HOUSE ACTION ON ESF FOR OMAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B01370R000801120120-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 30, 2010
• Sequence Number: 120
• Publication Date: March 7, 1984
• Content Type: CABLE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/02 : CIA-RDP90BO137OR000801120120-7
OLL/LD
INCOMING
PAGE 001
TOR: 071012Z MAR 84
00 RUEAIIB
ZNY CCCCC ZOC STATE ZZH
STU9924
00 RUEHC
DE RUOMMT #1408 0670915
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
0 070853Z MAR 84
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4018
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
ST
C 0 N F I DENT I A L MUSCAT 1408
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: EAID, PREL, MU
SUBJECT: HOUSE ACTION ON ESF FOR OMAN
2. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT HFAC'S RECOMMENDATION AGAINST DOLS 5
MILLION INCREASE IN ESF APPEARS TO HAVE RESULTED FROM A LACK OF
UNDERSTANDING BY THE HFAC OF JUST WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED SINCE
THE JOINT COMMISSION FORMALLY OPENED ITS DOORS IN MAY 1981. THE
COMMISSION IS NOW A FUNCTIONING VIABLE JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN THE
TWO GOVERNMENTS. PROJECTS TOTALING DOLS 135 MILLION HAVE BEEN
DESIGNED AND APPROVED WITH OMAN GOVERNMENT COMMITMENTS TO THESE
PROJECTS TOTALING DOLS 67.2 MILLION. HFAC'S CRITICISM THAT THE RATE
OF DISBURSEMENT OF U.S. OBLIGATION OF DOLS 35 MILLION THROUGH FY
83 IS TOO SLOW TO WARRANT INCREASING THE LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE SHOULD
BE ADDRESSED. THE DISBURSEMENTS OF DOLS 890,000 THROUGH FY 83 DOES
NOT REFLECT A LACK OF PROGRESS IN PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION. SINCE
MOST OF THE PROJECTS UTILIZE THE COST REIMBURSEMENT METHOD OF
DISBURSING FUNDS, PROGRESS IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE ACCRUED/ACTUAL
DISBURSEMENTS UNTIL FY 84 AND FY 85. PROJECTED ACCRUED/ACTUAL
DISBURSEMENTS AGAINST THE DOLS 35 MILLION OBLIGATED TOTALS DOLS 11
MILLION THROUGH FY 84 AND DOLS 14.4 MILLION IN FY 85 OR A TOTAL OF
DOLS 25.4 MILLION (73 PERCENT). THIS IS A VERY GOOD RATE OF DIS-
BURSEMENTS BY ANY STANDARD AND SHOULD SATISFY FHAC'S CONCERNS.
3. WE HOPE DEPARTMENT AND AID CAN USE THESE FACTS BOTH IN FOLLOW-
UP DISCUSSIONS WITH HAMILTON SUB-COMMITTEE AND WITH APPROPRIATE
SENATORS AND STAFFERS WHEN REQUEST IS REVIEWED ON SENATE SIDE. IF
ADDITIONAL FACTS ARE REQUIRED, PLEASE ADVISE.
4. AMBASSADOR'S COMMENT: I AM PARTICULARLY CONCERNED THAT THIS
PROBLEM IS ARISING AT THIS TIME. WHEN WE ARE EXPERIENCING A NUMBER
OF PROBLEMS IN OUR MILITARY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OMANIS. ONLY
LAST WEEK DURING THE COURSE OF A GENERAL DISCUSSION OF JOINT
COMMISSION MATTERS WITH MFA UNDERSECRETARY (AND OMANI JC CHAIRMAN)
BATTASHI, BATTASHI EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT JC FUNDING COULD BE
INCREASED. I WAS ABLE TO POINT AT THAT TIME TO THE ADMINISTRATION'S
REQUEST FOR THE ADDITIONAL FIVE MILLION DOLLARS FOR FY 85-- OF
WHICH BATTASHI HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY INFORMED--AND STATED THAT THIS
ILLUSTRATED THE ADMINISTRATION'S DESIRE TO CARRY ON AND EVEN EXPAND
THE COMMISSION'S ACTIVITIES. IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT THAT AS
OMAN PASSES THROUGH A PERIOD IN WHICH IT IS WEIGHING THE POLITICAL
~en~Fisero~+ar
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/02 : CIA-RDP90BO137OR000801120120-7
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/02 : CIA-RDP90B01370R000801120120-7
CONFIDENTIAL
84 3561912 SCO PAGE 002 NC 3561912
TOR: 071012Z MAR 84
------------------------------------------------------------------------
COSTS AND BENEFITS OF A CLOSE COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE US
IN THE DEFENSE AND SECURITY FIELDS THAT WE BE ABLE TO POINT TO A
STRONG JOINT COMMISSION EFFORT IN SUPPORT OF OMAN'S NON-DEFENSE
RELATED DEVELOPMENT NEEDS.
COUNTRYMAN
END OF MESSAGE CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/02 : CIA-RDP90B01370R000801120120-7