AMBASSADOR PRESSES MFA FOR FAVORABLE RESOLUTION OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000759

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM KMPI BA BILAT POL REFORM
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR PRESSES MFA FOR FAVORABLE RESOLUTION OF
NDI'S STATUS IN COUNTRY

Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (C) In an April 26 meeting, the Ambassador briefed MFA
Assistant Under Secretary for Coordination and Follow Up
Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa on the status of the
MEPI-funded National Democratic Institute (NDI) project in
Bahrain. The Ambassador noted that he had requested to meet
with Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa to
discuss the issue for several weeks, but he had been unable
to see Shaikh Khalid due to the Minister's heavy travel
schedule. The Ambassador's meeting with Shaikh Abdul Aziz
took place as Shaikh Khalid was once again outside the
country.


2. (C) The Ambassador stressed that Deputy National Security
Advisor Abrams was waiting for a written response from Shaikh
Khalid on his proposal to resolve NDI's status. He noted
that Abrams had met with Minister of Information Abdul
Ghaffar in Washington and told him that NDI's leaving the
country would be a black eye for Bahrain. Meanwhile, Bahrain
Institute for Political Development (BIPD) Secretary General
Lulwa Al Awadhi was pressuring NDI representative in Bahrain
Fawzi Guleid to retrieve his and his family's passports
without a new visa or residency permit. Guleid worried that
if he was in possession of the passports, he would be out of
status and subject to immediate departure from the country.
The Ambassador urged Shaikh Abdul Aziz to work out a solution
allowing NDI to remain in the country. At a minimum, Guleid
should have his visa renewed while the two governments worked
to resolve the status of the program.


3. (C) Shaikh Abdul Aziz said, off the record, that there
were camps inside the Bahraini government that wanted to
expand freedoms and reforms, and others that wanted to
reassert government control and slow if not stop the reforms.
Although the King sets the direction, he delegates
decision-making to the government and his advisors, who
interpret his instructions in various ways. In the case of
NDI, Shaikh Abdul Aziz said Minister of Royal Court Shaikh
Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa (not the Foreign Minister, though
they share the same name) is responsible for the decision,
but he is influenced by two brothers who are in the
reactionary camp - Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and
President of the Central Informatics Organization Shaikh
Ahmed bin Attiyatallah Al Khalifa and President of the Royal
Court Shaikh Mohammed bin Attiyatallah Al Khalifa.


4. (C) Shaikh Abdul Aziz promised to consult with Foreign
Minister Shaikh Khalid on NDI and respond to the Ambassador's
demarche.


5. (U) When asked about the status of NDI on Bahrain TV's
"Final Word" interview program (broadcast April 28 but
recorded earlier),FM Shaikh Khalid responded that the
Bahrain Institute for Political Development was still in
talks with NDI, but that both parties had not yet agreed upon
an MOU. He stressed that any organization working in Bahrain
had to abide by legal regulations, and that ongoing
discussions were geared to ensure NDI's complete conformity
with Bahraini law.


6. (U) BIPD Secretary General Al Awadhi told a press
conference April 29 that BIPD was unable to accept NDI's
"conditions" for reaching an agreement on the relationship
between the two organizations. In response to a question, Al
Awadhi said, "NDI was allowed to work in Bahrain during the
past elections with a special exception from the Royal Court.
No permit was issued. We are pleased to benefit from the
American institute's expertise but on the condition that it
abides by rules and regulations." She added, "We had talks
with NDI to find a mechanism through which we could codify
its work in Bahrain. However, we realized that the
institute's desire was to work outside the boundaries of
laws. NDI's main objective is to promote democracy, and
democracy first and foremost means abiding by the law." Al
Awadhi further said that "many observers, politicians, and
religious scholars" are suspicious of NDI and its activities.


7. (C) NDI representative Guleid told EmbOff April 30 that
he had been called to the Immigration Office earlier that
day. An immigration investigations officer said "it was his
duty" to inform Guleid that his residency has expired and he
needed to bring his and his family's passports and airplane
tickets to Immigration as soon as possible. Guleid said he
would do so but that it could take several days to gather
everything. The officer did not display a sense of urgency
and asked that Guleid come back as soon as he could to
discuss how long he would be permitted to remain in the
country to take care of his personal business.

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MONROE