FORUM FOR THE FUTURE: MINISTERIAL OPENING AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001668

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STATE FOR NEA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM KMPI EAID PGOV PREL PHUM BA AF CA JA PK TU OVIP RICE CONDOLEEZZA
SUBJECT: FORUM FOR THE FUTURE: MINISTERIAL OPENING AND
CLOSING SESSIONS



1. (U) November 12, 2005; 9:00 a.m., Manama, Bahrain.


2. (U) Participants: G8 and BMENA Foreign Ministers

Speakers:
Secretary Rice

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Bahrain FM Shaikh Khalid Al-Khalifa
Moroccan FM Benaissa
UK Foreign Secretary Straw
Jordan Planning Minister Al-Ali
Russia Deputy Foreign Minister Saltanov

Peter Mulrean, Kirk Wolcott (notetakers)


3. (U) SUMMARY. The Ministerial Session of the second Forum
for the Future, held November 12 in Manama, opened with
statements from Secretary Rice and Foreign Ministers from the
UK, Morocco, and host government Bahrain, noting progress
made since last December's Forum and the need to continue
working together to foster vital reforms throughout the
region. The Secretary expressed the main theme of this
year's Forum when she stressed the importance of partnership
with civil society and praised the participation of 40 civil
society representatives, compared to just five in last year's
gathering. Jordan announced it will host the third Forum,
scheduled for next year. And Russia, as the incoming G8
President, closed out the event by encouraging others to
continue building on the reform agenda in the Broader Middle
East and North Africa (BMENA) region, using proposals from
this year's Forum as the way forward. END SUMMARY.

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Bahrain FM Al-Khalifa
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4. (U) Bahraini FM Al-Khalifa opened the meeting by stating
that the Forum for the Future represents fundamental human
values and that the objective of the gathering was to
reaffirm support for reform throughout the region. Bahrain
had made progress in political, economic and social areas and
had included civil society in the reform process. To ensure
the success of reforms, societies must recognize the
importance of empowering women and respecting human rights.
Acknowledging that every country has specific political and
cultural circumstances, Al-Khalifa nonetheless called on all
countries to do their utmost to move forward on these common
objectives. Stability and peace are fundamental to progress,
and reform is "on the move" in Iraq. He announced that Jordan
had agreed to host next year's Forum for the Future
conference.

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UK FS Straw
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5. (U) UK FS Straw stated that since change in the region
would benefit all, it must be driven by all. There are three
keys to ensuring the success of reforms: first, including
civil society in the process; second, providing quality
education to all citizens; and third, establishing inclusive
government. Developments in the region over the past year
represent a gradual shift towards democracy in the region.
The issues on the agenda of the Forum would have been taboo
for discussion only a few years ago. He stated his hope that
the EU's Barcelona process would take concrete steps in
support of these priority issues at the Ministerial meeting
later this month.

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Moroccan FM Benaissa
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6. (U) Moroccan FM Benaissa stated that G8 and BMENA
partners must move forward hand-in-hand on the full range of
issues under discussion. Respecting countries, individual
circumstances is important, but the Forum puts the individual
at the center of reform efforts. All partners should take
concrete reform steps, keeping the respect for human rights
and the rule of law as the basis for action. The Democracy
Assistance Dialogue (DAD) meeting in September and the
creation of Entrepreneurship Centers in Morocco (and Bahrain)
are examples of the GOM's progress on BMENA initiatives over
the past year. The region still suffers from violence and
bloodshed, however, and regional disputes must be resolved.

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The Secretary
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7. (U) The Secretary expressed outrage and condolences to
both Jordan and other countries that had lost citizens in the
recent bombings in Amman. This serves as a reminder that
there are those who have a very different vision of the
future for the region than Forum participants do. There has
been "tremendous expansion of liberty in the Greater Middle
East" since the Forum in Rabat last year, including
Palestinian and Egyptian elections and the people of Lebanon
rising up to drive Syrians out of their country. The U.S.
supports the people of Syria and calls for the release of
detained opposition figures, including Kamal Labwani.


8. (U) Referring to underlying principles of democracy, the
Secretary stressed that the road to achieving these is

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difficult, as America's own experience demonstrates. A
partnership with civil society is important, as is
demonstrated by the participation of 40 civil society
representatives in this year's Forum, as opposed to five in
last year's. The Forum should transcend differences and
reaffirm the universal support for democracy. The people of
the region are making this goal seem inevitable.

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Closing Session
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9. (U) Representatives from Jordan, as the host of the next
Forum for the Future in 2006, and Russia, as the next holder
of the G8 Presidency, made closing remarks supporting
continuation of the reform process. Minister Al-Ali said
that the Forum has gained momentum since its inception in
2004, most notably in the participation this year of a wide
range of NGOs not permitted during the first Forum in
Morocco, as well as the cooperative atmosphere of
constructive dialogue that has developed between civil
society and governments since then. To maintain this
momentum, Jordan proposed to host an interim Senior Officials
Meeting before the next Forum to examine progress on
proposals put forward by the delegates in Bahrain.


10. (U) Russian Deputy FM Saltanov said his country would
continue supporting the BMENA reform agenda. Two specific
problems, however, need to be overcome to ensure continued
progress in the future: first, unsettled conflicts, such as
those in Iraq, Israel/Palestinians, and Lebanon/Syria; and
second, the ongoing transformation of the BMENA region with
respect to the wider globalization process. G8 countries
should continue providing assistance, both financially and
through a series of reform programs, such as those
encapsulated in the Forum for the Future process.

MONROE