BAHRAINI CROWN PRINCE SAYS SHEIKH YASSIN KILLING

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000404

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2014
TAGS: BA KISL PREL
SUBJECT: BAHRAINI CROWN PRINCE SAYS SHEIKH YASSIN KILLING
BLOW TO ARAB REFORMERS

Classified By: CDA Robert Ford, reason 1.5 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Bahraini Crown Prince Sheikh Salman told CENTCOM's
General Abizaid March 24 that the killing of Sheikh Yassin
was a setback to those in the Arab World who want more and
faster reforms. Notably, he said the Bahraini Government
(still the chair of the Arab League) has heard that the Tunis
Arab League summit may be delayed as a result of the killing.
He added that some Arab League members are even shopping the
idea of withdrawing from the table Saudi Crown Prince
Abdallah's peace initiative until after Israeli PM Sharon
departs the scene. Salman also doubted the Tunis summit now
would do much to address reform issues.


2. (C) Salman stressed that without progress on the
Israel-Palestinian peace process, it would be impossible for
America's Middle East regional reform initiative to succeed.
Events like the killing of Sheikh Yassin make it easy for
conservatives who don't want change to hold up reform in the
name of solving the Palestinian problem first. Too many
people in the region, he commented, want to blame outsiders
for their problems, and the Palestinian issue is the perfect
foil. He urged the U.S. Government to engage more seriously
on the peace process to enable reformers to advance their own
agenda.


3. (C) Separately, the host of one of Manama's largest
political salons blasted Charge on the evening of March 22
over the killing of Sheikh Yassin. This host, an older and
very successful, British-educated businessman said Bahrainis
perceive that a particular lobby is responsible for what he
labeled America's uneven approach to the Arab-Israeli
dispute. That lobby does not, he claimed, understand
America's real interests in the region. If such interest
groups constitute America's vision of democracy, he concluded
acidly, then people in Bahrain want no part of it.
FORD