EXBS: OMAN MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE FOR NOVEMBER 2008

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000835 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL MASS MNUC KNNP KSTC ETTC MU SUBJECT: EXBS: OMAN MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE FOR NOVEMBER 2008 REF: A. STATE 114517 ¶B. STATE 83512 BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS ¶1. (SBU) Nothing to report. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶2. (SBU) Nothing to report MEETINGS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶3. (SBU)On November 9, the EXBS Advisor and the Pol-Econ Chief met with Counselor Arafa Samir, the Deputy Chief, International Affairs Dept., Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and First Secretary Yaqub Al-Ruqaishi, the Acting Director, Disarmament & Arms Control Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to discuss: 1)the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI),including possible Omani participation in future PSI activities; and 2) a proposal from the National Nuclear Security Administration Office (NNSA) of the Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct a workshop in Muscat, Oman, possibly in January, to present nonproliferation and export control issues, policies and procedures to relevant technical experts (ref A). This workshop would be a follow-up to the export control workshop held in Muscat in June, 2008 (ref B). (Note: The Acting Director contacted the EXBS Advisor on November 12 and informed him that the dates of January 25 to 27, 2009 would be a suitable timeframe to conduct the workshop. End Note) ¶4. (SBU) On November 23, the EXBS Advisor met the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) representative for the geographic area. The NCIS representative is stationed in the Middle East Field Office in Manama, Bahrain. The EXBS Advisor explained the role of EXBS to the NCIS representative. ¶5. (SBU) On November 29, the EXBS Advisor traveled to Salalah, Oman to review the Secure Freight Initiative (SFI) process at the Port of Salalah, Oman. The EXBS Advisor was given a tour of the Port by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) representative. ¶6. (SBU) On November 30, the EXBS Advisor attended the SFI Working Group meeting at the Port of Salalah. The SFI Working Group is comprised of Royal Omani Police Customs officials from several ports in Oman, operations managers from the Ports of Salalah and Sultan Qaboos, the Senior Safety manager for the Port of Salalah, the CBP representative and the Embassy Pol-Econ Officer. The group was briefed on various issues relating to the status of equipment delivery and installation, safety concerns, and the proposed location of secondary inspection areas. TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶7. (SBU) Nothing to report. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶8. (SBU) Nothing to report. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS REPORT ¶9. (SBU) The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the Department of Energy (DOE) is tentatively scheduled to conduct a nonproliferation and export control workshop in Muscat, Oman from January 25 to 27, 2009 (ref B). ¶10. (SBU) A Targeting and Risk Management workshop is tentatively scheduled to be held in Salalah, Oman from January 17 to 21, 2009. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY ¶11. (SBU) Nothing to report. PORTAL MONITOR ALERTS ¶12. (SBU) Nothing to report. RED FLAG ISSUES ¶13. (SBU) Nothing to report. ¶14. (U) Point of contact is EXBS Advisor Timothy Moran, telephone 968-24-643-503, e-mail MoranTG@state.gov. GRAPPO