BAHRAIN: DRAFT STATEMENT FOR IRAQ INTERNATIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000878 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV BA IZ SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: DRAFT STATEMENT FOR IRAQ INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN BRUSSELS REF: STATE 112917 Classified by A/DCM Helen H. Hahn for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Pol/Econ chief June 19 passed reftel draft statement for the June 21-22 conference on Iraq to MFA Assistant Under Secretary for Coordination and Follow Up Shaikh Abdul Aziz SIPDIS bin Mubarak Al Khalifa. Shaikh Abdul Aziz indicated that Foreign Minister Shaikh Mohammed, who will lead the Bahraini delegation at the conference, had already reviewed a copy of the draft declaration and approved the text. ¶2. (C) Pol/Econ chief noted that the U.S. favored the inclusion of specific mention of countries and organizations providing significant support for the Iraqi Transitional Government. Shaikh Abdul Aziz wondered why the UAE was cited among the other countries and organizations, asking what specifically the UAE had done to merit being singled out for praise. He commented that the UAE is a member of a regional group, the GCC, and if the U.S. wanted to identify anyone in the region, it should be the GCC rather than one of the member states. MONROE