BAHRAIN AND ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000002 SIPDIS TO UNDERSECRETARY BOLTON AND RACHEL GALLECO DEPT FOR NEA; NEA/ARP; PM/B - AMB. BODINE E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2013 TAGS: MARR PREL BA SUBJECT: BAHRAIN AND ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT REF: A. BOLTON/NEUMANN TELECOM DECEMBER 19 ¶B. GALLECO EMAIL DECEMBER 19 Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Ronald E. Neumann. Reasons 1.4 (B)(D). ¶1. (C) I discussed with Foreign Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak on December 31 the possibility of Bahrain's completing the Article 98 Agreement through a secret exchange of notes rather than by parliamentary ratification. Although Bahrain's foreign ministry has consistently said ratification was necessary. I took Shaikh Mohammed through our practice of executive agreements as an alternative to treaties. I pointed out that we often have confidential agreements of this type. I also updated him on the number of countries with whom we have signed Article 98 agreements. Drawing on ref conversation and e-mail I noted Moroccan and Egyptian progress. ¶2. (C) Shaikh Mohammed was interested in the idea of an executive agreement that could be kept confidential. He asked his private secretary to work with the legal department to see if this could be done. This was not a firm commitment, but we will go back in a week or two and see to what conclusions they have come. NEUMANN