BAHRAIN: UPDATE ON RATIFICATION OF ARTICLE 98

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001925 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2016 TAGS: PARM PREL BA BILAT SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: UPDATE ON RATIFICATION OF ARTICLE 98 REF: STATE 183116 Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) . ¶1. (C) Pol/Econ Chief November 13 raised the status of Bahrain's ratification of the Article 98 agreement with MFA Assistance Under Secretary for Coordination and Follow Up Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa. Shaikh Abdul Aziz said there had been no further forward progress on ratification of the agreement signed in February 2003. He asserted that the Bahraini government would never prosecute a U.S. service member; rather, the GOB would turn the individual over to the USG. (Note: This in fact is what occurred in a recent criminal case involving an American sailor.) ¶2. (C) Shaikh Abdul Aziz said that the government remains deeply concerned about the reaction of parliament should the Article 98 agreement be presented for ratification. A campaign plank of some candidates for parliament during this election season is the return of the two remaining Bahraini detainees at Guantanamo. Shaikh Abdul Aziz said parliament would inevitably link the two issues, placing the government into a difficult position. Additionally, he said that many people also link ratification of Article 98 with Bahraini accession to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The government has deep concerns about joining the ICC and wants to avoid any future movement or pressure to join. Raising Article 98 could spark calls for joining the ICC. For the time being, the two agreements remain with the MFA legal affairs directorate, where they are "being studied." ********************************************* ******** Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ ********************************************* ******** MONROE