BAHRAIN: DELIVERY OF USG RESPONSES ON PROPOSED

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000824

SIPDIS

THE HAGUE FOR CWC DEL
ALSO FOR EMBASSY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2015
TAGS: PARM MARR MASS MOPS KTIA BA
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: DELIVERY OF USG RESPONSES ON PROPOSED
CWC HOST COUNTRY AGREEMENT

REF: A. STATE 103859

B. MANAMA 720

C. STATE 81767 AND PREVIOUS

Classified by A/DCM Helen H. Hahn for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Pol/Econ chief June 8 delivered reftel demarche on
negotiating a Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) host country
agreement (HCA) on challenge inspections to MFA Director for
International Organization Affairs Ghassan Shaikho. Shaikho
said that he was willing to explore the possibility of
negotiating an HCA with the U.S., and noted that a Bahraini
delegation would be in The Hague for the November CWC review
meeting. In response to P/E chief's question, he said that
he would welcome a USG team visit to Bahrain either before or
after Ramadan, if that was desirable.


2. (C) P/E chief passed Shaikho a sample draft HCA to
review. Shaikho said he would consult with the Bahrain
Defense Force on the proposed text. He requested information
on the number of countries with which the U.S. has negotiated
HCAs, and how many of them are Arab and GCC countries. He
commented that Bahrain would not want to set a precedent in
negotiating an HCA, but would be willing to do it if others
had already completed agreements with us.

MONROE