied that he and other Omani officials
would be very pleased to meet with Ambassador Wolcott or a
similar delegation either in Geneva or Muscat, repeating that
Oman was intent on "improving cooperation with the U.S. on
peaceful nuclear technology for the future."
4. (C) On September 22, Abdullah al-Riaymi, Deputy Director
of the MFA's International Affairs Department, told Pol-Econ
Chief that approximately 13 Omani officials would comprise
Oman's delegation to the IAEA General Conference in Vienna.
He also identified the individual who had sat in on the
Ambassador's meeting with al-Ma'amari, Dr. Suleiman
al-Sharif, as an independent consultant whom the Omani
government had hired to advise it on nuclear and IAEA issues.
According to al-Riyami, Dr. Sharif was a former Algerian
energy minister who had worked for more than 10 years in the
office of the IAEA Director General. (Note: During the
meeting between the Ambassador and al-Ma'amari, Dr. Sharif
stated that he personally knew the U.S. representatives to
the IAEA in Vienna. End Note.) Al-Riyami also added that
Oman had not taken any firm decision on whether to develop a
peaceful nuclear energy program.
5. (C) Action Request: Post requests that the Department,
in coordination with the U.S. UN Mission in Vienna, directly
contact the Omani Embassy in Vienna to attempt to schedule a
meeting between al-Ma'amari (with Dr. Sharif) and relevant
U.S. officials during the IAEA General Conference. (Note:
The MFA Secretary General will be in Vienna for only one day
and reportedly will not have time for any outside meetings.
End Note.) Al-Ma'amari indicated that he would be in Austria
September 29 - October 4. As the UK Ambassador in Muscat
told the Ambassador that al-Ma'amari had also requested a
meeting with British officials while in Vienna, it is likely
that al-Ma'amari is arranging appointments with several
foreign delegations. End Action Request.
6. (C) Bio Note: Al-Ma'amari is a retired military officer
with the rank of Major General. Until returning to Muscat
this year, he served as the Assistant Secretary General for
Military Affairs at the GCC Headquarters in Riyadh. He
appears to be in 50s and speaks English, although not with a
high degree of fluency. End Bio Note.
GRAPPO