From: <a href="http://www.aftenposten.no/spesial/wikileaksdokumenter/article3956268.ece">Aftenposten</a><br>
Date: 25.4.2005.

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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000679
SIPDIS
STATE FOR 
NP/CBM, EUR/PRA, NEA/ARPI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2015 
TAGS: ETTC, PARM, PREL, IR, MU, International Relations 
SUBJECT: URGENT PSI REQUEST - NEED FINANCIAL, LEGAL DETAILS
REF: A. MUSCAT 672
B. STATE 74305 
C. BERLIN 1356 
D. RIYADH 2707 
E. OSLO 588 
F. MUSCAT 330
Classified By: Ambassador Richard L. Baltimore III. 
Reason: 1.4 (b, d, e).

1. (U) This is an urgent action request for Berlin, Oslo and 
State. See para 6.
2. (S) Summary: Various sources have indicated that the Norwegian 
captain of the vessel transporting a suspicious crane shipment
to Iran is contemplating off-loading the goods in Oman.  The
German Ambassador reported resistance from the Omani Foreign
Under Secretary April 24 to Omani government involvement in
seizing the shipment, particularly in light of questionable
legal grounds and fears of harming bilateral relations with
Iran. We plan to meet with the Foreign Minister on April 26 to
broach the issue of Oman's possible cooperation, and
anticipate questions about who will incur expected costs and
whether Oman could be subject to legal judgment should it
cooperate with the ship's captain. We seek urgent guidance
from addressees on this score. End summary.

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Germans Rebuffed in Muscat 
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3. (S) German Ambassador Helmut Blankenstein informed us
April 25 that he made an oral demarche to MFA Under Secretary
Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi on April 24 urging Oman's cooperation
under PSI to interdict the suspicious crane shipment to Iran
(ref B). Sayyid Badr, however, was not supportive. Along the
lines of the Norwegian government (ref E), Sayyid Badr
reportedly raised objections that Oman has no apparent legal
basis to interdict the shipment. Moreover, in the absence of a
clear legal mandate, Oman feared that taking action would only
serve to damage its sensitive relationship with Iran.  Sayyid
Badr was willing to look at any supporting documentation that
might provide a legal basis for Omani action. (Note: The
German Ambassador provided no documentation in the meeting,
but is requesting it from Berlin. End note.) The Under
Secretary's advice was that Germany or other allied nations
intercept the shipment in international waters. When the
German Ambassador appealed for Omani help on the basis of PSI
principles, Sayyid Badr reportedly replied that Oman is not a
party to PSI, however much it may support its objectives.

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Captain Willing to Cooperate 
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4. (S) Ambassador Blankenstein shared with us the news that his 
counterpart in Riyadh did not approach the Saudi government
for assistance while the ship was in port in Jeddah (confirmed
in ref D). He expressed his understanding (as stated in ref C)
that the Norwegian ship captain is, however, willing to unload
the cargo in Muscat's Port Sultan Qaboos should he be asked,
though he wondered if Oman, given the Under Secretary's
position, would be willing to entertain that option.

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Anticipated Concerns 
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5. (S) As we shared with the Germans, we plan to approach 
Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi
directly on April 26 to request Oman's cooperation.
Notwithstanding the Under Secretary's statement on PSI, the
Minister assured the Ambassador in March (ref F) that Oman
would consider any PSI request. But given the very real sensi
tivities about relations with Iran, we anticipate that Oman's
cooperation (if any) may be limited to merely permitting the
ship captain to unload his cargo and arrange for its return to
Europe. If so, we likewise anticipate that Oman will first
require iron-clad assurances that a responsible party will
cover all related expenses. We made this point to the German
Ambassador and requested that he pursue this point with
Berlin. Oman may likewise raise concerns about being embroiled
in a legal custody battle should it cooperate.

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Action Request 
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6. (S) In light of the Ambassador's expected demarche to the 
Omani Foreign Minister on April 26, we urgently request any
information that can be provided to reassure Oman that it will
not incur financial costs for any cooperation it renders, nor
will it be subject to legal judgment should the Iranian owner
or other party file suit. Our meeting with the Omani Minister
Responsible for Foreign Affairs is scheduled for April 26
prior to OOB Washington time.

BALTIMORE 
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