FTA CLEARS LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000942 SIPDIS USTR FOR J. BUNTIN COMMERCE FOR 4520/ITA/ONE/HOFFMAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2015 TAGS: ETRD BTIO ECON PREL BA SUBJECT: FTA CLEARS LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT Classified By: POL/ECON Chief Steve Bondy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) The lower house Council of Representatives passed the US-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by a wide margin on July 5. The forty-member body ratified the treaty with twenty-five votes in favor, four votes opposed and two abstentions. (Nine members were not present for the vote.) The four members voting against and the two abstaining were all from Bahrain's two Sunni Islamist parties - Al Minbar and Al Asala. ¶2. (C) Following the vote, Al Minbar president Dr. Salah Ali told Emboff that his party had intended to adopt a neutral position on the agreement. He explained that three of the four votes against the FTA had been from his party, but added that these were to have been balanced by three other members who were to have voted for the FTA, while he, as the chairman of the bloc, would abstain. He said that, unfortunately, the three members who were to have voted in support of the FTA were among the nine members who were absent. Ali added that Al Minbar hoped the U.S. would respond to the positive outcome for the FTA by rethinking its strategies in Bahrain and the Gulf Region. ¶3. (SBU) In the debate prior to the vote, several MPs linked ratification of the treaty to the release of the six Bahraini detainees at Guantanamo. But the vast majority of members argued that the FTA was in Bahrain's national interest. Others pointed out that through enhanced cooperation between the U.S. and Bahrain, such as with the FTA, important bilateral issues like the status of the detainees at GTMO could be discussed and resolved. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: The FTA will now move to the Shura Council, Bahrain's upper house, where an expeditious and opposition-free ratification is expected. Bahraini Government officials told Pol/Econ Chief and Econoff on July 4 that preparations for FTA implementation are under way, focusing in particular on IPR legislation consistent with Bahrain's commitments under the FTA. End comment. MONROE