OMAN UNLIKELY TO ACCEPT GUANTANAMO DETAINEES

S E C R E T MUSCAT 000073 SIPDIS NOFORN DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, S/WCI (J.GOREY) E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019-01-26 TAGS: PTER MU SUBJECT: OMAN UNLIKELY TO ACCEPT GUANTANAMO DETAINEES CLASSIFIED BY: Gary A. Grappo, Ambassador, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Embassy - Muscat; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) (S/NF) Jason Gorey from the Department's Office of War Crimes Issues (S/WCI) and Pol-Econ Chief met January 7 with Mohammed al-Hassan, Political Affairs Director for Omani Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusef bin Alawi, to discuss the possible resettlement in Oman of a Tunisian and a Syrian national held at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. Al-Hassan replied that the information provided about the two detainees was insufficient for the Omani government to consider. If the U.S. was intent on pursuing this matter, he added, it would have to turn over much more extensive information on the two men, including details on their families. (S/NF) Comment: Post will pass the same information and request to authorities of the Omani security services, who would play a greater decision-making role in the possible resettlement of Guantanamo Bay detainees in Oman than the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These officials can be expected to be equally adamant for much more information on the two men in question. Even with further information, however, post considers it unlikely that Oman would accept either individual. End Comment. GRAPPO To view the entire SMART message, go to URL http://repository.state.sgov.gov/_layouts/OSS SearchResults.aspx?k=messageid:1f3fd8a7-f4f1- 4d20-935d-543db14e06c7