Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04MANAMA485
2004-04-06 13:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Manama
Cable title:  

BAHRAIN NON-COMMITTAL ON CUBA AND CHINA UNCHR

Tags:  PHUM PREL BA UNHRC 
pdf how-to read a cable
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 MANAMA 000485 

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2014
TAGS: PHUM PREL BA UNHRC
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN NON-COMMITTAL ON CUBA AND CHINA UNCHR
RESOLUTIONS

REF: STATE 74060

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Robert Ford, reason 1.5 (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000485

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2014
TAGS: PHUM PREL BA UNHRC
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN NON-COMMITTAL ON CUBA AND CHINA UNCHR
RESOLUTIONS

REF: STATE 74060

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Robert Ford, reason 1.5 (d)


1. (U) Foreign Affairs MinState Muhammad Abdulghaffar
responded to Charge's April 3 delivery of reftel demarche
with a promise to refer the matter to his staff and Geneva
mission for study. On April 6, MFA Director for
International Organization Affairs said he had of no new
instructions and would relay our latest request for
abstentions on the Cuba and China UNCHR resolutions to his
superiors.


2. (C) Comment: So far, we sense little traction in Manama
for our efforts to bring Bahrain to abstain on these two
votes. The MFA is aware of Assistant Secretary Holmes'
demarche to the Bahraini Ambassador in Washington last week,
but we can perceive no change in Bahraini tone yet. It looks
like it will be an uphill battle to secure these Bahraini
voting abstentions; the Bahrainis don't like to make waves
and they don't like to break Arab ranks. We should be
prepared to make continued passes at the Bahrainis here and
in Washington. If there are other Arab states that are going
to be helpful on these resolutions, that be a useful argument
with the GoB.
FORD