BAHRAIN: SEEKING PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR DECEMBER 15

UNCLAS MANAMA 001872 SIPDIS SENSITVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM KPAO BA IZ REGION SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: SEEKING PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR DECEMBER 15 IRAQ ELECTION REF: A. STATE 225860 ¶B. MANAMA 1827 Sensitive but unclassified; please protect accordingly. Not for Internet distribution. ¶1. (SBU) Pol/Econ Chief December 20 delivered Ref A demarche calling for public statements in support of Iraq's political process to MFA Director for Bilateral Affairs Dhafer Al Umran. Al Umran noted that the GCC Summit, which concluded December 19 in Abu Dhabi, had issued a statement welcoming the parliamentary elections and the participation of all sects in the democratic process and expressing the hope that a new chapter in the modern history of Iraq would open as a result. He said he would pass our request for additional supporting statements to Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa. ¶2. (U) Per Ref B, the Bahraini Cabinet December 11 issued a statement urging all Iraqis to vote in the elections. It called the elections a major step toward stability, paving the way for a united Iraq. ZIADEH