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Patrick X Disney  07/12/2006 08:14:27 AM  From  DB/Inbox:  Patrick X 
Disney

Cable 
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UNCLAS        MUSCAT 01098

SIPDIS
MUSCATCX:
    ACTION: POLE
    INFO:   PAO POLM OMC DAO DCM AMB

DISSEMINATION: POLE
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: AMB:GGRAPPO
DRAFTED: POLE:BMGRIMM
CLEARED: POLE: MSNOWDEN

VZCZCATI150
RR RUEHC RUEHZM RUEHAM
DE RUEHMS #1098 1921316
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111316Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6884
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0424

UNCLAS MUSCAT 001098 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/SAT FECHAVARRIA; OES/PCI MTOKMAN; NEA/ARP 
AMMAN FOR JWHITTLESEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TSPL KGLB PREL SENV MU
SUBJECT: MOVING FORWARD ON MATH AND SCIENCE COLLABORATION 
 
REF: A. ECHAVARRIA-GRIMM TELCON OF 6/19/06 
     ¶B. TOKMAN-GRIMM EMAIL OF 3/23/06 
 
¶1. This is an action request for OES.  Please see paragraph 4. 
 
¶2. On July 11, Econoff delivered ref A reply to Dr. Sana 
Sabeel Sulaiman al-Belushi, Director of the Technical Office 
for Studies and Development, Ministry of Education (MOE). 
Econoff noted that after careful review of the comments made 
by the Ministry, the USG could not accept their suggestions, 
given that the GLOBE Agreement was a standard legal document 
that has been accepted by over 100 global partners. 
Al-Belushi understood the USG position and would speak with 
her colleagues at the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Royal 
Oman Police-Customs to ascertain whether either organization 
would be able to reconsider its position. 
 
¶3.  Econoff also inquired about MOE's interest in 
participating in a USG-sponsored collaborative effort 
regarding the mathematics and science curriculum with 
Jordanian company Rubicon (ref B).  Al-Belushi expressed 
interest in the proposal, but needed further information 
before she could raise it with the Education Minister. 
Specifically, al-Belushi requested further explanation on 
what equipment would be involved with this project, whether 
the instruction would be in Arabic or English, what grade 
level would the pilot project include, whether a contract 
would be involved, whether the Ministry would primarily be 
working with the Jordanian company or with the USG, whether a 
DSL line was necessary, and when the anticipated start date 
of the project would be.  Al-Belushi also raised financial 
considerations, noting that the Ministry worked on a 
five-year plan.  She inquired whether a cost estimate would 
be available for a system that has over 500,000 students 
dispersed through 1,046 schools, and whether corporate 
sponsorship would be possible. 
 
¶4. Action request:  Embassy requests OES to provide responses 
to the questions raised by MOE in paragraph 3. 
 
¶5. Comment.  On the GLOBE program, the Embassy is not certain 
that MOE will be able to convince the Ministry of Legal 
Affairs and ROP-Customs to drop their concerns regarding the 
proposed agreement.  On the Rubicon proposal, while the 
Ministry is interested in learning more about the mechanisms 
of the project, it remains concerned about long-term funding 
of the program should the MOE wish to implement it 
system-wide beyond the pilot stage. 
GRAPPO