Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04MANAMA351
2004-03-13 13:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Manama
Cable title:  

BAHRAIN AND THE 6OTH SESSION OF THE UN HUMAN

Tags:  PHUM PREL BA UNHRC 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000351 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/RA, NEA/ARP, DRL/MLA, AND IO/SHA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2029
TAGS: PHUM PREL BA UNHRC
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN AND THE 6OTH SESSION OF THE UN HUMAN
RIGHTS COMMISSION

REF: A. STATE 55091


B. MANAMA 338

C. STATE 41252

Classified By: CDA Robert S. Ford for reasons 1.4(b)(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000351

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/RA, NEA/ARP, DRL/MLA, AND IO/SHA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2029
TAGS: PHUM PREL BA UNHRC
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN AND THE 6OTH SESSION OF THE UN HUMAN
RIGHTS COMMISSION

REF: A. STATE 55091


B. MANAMA 338

C. STATE 41252

Classified By: CDA Robert S. Ford for reasons 1.4(b)(d).

1.(C) SUMMARY

Bahrain's senior International Organizations official stated
that his country would support the U.S. candidacy for the
Sub-Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Human
Rights Commission. He indicated basic agreement with U.S.
positions on reglious intolerance and democracy and was open
to U.S. ideas on possible resolutions on development and the
death penalty. With the caveat that Bahrain will, under no
circumstances, vote against Arab Group consensus, Bahrain may
be able to vote with the U.S. on the DPRK, Belarus, Russia
(Chechnya),and Afghanistan. Bahrain supports our Iraq
position. We expect Bahrain to vote against the U.S.
position on Cuba, China, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Zimbabwe.
Bahrain would like to see greater U.S. - Arab Group
cooperation on resolution texts to avoid confrontation with
the U.S. on Middle East human rights resolutions. END
SUMMARY.

BAHRAIN SUPPORTS US SUB-COMMISSION CANDIDACY, OPPOSES CUBA
RESOLUTION

2.(C) P/E Chief reviewed reftel issues on March 10 with MFA
Director for International Organization Affairs Ghassan
Shaikho (strictly protect). Before calling in his
notetakers, Shaikho said he had discussed Bahrain's U.N.
voting record last year with his superiors, highlighting the
fact that Iran voted with the U.S. more than Bahrain.
However, his bosses had reacted with indifference to his
message that Bahrain should at least do better than Iran. He
predicted that Bahrain would again vote against a Cuba
resolution as compensation for Cuban support of Bahrain in
the Commission during the 90's. On a positive note, Shaikho
confided that he had instructed his Mission in Geneva to vote
in favor of David Rivkin's candidacy for the Sub-Commission
for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.
STYLE MATTERS IN VOTE CANVASSING

3.(C) Shaikho also cautioned the U.S. on its diplomatic style
in the Commission, saying that a Gulf country had recently
complained to Bahrain that the U.S. delegation had "bullied"
its delegation in Geneva. Shaikho stated that the U.S.

delegation has a reputation for making "overly strong private
pitches" and presenting resolutions with "excessively
confrontational" preambular language and "harsh" operative
paragraphs. Shaikho suggested that a gentler, softer touch
might win us more votes.

RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE, DEMOCRACY, DEVELOPMENT, DEATH PENALTY,
AND CORPORATE NORMS

4.(C) With notetakers present, Shaikho said that Bahrain
could support the expected Dutch resolution on religious
intolerance if it included last year's language on
anti-Semitism and Islamaphobia. After all, he quipped, Arabs
are Semites. Noting that he had not yet seen a draft,
Shaikho said Bahrain would probably support Rumania's
democracy resolution and he expressed hope that Bahrain, as a
regional leader in political reform and a participant in the
Community of Democracies, would be included in the
Commission's democracy caucus. Shaikho noted our position
that any development resolution be consistent with statements
agreed at the International Conference on Financing for
Development in Monterrey and the WTO Ministerial in Doha.
Bahrain opposes the death penalty, Shaikho said, but
understood our approach and might be able to work with us to
explore options other than an omnibus resolution. He noted
our position on the Sub-Commission's Norms on the human
rights responsibilities of businesses, but made no
substantive comment other than to advise his notetakers to
"watch out for the G-77 position on the issue."

COUNTRY RESOLUTIONS

5.(C) Shaikho stated forthrightly that Bahrain does not like
country resolutions and suggested that offering technical
assistance packages would be a more useful tool for
convincing countries to improve their human rights records.
Shaikho made no promises on a China resolution, but listened
attentively to our list of China's 2003 backsliding on human
rights. (COMMENT: We seriously doubt that Bahrain would
vote against China. END COMMENT) He made clear that Bahrain
could not support us on Iran, but intimated that we could
probably expect Bahraini support on the DPRK. He reiterated
Bahrain's support for our position on Iraq. After asking his
staff to research the Afghanistan Independent Expert concept
in detail, Shaikho suggested we could expect Bahrain's
support here is as well. On the other hand, Shaikho advised
that Bahrain's support for the Turkmenistan resolution would
be unlikely if Turmenistan lobbied the Islamic caucus.
Support for a resolution on Belarus seemed possible, Shaikho
indicated, and was very likely on a Russia (Chechnya)
resolution after the recent assassination in Qatar. Shaikho
concluded that a Bahrain vote for a Zimbabwe resolution would
be impossible unless African consensus broke. He said
African support for Arab Group positions is too important for
an Arab state to vote against Africa Group consensus.

MIDDLE EAST

6.(C) Shaikho implored the U.S. not to support a move to try
to cut by 50 percent the time allotted to Arab Group issues.
He said Bahrain did not want confrontation at the Commission.
Shaikho recommended that the U.S. try to work with the Arabs
to narrow differences on texts. This, he thought, would be a
win/win solution. He mentioned favorably the Bahraini
PerRep's recent meeting with the USDEL leader and suggested
that Bahrain could help facilitate better understanding
between the U.S. and the Arab Group.

COMMENT

7.(C) Bahrain entered the Human Rights Commission with the
goal of vindicating its human rights record, rather than with
the objective of improving human rights around the world.
Bahrain's view appears to have altered during its term on the
Commission; hence our optimism that we may see more support
than previously. However, Bahrain will not break Arab Group
consensus, nor will it vote against those countries that
supported Bahrain during the 90's. END COMMENT.
FORD