BAHRAIN'S REACTION TO ARAB LEAGUE SUMMIT IN ALGIERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000475 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV BA SUBJECT: BAHRAIN'S REACTION TO ARAB LEAGUE SUMMIT IN ALGIERS REF: A. MANAMA 397 ¶B. STATE 45505 Classified by Pol/Econ Chief Steven C. Bondy for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) MFA Assistant Under Secretary for Coordination and Follow Up Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa told PolEcon chief March 28 that the two main topics of the summit were the Palestinians and Arab League reform. (Note: Shaikh Abdul Aziz did not attend the summit but received a readout from Bahraini officials who did. End Note.) He said the leaders were surprised by Jordan's proposal regarding normalization of relations with Israel, which some considered to be a "slap" at Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah's Arab Peace Initiative adopted at the March 2002 summit in Beirut. Shaikh Abdul Aziz observed that Jordan revised its proposal upon receiving input from the other leaders at the summit. With regard to Arab League reform, Bahrain has very low expectations. ¶2. (C) In response to PolEcon chief's question, Shaikh Abdul Aziz said that King Hamad made Crown Prince Salman head of the Bahraini delegation because of the decision by several other regional heads of state not to attend. Bahrain could "foresee the outcome" of the summit and was not optimistic. He said more leaders would have gone if the agenda had been more serious and if the Algerians had lobbied more forcefully. MONROE