CROWN PRINCE DISCUSSES INTERNAL, EXTERNAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001421 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV ETRD KMPI KWMN BA IR IZ SUBJECT: CROWN PRINCE DISCUSSES INTERNAL, EXTERNAL SITUATIONS WITH AMBASSADOR REF: A. MANAMA 1394 ¶B. MANAMA 1347 Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Crown Prince Salman told the Ambassador September 25 that he was pleased with the closure of the Israel boycott office and the prospect of congressional ratification of the free trade agreement. He noted that (then) Foreign Minister Shaikh Mohammed had met with the Israeli deputy foreign minister on the margins of the UNGA in New York. The CP had met with Iranian President Ahmadinejad, and he characterized the new president as a deeply conservative realist who will do what is necessary to push his agenda, which included expanding Iran's presence in the Gulf. Shaikh Salman expressed concern about progress on the Iraqi constitution and hoped that support for the constitution would grow following ratification by the people. He is also worried about Iranian meddling inside Iraq. He commented on the resignation of hard-liners from leading Shia opposition society Al Wifaq, saying the nature of the relationship between the hard-liners and mainstream Al Wifaq members was still unclear. The CP discussed the proposed spring 2006 conference on women's legal and political rights and provided background biographic information on new Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid. End Summary. -------------- CP Pleased with Closure of Boycott Office -------------- ¶2. (C) In their September 25 meeting, Crown Prince Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa told the Ambassador that he had just returned from New York, where he had addressed the UN General Assembly for the first time. While in New York, Finance Minister Shaikh Ahmed had contacted him from Washington about ensuring progress on congressional ratification of the U.S.-Bahrain free trade agreement. The CP said that he had directed Shaikh Ahmed to close down the Israeli boycott office, and the Ambassador confirmed that this action had been taken. Saying he was pleased with this development, the CP warned that some members of parliament would likely complain loudly about the office's closure when parliament returned to session on October 1. The CP stated that (then) Foreign Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa had met with Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister "in a low-key manner" on the margins of the UNGA in New York. (Note: We had not heard news of the meeting from any other source, and there has been no press coverage of the meeting.) -------------- NY Meeting with Ahmadinejad -------------- ¶3. (C) Shaikh Salman said that he had met with Iranian President Ahmadinejad while in New York. He reported that Ahmadinejad told him that "a weak Iraq is a good thing," so its neighbors did not need to fear Iraqi aggression. More ominously, Ahmadinejad at the same time said that Iran wanted to boost its presence in the Gulf. The CP stated that Ahmadinejad is "not a nice guy," a very direct person who is deeply conservative. Ahmadinejad is a realist who will do "what is necessary" to push his agenda. In the CP's view, Ahmadinejad is using the nuclear issue to try to drive a wedge in the trans-Atlantic relationship. Ahmadinejad raised the nuclear issue in the meeting, but the CP said they didn't discuss it substantively. -------------- Iraq Concerns -------------- ¶4. (C) The Crown Prince said the current period was "delicate" for Iraq and worrisome. He hoped that support for the constitution would gather momentum after ratification. He said he had heard more and more about Iranian interference in Iraqi domestic affairs. Iran had reaped the most short-term gains in Iraq. The CP asked whether the international community was willing to allow the formation of "an Iranian-backed government" in Iraq and continued Iranian meddling. ¶5. (C) The CP worried that divisions between the various communities inside Iraq could lead to a tenuous relationship between the different sectors of the country. He warned that the southern part of the country was becoming increasingly conservative, perhaps because of Iranian influence there. Iran is paying "thousands" of people in Iraq for their support, the Kurds are doing their own thing, and the Sunnis are confused about the future. Echoing his UNGA address, the CP said that religion should be above politics, in Iraq and elsewhere. -------------- Split in Al Wifaq -------------- ¶6. (C) In response to the Ambassador's question, Shaikh Salman said that Bahrainis had to a great extent accepted the new political societies law. People are getting "sick and tired" of all the political posturing in Bahrain. He noted that several hard-liners had split from leading Shia opposition society Al Wifaq, and the nature of their future relationship with Al Wifaq was still unclear (Ref B). The CP commented that the Bahraini political scene would experience an interesting period over the next few years. -------------- Conference on Women's Legal, Political Rights -------------- ¶7. (C) The Ambassador asked about planning for a regional conference on women's issues to held in 2006. The CP responded that the conference would likely be held in spring 2006, as a follow up to the November 2005 Forum for the Future conference and at a time when Bahrainis will be preparing for municipal and parliamentary elections. The conference will focus on women's legal and political rights, and the need for both leadership from above and grassroots organization from below. The CP said that he had asked First Lady (his mother) Shaikha Sabika to host the conference under the auspices of the Supreme Council for Women. Former Justice Minister Jawad Al Arrayedh, who was instrumental in organizing the September 2003 regional Judicial Forum in Bahrain, will assist in the planning and implementation of the conference. -------------- New Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid -------------- ¶8. (C) Speaking on the eve of the cabinet reshuffle (Ref A), the CP said that new Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid had been a second secretary at the Bahraini Embassy in Washington before a posting as public affairs director of the CP's court, where he had focused on issues related to the dispute with Qatar over Hawar island. Shaikh Khalid has no children, but he is very close to his sister Amira's children, who currently are students at the DOD Bahrain School and Cornell University. MONROE