FOREIGN MINISTER ADDRESSES IRAN AND IRAQ

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000117

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2017
TAGS: PREL BA IR IZ REGION
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER ADDRESSES IRAN AND IRAQ


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


1. (U) This is an action request; please see para 9.

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Summary
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2. (C) Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid told the Ambassador
February 6 that he would soon visit Iran to deliver a "clear
message" that Iran's behavior on its nuclear program was
dangerous for the Gulf region. He asked if the USG could
provide points addressing specific steps the international
community requires Iran to take to be transparent and abide
by UN requirements on its nuclear program. On Iraq, he said
there would be an Iraq Neighbors meeting in Baghdad, either
in early March or after the Arab Summit, which takes place
March 28. Shaikh Khalid affirmed that Abdul Aziz Al Hakim
would visit Bahrain February 8 and would meet with the King,
Prime Minister, and Deputy PM Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak.
Sunni Salafi political society Al Asala issued a statement
February 7 blasting the government for hosting Al Hakim,
saying "our brothers in Iraq are subjected to ethnic
cleansing and displacement" because of Al Hakim. End Summary.

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Foreign Minister to Visit Iran
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3. (C) In a meeting covering several subjects (septels),
Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa told the
Ambassador February 6 that he would visit Tehran soon to
deliver a "clear message" about Iran's responsibility to keep
the region calm, peaceful, and prosperous. He will tell
Foreign Minister Mottaki and National Security Advisor
Larijani that Iran has a duty to its neighbors and "should
not fight the whole world." Shaikh Khalid said that his
visit would come after that of the Kuwaiti foreign minister,
and he would be the last of the GCC foreign ministers to go
to Iran.


4. (C) Shaikh Khalid emphasized that he was not going to
Iran to negotiate on anyone's behalf. He was going to
deliver a message as a neighbor. If in the future there is a
conflict with Iran, the GOB wants to be able to say to the
Iranians, "We told you so many times..." Bahrain supports
Iran's right to a peaceful nuclear program, but Shaikh Khalid
said he would tell his interlocutors that they were not doing
a good job of proving to the world that the program was
peaceful. Shaikh Khalid asked the Ambassador if he could
provide him with points to be used in his meetings in Iran
addressing specific steps the international community
requires Iran to take to be transparent and abide by UN
requirements on its nuclear program. The Ambassador replied
that the U.S. would prefer that he not travel to Iran at all.
He said he would consult Washington on suggested points for
Shaikh Khalid's use, but stressed that the Foreign Minister
could in no way be seen as carrying a message from the United
States. Shaikh Khalid said he fully understood; he just
wanted to make the strongest case consistent with the U.S.
position.

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Abdul Aziz Al Hakim To Visit Bahrain
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5. (C) Turning to Iraq, Shaikh Khalid said there were plans
for a neighbors meeting (plus Egypt and Bahrain) in Baghdad
in early March. Bahrain will attend, but it is possible the
meeting could be pushed back until after the Arab Summit on
March 28. He noted that there would be many bumps in the
road to the Arab Summit. Syria does not want to come because
President Asad expects to feel pressure from his counterparts.


6. (C) Shaikh Khalid confirmed press reports that Abdul Aziz
Al Hakim would visit Bahrain on February 8. He will meet
with King Hamad, Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa, and Deputy PM
Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak. He stated that Bahrain is
worried about Iraq. There was not just fighting between
Sunnis and Shias; now there were intra-Sunni and intra-Shia
clashes. He said that securing the borders and stopping
foreign infiltrations would be a major step in controlling
the situation, and recalled Iranian President Ahmadi-Nejad's
comment to King Hamad some time ago, that a weak Iraq is in
Iran's interest. Shaikh Khalid decried this point of view,
saying innocent people were dying every day.


7. (C) Shaikh Khalid said that Iraqis needed to begin
addressing national reconciliation on an urgent basis. A

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reconciliation process could serve as a vehicle for the
provision of Arab assistance to Iraq. He asked, how could
Iraqi society become so polarized? Opportunists had hijacked
religion for political reasons. He warned that sectarianism
was not good for Iraq, Bahrain, or the region.

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Salafis Condemn Al Hakim Visit
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8. (SBU) In a related development, the Sunni Salafi Al Asala
political society, which has the second largest
representation in the elected lower house of parliament, the
Council of Representatives, issued a statement February 7
condemning Al Hakim's visit to Bahrain, calling it a great
offense to "our Sunni brothers in Iraq and all honorable
Iraqis." The statement continues that Iraqi Sunnis are
subjected to ethnic cleansing and displacement because of the
Badr militia and death squads "headed by Al Hakim." Al Asala
demanded that the government reject the entry of Al Hakim
"because it is not honorable to receive a person whose hands
are stained with the blood of innocents."

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Action Request
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9. (C) Please advise if Washington can provide points on the
international community's requirements on Iran's nuclear
program, per Shaikh Khalid's request.


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