VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMS #0012/01 0061129
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061127Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1100
INFO RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000012 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM PREL MASS MNUC KNNP ETTC MU
SUBJECT: EXBS: OMAN MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE FOR DECEMBER 2009 
 
BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS 
 
1.(SBU) None. 
 
COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
2.(SBU) On December 9, 2009, the EXBS Advisor Team sent a letter to 
Director General of ROP Customs, Brigadier Issa Alkiyumu, 
explaining the upcoming Land Border Tracker Training that EXBS will 
sponsor in Sohar, Oman from January 23-27, 2010. 
 
3.(SBU) On December 15, 2009, the EXBS Advisor Team sent a letter 
to Director General of ROP Customs, Brigadier Issa Alkiyumu, 
thanking him for meeting with the EXBS sponsored team (Bob Hessler, 
EXBS Ankara, and Fred Eissler, CBP) that was recently in Oman to 
conduct a curriculum review and discuss risk assessment.  The 
letter requested a hard copy of the ROP Customs training curriculum 
and pictures of Omani ROP Customs officers carrying out their daily 
duties.  These materials will be used by CBP to create Oman 
specific training slides for use by CBP and when training ROP 
Customs officials. 
 
¶4. (SBU) On December 15, 2009, the EXBS Advisor Team sent a letter 
to Director General of ROP Customs, Brigadier Issa Alkiyumu, 
requesting a list of nominees for the upcoming Land Border Tracker 
Training program in Sohar, Oman from January 23-27, 2010. 
 
MEETINGS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
¶5. (SBU) On January 3, 2010, EXBS Advisor Hoffman and State Econ 
Officer Beth Powers met with ROP Customs officials to discuss the 
U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement and GCC related issues.  The meeting 
was led by ROP Customs officers Saif Mawali and Abdullah Jarwani. 
The EXBS Advisor addressed inquiries regarding risk assessment and 
documentation accompanying U.S. and other goods entering Oman.  The 
Omanis expressed keen interest in the need to develop a systematic 
risk assessment system.  Omani attendees pointed out the window of 
the meeting room to a seized tanker truck they recently caught 
smuggling alcohol into Oman from the UAE to emphasize the realities 
they are up against in targeting and inspecting cargo.  After 
hearing complaints from attendees about difficulties reading VACIS 
images (one attendee pointed out that his VACIS training at the 
Port of Baltimore was not adequate), the EXBS Advisor explained 
that further VACIS training is being scheduled for Oman. 
Attendees also asked if EXBS would be providing radiation detection 
equipment to Oman.  The EXBS Advisor confirmed that such equipment 
would be delivered in the future. 
 
TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
6.(SBU) None. 
 
EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
7.(SBU) None. 
 
IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS REPORT 
 
8.(SBU) The EXBS Advisor Team is making preparations for one week 
of Land Border Tracker Training for ROP Customs officers.  The 
training is scheduled for January 23-27, 2010 in Sohar, Oman and 
will include both classroom and field exercises. 
 
¶9. (SBU) The EXBS Advisor is scheduled to attend a Commodity 
Identification Training (CIT) course January 10-14, 2010 in Dubai, 
UAE.  The EXBS Advisor will make introductory calls with U.S. 
Embassy staff in Abu Dhabi following the training. 
 
10.(SBU) The EXBS Advisor Team is scheduling VACIS and other 
equipment training for ROP Customs officers.  Training will take 
place on VACIS mobile and stationary x-ray equipment previously 
purchased by Oman.  The EXBS team is in the process of confirming 
two weeks in March 2010 for this training. 
 
11.(SBU) The EXBS Advisor is planning to attend an EXBS sponsored 
and DOE-led Analysis of Strategic Commodity Transfers (ASCOT) 
workshop in Amman, Jordan, February 21-23, 2010. 
 
SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR 
RELATED BORDER SECURITY 
 
12.(SBU) Nothing to report. 
 
PORTAL MONITOR ALERTS 
 
13.(SBU) Nothing to report. 
 
RED FLAG ISSUES 
 
14.(SBU) Nothing to report. 
Schmierer