BAHRAIN'S FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES DOD SCHOOL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001228

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP
LONDON FOR ETHAN GOLDRICH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2029
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER EAIR ETRD BA IZ
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN'S FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES DOD SCHOOL
AND IRAQI PRIME MINISTER ALLAWI VISIT

Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Susan L. Ziadeh for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY. Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin
Mubarak Al Khalifa stressed to Charge during an August 4
meeting the need to find a way to work together to keep the
most important cultural tie, the Department of Defense
Bahrain School, operational. Shaikh Mohammed conveyed GOB's
offer of financial assistance to help the school transition
to a post-DOD status, if DOD decided it would not sustain the
school for the long term. On Iraq, the Foreign Minister
characterized Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi's August 2 visit a
success during which he met with King Hamad and PM Khalifa.
The GOB did not commit to sending troops to Iraq at this time
in response to Allawi's request. However, Shaykh Mohammed
indicated that any troop commitment would only be done as
part of an overall GCC decision, and that the matter would
likely be raised at the September GCC meeting scheduled to
take place in Riyadh. The Foreign Minister relayed Allawi's
concern that fighters training in the Afghanistan/Iran border
areas are being allowed to transit Iran into Iraq. According
to the Foreign Minister, Allawi solicited GOB's help in
weighing in with Iran on this issue. END SUMMARY.

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THE DOD BAHRAIN SCHOOL
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2. (C) The Foreign Minister welcomed Charge to Bahrain and
quickly turned the discussion to the fate of the Bahrain
School. Shaikh Mohammed told Charge that so often the
bilateral relationship focuses on political and economic
affairs. However, he stressed there should be equal
importance in maintaining cultural ties and that the Bahrain
School is the strongest cultural tie of the bilateral
relationship. The Foreign Minister reiterated that over 350
non-Navy students could be affected by closure of the school
and underscored that Americans who want to establish
businesses in Bahrain could be affected as well if there is
no school for their children. "Closing the school should not
be an option," he said. Shaikh Mohammed admitted that
terrorism exists everywhere but asserted that closing the
school will send a signal to terrorists that their tactic to
disrupt U.S.-Arab relations is working. "We do not want
terrorists to win," he stated. Shaikh Mohammed offered GOB
financial assistance to help DOD transition the school to a
post-DOD status, if necessary. Charge assured the Foreign
Minister that the GOB's views about the school have been
registered in Washington. Charge confirmed that a meeting is
scheduled for August 4 to discuss the issue and she would
again convey to Washington the GOB's great interest in the
fate of the school, its importance to the bilateral
relationship, and the GOB's offer of assistance.

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IRAQI PM MEETS WITH GOB
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3. (C) Shaikh Mohammed then turned the discussion to Iraqi
Prime Minister Allawi's August 2 visit. The Foreign Minister
relayed that Allawi's met with His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa
Al Khalifa and Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa
and thanked the GOB for its continued cooperation and
support. Shaikh Mohammed took pride in the historically
strong relationship between the two countries and noted GOB
actions that demonstrated Bahrain's support of Iraq: Bahrain
assumed protecting power of Iraqi missions in many countries;
the GOB was the first GCC country to recognize the Iraqi
Governing Council (IGC); and the GOB was the first to open
their embassy in Iraq in the post-war era.

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MUSLIM/ARAB TROOPS TO IRAQ
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4. (C) The Foreign Minister attended Allawi's meeting with
the Prime Minister. He relayed that the primary objective of
Allawi's visit was to request the GOB to send troops to Iraq
as peacekeeping and stabilization contingents which would
serve with the current coalition forces. Shaikh Mohammed
indicated the GOB did not commit to send troops at this time
and that any decision to send troops would be done within a
GCC context. The GOB committed to discussing the issue of
sending troops at the upcoming September GCC meeting in
Riyadh. In the meantime, the GOB offered training to be
conducted in Bahrain, to enhance Iraqi naval forces
capabilities.

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IRAQ'S RELATIONSHIP WITH IRAN
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5. (C) The Foreign Minister told the Charge that Allawi is
"not happy" with Iraq's relationship with Iran. Allawi told
the PM that evidence exists that fighters training along the
Afghanistan/Iraq border were being allowed to transit Iran
and foment trouble in Iraq. Prime Minister Allawi requested
the GOB's help to raise this issue with the Iranians. In his
capacity as GCC Chairman, the Foreign Minister informed us he
was meeting with Iran's Ambassador to Bahrain later today.

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ECONOMIC ISSUES
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6. (C) All in all, Shaikh Mohammed considered Allawi's visit
a success and one that established important face-to-face
leadership relations. Seeking their moral support, Allawi
invited the GOB to attend the September Donor Conference in
Tokyo, even though he recognized that the GOB is unable to
contribute monetarily to the reconstruction and development
of Iraq. The Foreign Minister added that Bahrain can be
helpful to Iraq through private sector investment. He also
indicated that the GOB requested consideration of landing
rights in Iraq for Bahrain-based Gulf Airlines, citing
maritime transportation as inefficient if Bahrain is to
pursue business and investment opportunities in Iraq.
ZIADEH