OMANI FM SUMMARIZES FOREIGN POLICY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000485 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/05/27 TAGS: PREL PGOV IS IR EG MU SUBJECT: OMANI FM SUMMARIZES FOREIGN POLICY REF: MUSCAT 473 CLASSIFIED BY: Victor Hurtado, DCM, Department of State, Embassy Muscat; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a rare interview, Omani Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah (YBA),gave an uncharacteristically frank and wide-ranging prC)cis of foreign policy issues facing the Sultanate. Possibly spurred by recent coverage in The New York Times (itself a rarity),YBA reflected on Oman's regional and international role, its relations with its neighbors, and, most unusually, discussed the Sultanate's international military cooperation. The interview was published on May 24 in both public and private papers (reftel). END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) YBA's interview, published in the state daily "Oman" and the private, youth-oriented "Al Shabiba," provided an exceptionally rare window on the thinking of this senior foreign-policy leader. With a combination of factors including developments within the region and two recent features on Oman in the "New York Times," a decision was clearly made to provide the Omani public with comparatively open, even blunt, assessments of a variety of foreign-policy issues: - On the U.S and Miltary Cooperation: YBA affirmed that Oman will not be a base for activity against other countries, emphasizing that there are no new agreements for foreign bases in Oman. He further explained that Oman does have an agreement on facilities-use with the U.S., saying this is "known to all" and adding that use of these facilities is conditional on the Sultan's consent and only for uses in the interest of the Sultanate. NOTE: It is almost without precedent for an Omani official to so publicly, even off-handedly, mention or comment on the U.S. Base Access Agreement. Recent developments regarding French activity in the UAE may also have spurred this comment. In addition, the May 16 NYTimes article said, "it [Oman] has left open the possibility that the U.S. could use Omani military bases for staging operations in the region." END NOTE. YBA affirmed that the U.S. and Oman are bound by mutual interests. However, he noted, this does not preclude Oman from having common interests with others as well, and he emphasized that it did not imply that Oman would be in an alliance with one party against another, adding "Washington realizes this as well." He cited the example of Oman's refusal to attend a meeting with former Secretary Rice, which he said was aimed at rallying GCC states against Iranian nuclear interests and the Sudan, stressing that "the Sultanate is not required to follow U.S. policy." YBA welcomed new U.S. administration policies set by President Obama, which he characterized as pursuing a policy of reconciliation, working to "find solutions for the problems it had inherited from the former U.S. administration, who left problems all over the world." He commended the administration for "working to close a number of unsolved issues in the Middle East, most importantly the peace process between Arabs and Israel, withdrawal from Iraq and the issue of Afghanistan." - On the Omani Role in the World: YBA began by describing Oman's consultative role on a number of important regional and international issues. His description of the Sultan as providing a "dignified life for all citizens" might initially seem out of place, but is in fact the foundation of Omani foreign policy, the affirmation of national identity. Omanis perceive themselves as a unique and peace loving people who are tolerant of (even somewhat aloof from) others, and Omani foreign policy reflects that: independent, non-confrontational, and loath to interfere in the internal affairs of others. YBA asserted that it is the Sultan's policy of ensuring a good life in Oman that has prevented terrorism here, emphasizing the rights of all people and a functioning judiciary in a place where no one is above the law. - On Oman, its Borders and its Neighbors: YBA denied that Oman has conceded any territory in reaching border agreements with its neighbors in the 1970s and 1980s. He noted that Oman had been keen to settle the borders, but did not "abandon territory," as there had been no prior demarcation when the agreements were made. One of the Sultan's first goals when he came to power in 1970 was to establish mutually agreed borders with each of the surrounding MUSCAT 00000485 002 OF 002 countries; today, Oman is in fact the only country in the region with no outstanding border issues. YBA's comment may have been spurred by inconveniences experienced over the past several years by Omanis living in or regularly dealing with the country's "exclaves," areas in the United Arab Emirates not contiguous with the rest of Oman, including the city of al-Buraimi and Musandam (the area that includes the Straits of Hormuz),which have become subject to more formal border controls over the past three years. - On the GCC Common Currency: YBA addressed the issue of a single Gulf currency in typical Omani fashion. He reconfirmed Oman's announced intention not to join the common currency, thus asserting an independent foreign policy. He went on to note that Oman did not, however, actually oppose the common currency, which would have prevented it from happening, as any member country can block any GCC action, and so demonstrated Oman's unwillingness to interfere in what others wish to do. Furthermore, he did not rule out Oman's joining the common currency at some point - if it was in Oman's interests (saying "anything is possible"),thus leaving all options open. This "don't join, don't block, keep our options open" strategy is essentially the alpha and omega of Omani foreign policy. - On Egypt and Iran: YBA denied playing an intermediary role between Egypt and Iran, observing that clashes are not unnatural among countries whose interests in neighboring territories differ. He said that Oman believes the countries will "overcome their differences in the near future" because they also have common interests and want to promote stability in the region. NOTE: Several recent visits, including ones by Egypt's President Mubarak and Iran's Ali Larijani, have stoked local rumors that Oman is acting as middlemen between these two fractious nations. Oman is, as always, eager to maintain its images as a wholly neutral player. END NOTE. - On Oman's Nuclear Plans: YBA discussed the development of peaceful nuclear energy in Oman, again responding to the Muscat grapevine by denying the hiring of Dr. Mohammed al Bara'dei to run its nuclear project. He noted that the project is currently only in its "early stages," with Oman needing "at least 15 years" to develop the necessary technology. NOTE: While the al Bara'dei rumor is just that, Oman has indeed brought in a former IAEA staffer to oversee the new Office of Peaceful Nuclear Technology. END NOTE. - Finally, on Iran: Saving the question of Iran for his final response, YBA stated that the two countries were "cooperating in the economic fields," particularly the oil-sharing agreement for the Bukha oil field and the potential natural gas development on Kish Island. His singular focus on economic issues reflects Oman's primary area of cooperation with Iran, along with a likely reluctance to address publicly any other areas of common interest, the significance which are largely, if not wholly, minimized within Oman. ¶3. COMMENT: This interview, in its typically allusive Omani way, is a goldmine of insight into current high-level Omani thinking on the issues addressed. In sheer physical terms, YBA spent more than twice the interview's column inches discussing Oman-U.S. relations and their significance than any other topic. The UK, historically Oman's dominant international partner, was not mentioned at all. Iran was reduced to little more than a footnote, of interest only in narrow economic terms. The balance of the interview reinforced the most familiar tropes of Omani foreign policy: consensus, neutrality, and a focus on the best interests of Omanis above all other considerations. END COMMENT. GRAPPO