Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09MUSCAT737
2009-07-13 08:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Muscat
Cable title:
OMAN-IRAN: HM/YBA VISITS; SECURITY AGREEMENT
how-toVZCZCXRO5425 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK DE RUEHMS #0737 1940824 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O R 130826Z JUL 09 FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0597 INFO IRAN COLLECTIVE RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000737
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/07/13
TAGS: PREL MU IR
SUBJECT: OMAN-IRAN: HM/YBA VISITS; SECURITY AGREEMENT
REF: A) MUSCAT 621; B) MUSCAT 441
C) HURTADO-STEINFELD E-MAILS OF 7/12/09
CLASSIFIED BY: L. Victor Hurtado, CdA; REASON: 1.4(B),(D)
1 (C) The Charge' d'Affaires called on MFA SecGen Sayyid Badr bin
Hamad al-Humud Al Busaidi July 13 to discuss recent events in
Oman-Iran relations. Referring to the last discussion of Sultan
Qaboos's plans to visit Oman June 28-29 (ref a),the Charge'
requested an update. Sayyid Badr noted that the Sultan's visit had
been rescheduled for o/a July 19, but Oman was now working toward
setting an early August date.
¶2. (C) On Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusif Bin Ali's
(YbA) recent visit to Tehran and talk of an Oman-Iran "security
agreement," Sayyid Badr explained that the visit involved
discussions on rescheduling what will be the Sultan's first visit
to Iran since the time of the Shah. It also involved further
discussions on an agreement that will focus on drug and human
smuggling from Iran into Oman along the Batinah coast (ref b). He
noted that YbA was carrying some of the negotiation load on this
agreement because the Minister of Interior was not available.
¶3. (C) More broadly, Sayyid Badr complimented President Obama's
diplomatic efforts in the region. He believed that they were
bearing fruit by creating "positive pressures." He believed that
the return of an American ambassador to Damascus was another step
toward gradually increasing U.S. leverage in the region.
¶4. (C) COMMENT: The Sultan is in a tough spot. He is publicity
shy, and a visit to Iran now is sure to garner a lot of unwanted,
negative attention. Having committed to visit Iran after many
years of holding off Iranian entreaties, the Sultan appears to be
trying to put as much time as possible between his visit and Iran's
post-election crisis. It also appears that one outcome of Sultan's
visit may be the anti-smuggling agreement. END COMMENT.
HURTADO