BAHRAINI MFA WITH US ON IRAQ RESOLUTION AT UNCHR

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000227 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2029 TAGS: BA IZ PHUM PREL SUBJECT: BAHRAINI MFA WITH US ON IRAQ RESOLUTION AT UNCHR REF: A. MANAMA 217 ¶B. STATE 32070 Classified By: CDA Robert Ford, reason 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (C) BAHRAINI MFA DIRECTOR FOR INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION AFFAIRS TOLD POL/ECON CHIEF ON FEBRUARY 17 THAT BAHRAIN AND SEVERAL OTHER ARAB COUNTRIES ARE NOT INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING THE ALGERIAN RESOLUTION ABOUT IRAQ BEFORE THE UNCHR. (HE CITED KUWAIT AS ANOTHER ARAB COUNTRY TAKING THIS STANCE.) ACCORDING TO OUR MFA SOURCE, THE BAHRAINI PERMREP IN GENEVA IS UNSURE WHETHER THE ALGERIAN IS ACTING UNDER DIRECT INSTRUCTIONS FROM ALGIERS OR IS INSTEAD ACTING ON HIS OWN IN PUTTING FORWARD THIS RESOLUTION. OUR MFA SOURCE SUGGESTED THAT ARAB COUNTRIES WILL LET THE RESOLUTION DIE ITS OWN QUIET DEATH, AND IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR THE U.S. NOT TO RAISE ITS PROFILE DURING THAT PROCESS. THE MFA OFFICIAL SPECULATED THAT THE ALGERIAN PERMREP MIGHT HAVE CONFERRED WITH EUROPEAN REPRESENTATIVES BEFORE PUTTING THE RESOLUTION FORWARD, BUT THE BAHRAINI MFA HAS NO INFORMATION. ¶2. (C) THE MFA SOURCE REPORTED THAT THE BAHRAINI PERMREP ALSO HAS TOLD MANAMA THAT THE IRAQI DELEGATION IN GENEVA HAS REMAINED AMBIGUOUS ABOUT THE ALGERIAN RESOLUTION. ACCORDING TO THE BAHRAINIS, THE IRAQIS ARE TELLING THE ARAB DELEGATIONS IN GENEVA THAT THE IRAQIS DO NOT OBJECT TO RENEWING THE MANDATE OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR TO COVER THE SADDAM REGIME AND THE POST-APRIL 9 GOVERNMENT. THE BAHRAINI MFA SOURCE ADDED THAT THE BAHRAINI PERMREP IS REPORTING TO MANAMA THAT THE IRAQI DELEGATION IN GENEVA SEES NO NEED FOR A SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR TO INVESTIGATE CRIMES FROM THE SADDAM ERA BECAUSE THE SADDAM REGIME IS GONE AND THE NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT CAN HANDLE THE INVESTIGATIONS ON ITS OWN. FORD