SHAIKH MOHAMMED PRAISES LONDON MEETING, ABU

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000340

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/IPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2015
TAGS: PREL EAID KPAL BA
SUBJECT: SHAIKH MOHAMMED PRAISES LONDON MEETING, ABU
MAZEN'S PERFORMANCE


Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (C) Foreign Minister/Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh
Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa told the Ambassador March 7
that the March 1 London conference for assistance to the
Palestinians was a great success. In a meeting covering
several topics (septels),Shaikh Mohammed said that the focus
of the conference was on moving forward -- developing the
Palestinian Authority's capacity to run a state, and
achieving progress on the roadmap now that it is "on the
table." He appreciated his discussion with the Secretary on
the margins of the conference and said he had invited her to
visit Bahrain. He stated that the Secretary gave a very
positive speech using balanced language.


2. (C) Abu Mazen was very impressive at the conference,
Shaikh Mohammed said. He has a clear vision, is realistic,
wants peace, and is working for his people to have a
respectable life. Abu Mazen used the same language both
publicly and privately, saying that the bombers are working
against both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples. Shaikh
Mohammed worried that extremists might try to harm Abu Mazen
because of his efforts.


3. (C) The Ambassador responded that it was important for
the Arabs to publicly support Abu Mazen and to provide
financial assistance. Shaikh Mohammed stated that the Arabs
want to see a signal that Israel will respect official aid.
He claimed that many times Arab donors have witnessed Israel
destroying projects funded with Arab money. He said that
Bahrain previously gave $3 million in assistance to the
Palestinians, and he had announced at the conference
Bahrain's offer to provide technical assistance to the
Palestinian financial sector and future training at the
G-8/BMENA Entrepreneurship Center. Palestinian Finance
Minister Fayyad personally thanked Shaikh Mohammed, saying,
"we want people to teach us to fish, not just give us fish."


4. (C) Shaikh Mohammed said that at the Arab League (AL)
Foreign Ministers meeting in Cairo following the London
conference, Syrian Foreign Minister Sharaa made a statement
about the Israel-Palestinian situation. Shaikh Mohammed said
it was like Sharaa was "living in the past," and he
challenged Sharaa, confronting him with Abu Mazen's own
words. This was quite different from the type of discourse
during Arafat's time, Shaikh Mohammed commented.


5. (C) Shaikh Mohammed said that he and his Tunisian and
Algerian counterparts (the "troika" of former, current, and
future AL chairs) met with the Iraqi Under Secretary for
Foreign Affairs at the AL meeting about developing a
favorable resolution on Iraq for the upcoming AL Summit in
Algiers. He is confident the outcome will be positive. He
told the Ambassador that King Hamad will lead the Bahraini
delegation in Algiers, not Crown Prince Salman as had been
announced previously.

MONROE