VZCZCXYZ0371
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMS #1138 3471219
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131218Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1037
INFO RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT

UNCLAS MUSCAT 001138 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM PREL MASS MNUC KNNP KSTC ETTC MU
SUBJECT: EXBS: OMAN MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE FOR NOVEMBER 2009 
 
BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS 
 
1.(SBU) None. 
 
COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
2.(SBU) On November 3, the EXBS Advisor received from the Director 
General of Omani Customs, Brigadier General Issa Al-Kiyummi, a 
signed end-user form to permit the delivery of thermal imagers to 
Oman. 
 
MEETINGS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
3.(SBU) From December  5-9, the EXBS Advisor and Program Assistant 
accompanied visiting EXBS Advisor Bob Hessler and CBP Officer Fred 
Eisler to meetings at the Directorate General of Customs, Muscat 
International Airport, The Port of Muscat, and Oman's land border 
crossing at Wyjaja on the northern border with the UAE .  The team 
was in Oman to review the customs curriculum of the Royal Omani 
Police Customs Directorate, and to discuss Omani efforts to develop 
a risk assessment program. 
 
The group met with with the Director General of Customs, Brigadier 
General Issa Al-Kiyummi, Director of Investigations and Risk 
Assessment, Lt. Colonel Naji Al-Abri, Director of Training for 
customs, Captain Abdullah Al-Balushi, and with various other Omani 
Customs officials at Customs headquarters at the outset of their 
visit.  They walked through the existing curriculum focusing on key 
areas for follow-up, and discussed the general theory of risk 
assessment and how we apply it in practice in the United States. 
During site visits at the various points of entry (airport, 
seaport, land border), the team was given an overview of Omani 
entry, inspection, clearance and risk assessment procedures. 
 
Omani officials explained their lack of a formal risk assessment 
process or system.  They noted they would like training in this 
area and the eventual development of a nationwide computer network 
linking all Omani points of entry so that risk assessment data can 
be shared between various Omani agencies to target high risk cargo 
and individuals. 
 
(Note -During the meeting with the DG of Customs, EXBS Advisor 
Hessler and CBP Officer Eisler suggested that the DG and senior 
staff visit the United States to tour U.S. Customs operations, the 
Customs Academy, and the National Targeting Center.  The DG replied 
that he would like to visit depending on timing.  The DG mentioned 
that he had a trip to the United States planned in the recent past 
that was subsequently canceled due to a scheduling conflict - End 
Note). 
 
TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
4.(SBU) None. 
 
EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
5.(SBU) None. 
 
IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS REPORT 
 
6.(SBU) The EXBS Advisor team is scheduling one week of Ground 
Sensor Tracker Training for Omani Customs and Border Security 
officers.  The training is scheduled for January 23-27, 2010 in 
Sohar, Oman. 
 
7.(SBU) The EXBS Advisor team is scheduling VACIS training for 
Omani Customs officers.  Training will take place on VACIS mobile 
and stationary x-ray equipment previously purchased by the 
Government of Oman.  The training will take place in February 2010 
on a date to be determined. 
 
SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR 
RELATED BORDER SECURITY 
 
8.(SBU) Nothing to report. 
 
PORTAL MONITOR ALERTS 
 
9.(SBU) Nothing to report. 
 
RED FLAG ISSUES 
 
10.(SBU) Nothing to report. 
Schmierer