Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MANAMA2060
2006-12-20 11:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Manama
Cable title:  

FOREIGN MINISTER COVERS REGIONAL ISSUES WITH

Tags:  PREL BA REGION BILAT OFFICIALS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9825
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DE RUEHMK #2060/01 3541112
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 201112Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6209
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 002060 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2016
TAGS: PREL BA REGION BILAT OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER COVERS REGIONAL ISSUES WITH
AMBASSADOR

Classified By: CDA Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

-------
Summary
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 002060

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2016
TAGS: PREL BA REGION BILAT OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER COVERS REGIONAL ISSUES WITH
AMBASSADOR

Classified By: CDA Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

--------------
Summary
--------------


1. (C) Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid told the Ambassador
December 14 that Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki had used
"typically harsh" language in his speech at the December 8-10
IISS conference in Bahrain. When asked why the King had met
with Mottaki, Shaikh Khalid said that the GOB had not
responded to Mottaki's request to visit at the end of
October, at the time of the Leading Edge exercise, and so it
had agreed to see him during the conference. Shaikh Khalid
complained that the GCC had been unable to develop a common
position on Iran during the recent summit meeting, with Oman
and Qatar refusing to go along with the other four members.
In his speech at the IISS conference, Iraqi Foreign Minister
Zebari had touched on the issue of sectarianism, and Shaikh
Khalid said Bahrain agrees with Zebari that this is a serious
matter. The GCC had decided that members should reach out to
all Iraqis, not just the Sunnis. Shaikh Khalid suggested
that to strengthen the Iraqi government, "the old
bureaucrats" with no connection to Saddam be brought back in.
During his recent visit to Manama, Palestinian PM Haniyah
had requested Bahraini financial assistance for social
services. Shaikh Khalid said Bahrain might consider
providing assistance, but only through the World Food
Program. End Summary.

-------------- --
Iran's "Typically Harsh" Language At Conference
-------------- --


2. (C) Opening their December 14 meeting, Foreign Minister
Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa told the Ambassador that
the December 8-10 IISS Manama Dialogue had been a great
success, but people had been asking why no Cabinet or
sub-Cabinet-level American official attended. There was talk
that the U.S. was not ready to be asked about the Iraq Study
Group recommendation about meeting with Iran. The Ambassador
responded that there had been many developments in the days
leading up to the conference that had precluded any senior
official from coming.


3. (C) Shaikh Khalid said Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki
had spoken in "typically harsh" language during the
conference. The Ambassador noted that King Hamad had met

with only two officials during the conference - Mottaki and
Saudi intelligence chief Prince Muqrin. He asked why the
King had seen Mottaki, pointing out that it did not send the
right signal. Shaikh Khalid said Mottaki had requested to
visit in late October, at the same time as the Proliferation
Security Initiative Leading Edge exercise. Bahrain had not
responded to that request and so had agreed to see him during
the IISS conference. The meeting was "nothing too
important," with the King and Mottaki discussing bilateral
relations, particularly economic relations. The King had
told Mottaki that Iran should play a constructive role in
Iraq, and Mottaki said Iran was already doing so. The King
emphasized that Iran's nuclear program must be peaceful.
Mottaki replied, "Why would we want a nuclear bomb? We don't
need it." Shaikh Khalid told the Ambassador that Iranian
officials' language about the nuclear program keeps changing.

--------------
GCC Splits on Iran, Currency Union
--------------


4. (C) Shaikh Khalid said that Iran had been on the GCC
Summit agenda. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE
had agreed on a common position on Iran, but Oman and Qatar
"had not been helpful." Oman even objected to a statement on
the GCC's environmental concerns about the Bushehr reactor.
"We cannot afford to be divided at this time," Shaikh Khalid
said. He returned to an issue he had raised several times
before, the dispute between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Their
differences represent "a major impediment" to the GCC acting
in a unified way, and "it is taking us nowhere." He urged
the U.S. to help the two countries resolve their problems,
telling them not to be so hard-headed. Bahrain wants to
maintain good relations with both sides. He noted that Qatar
had asked Bahrain to meet with representatives of the Islamic
Courts from Somalia, but Bahrain had refused. Shaikh Khalid
reported that Oman had decided not to join the GCC currency
union at this time. Bahrain and other GCC partners were
proceeding without Oman.

--------------
GCC Support for All Iraq, Not Just Sunnis

MANAMA 00002060 002 OF 002


--------------


5. (C) Shaikh Khalid recalled that in his speech to the IISS
conference, Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari had touched on the
important point of sectarianism. "We agree with each other
that this is a serious matter," Shaikh Khalid said.
Sectarianism could result in Iraqi society being cut up into
pieces, between and within sects, pointing to the rift
between SCIRI and the Sadrists. The Minister asked the
Ambassador about the outcome of Abdul Aziz Al Hakim's visit
to Washington. The Ambassador said the visit had been
positive; Al Hakim wants to work with PM Al Maliki for
moderation and to decrease the PM's dependence on Al Sadr.
Shaikh Khalid commented that the Sunnis should also be
involved. He noted that during the GCC Summit in Riyadh, the
leaders had met in a closed session to discuss Iraq. They
concluded that the GCC should do something for all Iraqis,
not just Sunnis. King Abdullah recommended that the GCC
reach out collectively to Iraq. There is skepticism that PM
Al Maliki is up to the job - although he is trying to be in
the middle, the GCC fears he tilts toward Iran.


6. (C) Shaikh Khalid reported that Arab League (AL) foreign
ministers, at a recent meeting in Cairo, had pressured Zebari
to establish a timeframe for launching a reconciliation
program, preferably within a few months, that the AL would
support. Zebari had said that an AL meeting to promote
reconciliation must take place inside Iraq, in Baghdad or
someplace else selected by the Iraqi government. Shaikh
Khalid told the Ambassador that the initiative should not be
delayed because of the security situation in Baghdad. The
meeting could take place outside of Baghdad; it is enough
that it happens on Iraqi territory. Shaikh Khalid
recommended that to strengthen the Iraqi government, "the old
bureaucrats" with no connection to Saddam should be brought
back in - judges, technocrats, and subject-matter experts.
He noted that GCC foreign ministers would meet in Bahrain
December 27-28 to discuss what to do in Iraq "in a retreat
setting." Iran will also be on the agenda.

--------------
Haniyah Request for Assistance
--------------


7. (C) Shaikh Khalid noted that Palestinian Prime Minister
Haniyah had been in Doha for the opening of the Asian Games,
and the GOB had approved a Qatari request that Haniyah visit
Bahrain. Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak
Al Khalifa had been his official host. During their meeting,
King Hamad told Haniyah that he should do everything possible
to safeguard all progress earlier Palestinian governments had
achieved. During a requested one-on-one pull-aside meeting,
Haniyah asked the King for Bahraini financial assistance to
improve Palestinian social services. The King said Bahrain
might consider providing assistance, but only through the
World Food Program, not directly to the Palestinian Authority.


8. (C) Shaikh Khalid recalled that during the IISS
conference, he had urged Indian National Security Advisor
Narayanan to play a role in dealing with Iran's nuclear
program. Narayanan had responded that Iran was not being
open about its program. Shaikh Khalid informed the
Ambassador that he would accompany Crown Prince Salman on his
first official visit to Pakistan December 20-22. They will
meet with the President, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs. The CP was also supposed to visit India on the
same trip but they were unable to work out the logistics. He
plans to go to India sometime in early 2007.

--------------
Proposed Washington Visit
--------------


9. (C) The Foreign Minister said that he would like to visit
Washington sometime in February, with the week of February 12
looking like the best time. He requested to meet with the
Secretary and said he would also pursue meetings with

SIPDIS
National Security Advisor Hadley and members of Congress. As
he does during every meeting, Shaikh Khalid asked about the
status of the two remaining Bahrain detainees at Guantanamo
and requested they be returned to Bahrain.


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ZIADEH