MGLE01: FOREIGN MINISTER ON SYRIAN WITHDRAWAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000341 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/ELA E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV BA SY LE SUBJECT: MGLE01: FOREIGN MINISTER ON SYRIAN WITHDRAWAL FROM LEBANON REF: A. MANAMA 319 ¶B. STATE 39018 Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) The Ambassador, noting that he had spoken with King Hamad about the same issue (Ref A),delivered Ref B demarche March 7 concerning the need for a Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon to Foreign Minister/Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa. Shaikh Mohammed said the reason the King called Syrian President Bashar Al Asad March 5 was to encourage him. The King told Bashar, "it is our understanding that Syria is withdrawing all the way" back to Syrian territory. ¶2. (C) Shaikh Mohammed said that he is concerned about Hizballah's statement about complying with the Taif Accord and not UNSCR 1559. Hizballah is protecting its interests (regarding 1559's requirement that Lebanese militias disband and disarm),not Syria's, by calling for implementation of Taif only. He said that Bahrain rejects this position and supports full implementation of UNSCR 1559 and full withdrawal of Syrian forces. He warned that if Bashar adopts Hizballah's stance, he will still be in "a dangerous position." MONROE