Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MANAMA1849
2006-11-01 07:51:00
SECRET
Embassy Manama
Cable title:
KING HAMAD SUPPORTS GULF SECURITY DIALOGUE
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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 001849
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR PARM BA IR REGION BILAT OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: KING HAMAD SUPPORTS GULF SECURITY DIALOGUE
REF: STATE 171822
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
-------
Summary
-------
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 001849
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR PARM BA IR REGION BILAT OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: KING HAMAD SUPPORTS GULF SECURITY DIALOGUE
REF: STATE 171822
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (S) King Hamad October 18 told the interagency Gulf
Security Dialogue (GSD) delegation that he wants to work with
the U.S. on creating a new comprehensive defense strategy for
the region in light of recent developments. He commended the
U.S.'s bilateral approach to each of the GCC states and said
the GCC should solve its internal disputes and send Iran the
message that it is united. He complained that Qatar is
becoming an "Iranian satellite" and that Oman's lack of
urgency about the Iranian challenge is because "it is not on
Iran's list - for now." The King stated that the Iranian
people hate living under the regime and that although the
government sounds strong, it is vulnerable. On Iraq, the
King said that Iraqis would be too scared to fight each other
if U.S. forces pulled back. He stressed that Bahrain wants
real peace with Israel and was in touch with the Israeli and
Palestinian governments about moving ahead. Referring to
Bahrain's upcoming elections, the King said that Bahrain has
a "responsible democracy" with safeguards in place to guard
against the more extreme elements of the political spectrum.
He stated that there would be a woman in the elected lower
house of parliament for the first time as one woman was
running unopposed. End Summary.
2. (S) The interagency Gulf Security Dialogue delegation led
by Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military
Affairs John Hillen and Assistant Secretary of Defense for
International Security Affairs Peter Rodman met with King
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa October 18 to discuss achieving
progress on the six pillars of the Dialogue (reftel). The
delegation also met with Crown Prince Shaikh Salman bin Hamad
Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak
Al Khalifa, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Assistant Under
Secretary for Coordination and Follow Up Shaikh Abdul Aziz
SIPDIS
bin Mubarak Al Khalifa (septels).
--------------
Work Together on New Defense Strategy
--------------
3. (S) King Hamad opened the meeting by saying that the
region was in need of a new defense strategy. With all the
recent events, there needed to be a comprehensive evaluation
of internal and external security strategies. He thanked the
delegation for coming to Bahrain and asked that the United
States work with Bahrain and the GCC on this new concept. He
emphasized that there should be more engagement and more
exercises to improve coordination and to send the right
message to regional actors. "We are honored to be your
ally," the King stated, "and we have a wonderful
relationship." He said he had reviewed the GSD read-ahead
paper and he wants to work on it together and achieve its
objectives.
4. (S) The King commended the delegation's engagement with
all GCC countries, noting that bilateral approaches with the
GCC countries were most appropriate at this point.
Internally, each GCC country is different and is able to
engage in a different way. The GCC countries should "forget
their disputes and accept what they have, which is a lot,"
the King commented, noting that the region would become more
secure if the GCC settled its internal quarrels. When
discussing any problem, Iran should see that the GCC is
united. Oil is pouring from the region to the world and it
is important that no single country controls the Gulf's
petroleum resources, like Saddam tried to do and now Iran is
attempting to do the same.
--------------
Concerns About Qatar, Oman
--------------
5. (S) In this regard, King Hamad commented that Qatar is
"becoming like an Iranian satellite." Qatar Airlines has
more than 80 Iranian pilots, the hospitals are staffed with
Iranian doctors, and Qatar established a special port
facility for Iranian imports. Qatar "is being bought by
Iran" as it drifts away from Saudi Arabia. He urged that the
U.S. mediate between Qatar and Saudi Arabia and stated that
Qatar should become involved in the GSD process. A/S Hillen
MANAMA 00001849 002 OF 003
said that the U.S. side had met with Qatar on the GSD and
shared some "hard words." He told Qatari officials that the
changing security architecture in the region is based upon a
commonality of interests between the U.S. and its friends in
the region to stop Iran from achieving dominance. Qatar's
votes in the UN Security Council and Arab League had led the
U.S. to question whether that was still true.
6. (S) A/S Hillen indicated that in the delegation's
meetings in Muscat, Omani officials had been casual about
Iran and the prospect of proliferation in the region. The
King joked that Iran must have told Oman that "it's not on
their list - for now." Iran's priorities are Bahrain, the
UAE, and Kuwait, he said. Iran cannot move against Bahrain
because of the presence of the Fifth Fleet. He noted that he
had spoken with leaders in Dubai about smuggling into Iran,
and what would happen to Dubai's trade with Iran if sanctions
were applied. They acknowledged that there would be more
smuggling. Dubai, the King said, is the biggest highway for
goods into Iran.
--------------
Iranian Government Vulnerable
--------------
7. (S) The King said that the Iranian people hate living
under the current regime. The people in control are not
popular. There are so many different kinds of people in the
country - Balouchis, Turkomen, Azeris, Arabs, and others -
but there is not one Sunni mosque in the country. The
Iranian government sounds strong but it is not; it is
vulnerable. A/S Hillen stated that Iran wants to dominate
the region and speak for the Middle East. We want our
friends to be able to pursue their interests and conduct
their diplomacy in freedom.
--------------
Strong, United Iraq to Face Iran
--------------
8. (S) The King said that there needs to be balance in the
Gulf. When Saddam was removed from power, Iraqi officials
invited Iran in while the Arab states did not move. The best
way to deal with Iran is to have a strong, united Iraq. If
the Iraqi government does not succeed, this would be an Iraqi
failure, not a U.S. failure. Iraqis missed a great
opportunity to work with the U.S. to create a modern country.
But they want to kill each other more than they want to
modernize. If U.S. forces in Iraq pulled back, the various
factions will be too scared to fight each other, he said,
whereas with the U.S. presence, they are free to fight. "The
sophisticated U.S. soldier," the King stated, "should not be
patrolling the streets of Baghdad." He thought that the Arab
countries could do more to bring security to Iraq, suggesting
that they protect oil facilities. Noting that Bahrain had
deployed a ship to Kuwait during the war, he said, "now we
want to do more."
--------------
Real Peace with Israel
--------------
9. (S) The King said that Bahrain should have real peace
with Israel. "We're serious, pushing, meeting with
Israelis," he asserted. While the meetings were not
conducted openly, Bahrain would do so when the right time
comes. The region needs peace with Israel "and then we can
all face Iran," he stated. In the meetings, Bahrain tells
Israel that the Palestinians are under occupation and have a
long way to go for a Palestinian state. Israel should assist
the Palestinians. Hamas, Hizballah, and Iran do not want
peace. America must support peace and provide diplomatic
leadership. A/S Hillen said that Secretary Rice is engaging
and wants to be seen as providing that leadership. The King
noted that Bahrain is working with Palestinian President
Abbas, telling him not to worry about Hamas and to do what he
needs to do. The Arabs support him.
10. (S) The King said that he had visited Damascus a few
months ago and had sent Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin
Ahmed Al Khalifa there recently. He told President Asad
"politely" that Syria is a dictatorship without a dictator.
Bashar just laughed. Asad said that he could "solve Iraq's
problems" by sending Syrian forces into the country. The
King said that Syria's intention would be to get the U.S. out
and then work with Iran to occupy Iraq, just as they did in
Lebanon.
MANAMA 00001849 003 OF 003
--------------
"Responsible Democracy" in Bahrain
--------------
11. (S) Turning to domestic affairs, the King indicated that
Bahrain was busy preparing for elections. His challenge is
to show citizens that Bahrain can be a better place in the
future. The country needs a bigger middle class and stronger
economic growth to achieve stability. He noted that there
are both Sunni and Shia extremists in the country that
threaten stability, and he said he had instructed the
Ministry of Interior to consult with the FBI on what Bahrain
can do better.
12. (S) Bahrain should become even more moderate than it was
before, the King said. Bahrain has a "responsible
democracy," unlike in Kuwait, where Salafis dominate. The
appointed upper house Shura Council, he stated, balances the
elected lower house Council of Representatives (COR),a
"safe" arrangement. If Bahrain's democracy was like Kuwait's
or Morocco's, "the Salafis and Jihadis would come in."
Addressing the former boycotters, the King said that he had
been patient and had not called them traitors. "I spoke with
them and kept doors open." This time they will participate
in the elections. He noted there would be a woman deputy in
the COR for the first time. "We designed a constituency for
her," he said, and she had no competition for the seat. She
ran in 2002 and almost won, getting 45 percent of the votes.
Her participation in the COR is good for Bahrain, the King
stated.
13. (S) The King mentioned that the Bandar report had added
some controversy to the pre-election period. He said that
the author, Sudanese-British citizen Salah Al Bandar, had
links to exiled Bahraini rejectionist Saeed Shehabi in
London. When the Shia boycotters decided to participate,
Shehabi lost, so he decided to inject Al Bandar into the
system. Al Bandar had claimed he was an NGO expert. Because
he has a Bahraini wife, "we decided to help him." What Al
Bandar did, however, was look at statistics and checks,
listened to some people, and drew wrong conclusions. Action
on the issue had moved from the press to the courts.
14. (U) A/S Hillen and A/S Rodman cleared this cable.
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
MONROE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR PARM BA IR REGION BILAT OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: KING HAMAD SUPPORTS GULF SECURITY DIALOGUE
REF: STATE 171822
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (S) King Hamad October 18 told the interagency Gulf
Security Dialogue (GSD) delegation that he wants to work with
the U.S. on creating a new comprehensive defense strategy for
the region in light of recent developments. He commended the
U.S.'s bilateral approach to each of the GCC states and said
the GCC should solve its internal disputes and send Iran the
message that it is united. He complained that Qatar is
becoming an "Iranian satellite" and that Oman's lack of
urgency about the Iranian challenge is because "it is not on
Iran's list - for now." The King stated that the Iranian
people hate living under the regime and that although the
government sounds strong, it is vulnerable. On Iraq, the
King said that Iraqis would be too scared to fight each other
if U.S. forces pulled back. He stressed that Bahrain wants
real peace with Israel and was in touch with the Israeli and
Palestinian governments about moving ahead. Referring to
Bahrain's upcoming elections, the King said that Bahrain has
a "responsible democracy" with safeguards in place to guard
against the more extreme elements of the political spectrum.
He stated that there would be a woman in the elected lower
house of parliament for the first time as one woman was
running unopposed. End Summary.
2. (S) The interagency Gulf Security Dialogue delegation led
by Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military
Affairs John Hillen and Assistant Secretary of Defense for
International Security Affairs Peter Rodman met with King
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa October 18 to discuss achieving
progress on the six pillars of the Dialogue (reftel). The
delegation also met with Crown Prince Shaikh Salman bin Hamad
Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak
Al Khalifa, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Assistant Under
Secretary for Coordination and Follow Up Shaikh Abdul Aziz
SIPDIS
bin Mubarak Al Khalifa (septels).
--------------
Work Together on New Defense Strategy
--------------
3. (S) King Hamad opened the meeting by saying that the
region was in need of a new defense strategy. With all the
recent events, there needed to be a comprehensive evaluation
of internal and external security strategies. He thanked the
delegation for coming to Bahrain and asked that the United
States work with Bahrain and the GCC on this new concept. He
emphasized that there should be more engagement and more
exercises to improve coordination and to send the right
message to regional actors. "We are honored to be your
ally," the King stated, "and we have a wonderful
relationship." He said he had reviewed the GSD read-ahead
paper and he wants to work on it together and achieve its
objectives.
4. (S) The King commended the delegation's engagement with
all GCC countries, noting that bilateral approaches with the
GCC countries were most appropriate at this point.
Internally, each GCC country is different and is able to
engage in a different way. The GCC countries should "forget
their disputes and accept what they have, which is a lot,"
the King commented, noting that the region would become more
secure if the GCC settled its internal quarrels. When
discussing any problem, Iran should see that the GCC is
united. Oil is pouring from the region to the world and it
is important that no single country controls the Gulf's
petroleum resources, like Saddam tried to do and now Iran is
attempting to do the same.
--------------
Concerns About Qatar, Oman
--------------
5. (S) In this regard, King Hamad commented that Qatar is
"becoming like an Iranian satellite." Qatar Airlines has
more than 80 Iranian pilots, the hospitals are staffed with
Iranian doctors, and Qatar established a special port
facility for Iranian imports. Qatar "is being bought by
Iran" as it drifts away from Saudi Arabia. He urged that the
U.S. mediate between Qatar and Saudi Arabia and stated that
Qatar should become involved in the GSD process. A/S Hillen
MANAMA 00001849 002 OF 003
said that the U.S. side had met with Qatar on the GSD and
shared some "hard words." He told Qatari officials that the
changing security architecture in the region is based upon a
commonality of interests between the U.S. and its friends in
the region to stop Iran from achieving dominance. Qatar's
votes in the UN Security Council and Arab League had led the
U.S. to question whether that was still true.
6. (S) A/S Hillen indicated that in the delegation's
meetings in Muscat, Omani officials had been casual about
Iran and the prospect of proliferation in the region. The
King joked that Iran must have told Oman that "it's not on
their list - for now." Iran's priorities are Bahrain, the
UAE, and Kuwait, he said. Iran cannot move against Bahrain
because of the presence of the Fifth Fleet. He noted that he
had spoken with leaders in Dubai about smuggling into Iran,
and what would happen to Dubai's trade with Iran if sanctions
were applied. They acknowledged that there would be more
smuggling. Dubai, the King said, is the biggest highway for
goods into Iran.
--------------
Iranian Government Vulnerable
--------------
7. (S) The King said that the Iranian people hate living
under the current regime. The people in control are not
popular. There are so many different kinds of people in the
country - Balouchis, Turkomen, Azeris, Arabs, and others -
but there is not one Sunni mosque in the country. The
Iranian government sounds strong but it is not; it is
vulnerable. A/S Hillen stated that Iran wants to dominate
the region and speak for the Middle East. We want our
friends to be able to pursue their interests and conduct
their diplomacy in freedom.
--------------
Strong, United Iraq to Face Iran
--------------
8. (S) The King said that there needs to be balance in the
Gulf. When Saddam was removed from power, Iraqi officials
invited Iran in while the Arab states did not move. The best
way to deal with Iran is to have a strong, united Iraq. If
the Iraqi government does not succeed, this would be an Iraqi
failure, not a U.S. failure. Iraqis missed a great
opportunity to work with the U.S. to create a modern country.
But they want to kill each other more than they want to
modernize. If U.S. forces in Iraq pulled back, the various
factions will be too scared to fight each other, he said,
whereas with the U.S. presence, they are free to fight. "The
sophisticated U.S. soldier," the King stated, "should not be
patrolling the streets of Baghdad." He thought that the Arab
countries could do more to bring security to Iraq, suggesting
that they protect oil facilities. Noting that Bahrain had
deployed a ship to Kuwait during the war, he said, "now we
want to do more."
--------------
Real Peace with Israel
--------------
9. (S) The King said that Bahrain should have real peace
with Israel. "We're serious, pushing, meeting with
Israelis," he asserted. While the meetings were not
conducted openly, Bahrain would do so when the right time
comes. The region needs peace with Israel "and then we can
all face Iran," he stated. In the meetings, Bahrain tells
Israel that the Palestinians are under occupation and have a
long way to go for a Palestinian state. Israel should assist
the Palestinians. Hamas, Hizballah, and Iran do not want
peace. America must support peace and provide diplomatic
leadership. A/S Hillen said that Secretary Rice is engaging
and wants to be seen as providing that leadership. The King
noted that Bahrain is working with Palestinian President
Abbas, telling him not to worry about Hamas and to do what he
needs to do. The Arabs support him.
10. (S) The King said that he had visited Damascus a few
months ago and had sent Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin
Ahmed Al Khalifa there recently. He told President Asad
"politely" that Syria is a dictatorship without a dictator.
Bashar just laughed. Asad said that he could "solve Iraq's
problems" by sending Syrian forces into the country. The
King said that Syria's intention would be to get the U.S. out
and then work with Iran to occupy Iraq, just as they did in
Lebanon.
MANAMA 00001849 003 OF 003
--------------
"Responsible Democracy" in Bahrain
--------------
11. (S) Turning to domestic affairs, the King indicated that
Bahrain was busy preparing for elections. His challenge is
to show citizens that Bahrain can be a better place in the
future. The country needs a bigger middle class and stronger
economic growth to achieve stability. He noted that there
are both Sunni and Shia extremists in the country that
threaten stability, and he said he had instructed the
Ministry of Interior to consult with the FBI on what Bahrain
can do better.
12. (S) Bahrain should become even more moderate than it was
before, the King said. Bahrain has a "responsible
democracy," unlike in Kuwait, where Salafis dominate. The
appointed upper house Shura Council, he stated, balances the
elected lower house Council of Representatives (COR),a
"safe" arrangement. If Bahrain's democracy was like Kuwait's
or Morocco's, "the Salafis and Jihadis would come in."
Addressing the former boycotters, the King said that he had
been patient and had not called them traitors. "I spoke with
them and kept doors open." This time they will participate
in the elections. He noted there would be a woman deputy in
the COR for the first time. "We designed a constituency for
her," he said, and she had no competition for the seat. She
ran in 2002 and almost won, getting 45 percent of the votes.
Her participation in the COR is good for Bahrain, the King
stated.
13. (S) The King mentioned that the Bandar report had added
some controversy to the pre-election period. He said that
the author, Sudanese-British citizen Salah Al Bandar, had
links to exiled Bahraini rejectionist Saeed Shehabi in
London. When the Shia boycotters decided to participate,
Shehabi lost, so he decided to inject Al Bandar into the
system. Al Bandar had claimed he was an NGO expert. Because
he has a Bahraini wife, "we decided to help him." What Al
Bandar did, however, was look at statistics and checks,
listened to some people, and drew wrong conclusions. Action
on the issue had moved from the press to the courts.
14. (U) A/S Hillen and A/S Rodman cleared this cable.
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
MONROE