SECRET 2. It became clear shortly after Qaboos had wrestedthe Sultanate from his father that he intended to rulein a similarly personal manner. Indeed, I think, hesees himself as a benevolent, liberal and generousversion of his father, whom he admired in many respectsand who was the only pattern before his eyes during hisyears of seclusion in Salalah from 1965 until 1970. Itwas this desire to rule personally which finally causedSayyid Tariq bin Taimur to resign as Prime Minister inDecember 1971. When Tarig realised that there was nochance whatever of his turning Qaboos into a "nicelittle constitutional monarch", he gave up the unequalstruggle - he always engagingly admitted his own laziness - and refused to continue to act as Prime Minister unless he had full Prime Ministerial powers, including responsibility for defence and finance -subjects which from the first the Sultan had jealouslypreserved for himself. Since Tariq's resignation Qabooshas of necessity had to govern even more directly, andnow clearly enjoys doing so.3. Qaboos began by refurbishing, redecorating andadding to his father's palace at Salalah but he wentbeyond this. In Muscat he was persuaded to tear down /the SECRET
