Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MANAMA319
2007-04-04 15:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Manama
Cable title:
FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES ARAB PEACE INITIATIVE,
how-toVZCZCXRO4661 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHMK #0319/01 0941534 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 041534Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6683 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNRAQ/IRAQ 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 000319
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2017
TAGS: PREL KPAL BA IS IR IZ REGION OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES ARAB PEACE INITIATIVE,
IRAQ, IRAN
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.
-------
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000319
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2017
TAGS: PREL KPAL BA IS IR IZ REGION OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES ARAB PEACE INITIATIVE,
IRAQ, IRAN
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid told the Ambassador
April 4 that he had praised the Arab peace initiative in a
recent interview because it was an attempt to get outside
"the bubble of historical conflict" over Israel. There will
be a meeting of the Arab League peace initiative action
committee in Cairo in mid-April, and Bahrain would have "no
reservations" about meeting face-to-face with Israel if it is
a member of the working group charged with talking to Israel.
Noting he had met with former Iraqi interim Prime Minister
Allawi the previous day, Shaikh Khalid said there should be
support for people who favor a non-sectarian, non-ethnic
approach to Iraqi politics. He said that now is the time for
the Arabs to engage with the Iraqi government so the Iraqis
"feel we're with them." He noted that Saudi Prince Bandar
had delivered a stern message recently to Iran, saying
everyone would lose in a broad Sunni-Shia conflict. Shaikh
Khalid dismissed the likelihood of a "grand rapprochement"
between Saudi Arabia and Iran. End Summary.
--------------
FM Addresses Peace Initiative in Interview
--------------
2. (C) Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa
told the Ambassador April 4 that his comments in support of
the Arab peace initiative published in an interview with
Arabic daily Al Ayam (and in English in the Bahrain Tribune)
needed to be said. The initiative was an attempt to get
outside of "the bubble of historical conflict" over Israel
and for the people of the region to accept each other. Jews
had lived with Arabs and Muslims throughout history. People
should recognize that while they may have differences, they
are not enemies, and that the problems will be solved one
day. Israel has to do its part as well, the ForMin said. He
noted that Israeli envoy in the Gulf Kashdan had called him
to say he liked the interview. Shaikh Khalid had suggested
that an Israeli newspaper should print it.
3. (C) In response to the Ambassador's comment about recent
press coverage critical of a Bahraini official for having met
with representatives of the American Jewish Committee (AJC)
during an early March visit, and Shaikh Khalid's defense of
the meeting in the Al-ayam interview, the Minister said that
he could not accept this sort of criticism. It is important
to talk to the AJC and other American groups that Israel
listens to. They should know the Bahraini government's
views, he asserted. He said he had read and enjoyed the
Washington Post's April 3 article about Bahraini Ambassador
Al Baloushi participating in a Passover Seder dinner
organized by the AJC. "Let parliament react," he said, "I
don't care." Al Baloushi was doing the right thing by
participating in this sort of festival. What's the problem
with that, he asked rhetorically.
--------------
Direct Contact with Israel under Arab Plan
--------------
4. (C) The next step on the peace initiative, the Minister
said, is for the members of the action committee to meet in
mid-April in Cairo to form working groups. (Note: There are
nine other members of the action committee, including Saudi
Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, among others.) Each
working group will be responsible for discussing the
initiative with outside countries and organizations. In
response to the Ambassador's question, Shaikh Khalid said
Bahrain would have "no reservations" about participating in
the working group charged with talking to Israel. "There is
no barrier for us to get together with Israel face-to-face"
in the context of the initiative and the working group. It
should not just be Egypt and Jordan talking to Israel. The
whole of the Arab world supports the initiative, including
talks with Israel, and the working group members are the
representatives. Shaikh Khalid noted that Egyptian Foreign
Minister Abul Gheit will visit Bahrain April 7-8, and they
will discuss the composition of the working groups.
--------------
Allawi's Non-Sectarian Approach
--------------
5. (C) The Ambassador stated that Saudi King Abdullah's
MANAMA 00000319 002 OF 002
comment at the Arab League Summit in Riyadh about the
"illegal occupation" of Iraq had been jarring to Iraq and the
United States. Shaikh Khalid said he did not know why King
Abdullah had said this, and he commented that the White House
statement on the subject had been very responsible. He hoped
there would be no more public discussion about the issue so
it would just go away. Noting that he had met with former
Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi a day earlier, the
ForMin said there should be support for Allawi and those who
think like him, who favor a non-sectarian, non-ethnic
approach to Iraqi politics. People should be considered
Iraqis first, not according to their sect or ethnicity.
Sectarian distribution is not a part of the Iraqi
constitution, but Shaikh Khalid said the political system was
moving that way.
6. (C) Allawi had complained that Najaf and southern Iraq
were now controlled by Iran through SCIRI, Shaikh Khalid
reported. A member of Allawi's delegation, Radwan Kalidar,
had said that his family had been the caretakers of the Najaf
mosque for generations. Now supporters of Iran held the
position. The ForMin said the Arab countries had to help
Iraq now. There were indications, he claimed, that the
United States would pull out of Iraq in a year. "We have to
move before that happens," he stated. The Arab League (AL)
mechanism for reconciliation had been accepted by all Iraqis,
but the AL had not yet held a conference in Baghdad, as it
had said it would. Let's do it now, Shaikh Khalid said, and
let the Iraqis feel we're with them, and are not leaving them
to Iran.
7. (C) The Minister related that Allawi thought that his
Iraq List slate of candidates was under-represented in the
Iraqi parliament. There had been reports of intimidation in
the polling centers, and Iraq List voters had felt exposed
because there were no private booths for voters to use while
casting their ballots.
--------------
Dealing with Iran
--------------
8. (C) Shaikh Khalid said that Saudi Prince Bandar had
recently visited Tehran and delivered a stern message. The
key point was that if there is a broad Sunni-Shia conflict,
"we both lose." The ForMin did not think there would be a
"grand rapprochement" between Saudi Arabia and Iran. They
are trying to understand each other but have many
differences. The Ambassador said that UN Security Council
Resolution 1747 tightens sanctions further on Iran. Shaikh
Khalid affirmed that Bahrain would implement the sanctions in
full and indicated that he had been in touch with the Finance
Minister and Central Bank Governor on this issue. He noted
that the Russians seemed to be growing increasingly skeptical
of Iran. National Security Advisor Ivanov had told him last
November that Russia did not trust Iran and did not know what
Iran was doing in its nuclear program. Shaikh Khalid
reported that the Iranian government was calling for a
meeting of the Bahrain-Iran joint committee in Tehran, but he
was stalling.
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
MONROE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2017
TAGS: PREL KPAL BA IS IR IZ REGION OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES ARAB PEACE INITIATIVE,
IRAQ, IRAN
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid told the Ambassador
April 4 that he had praised the Arab peace initiative in a
recent interview because it was an attempt to get outside
"the bubble of historical conflict" over Israel. There will
be a meeting of the Arab League peace initiative action
committee in Cairo in mid-April, and Bahrain would have "no
reservations" about meeting face-to-face with Israel if it is
a member of the working group charged with talking to Israel.
Noting he had met with former Iraqi interim Prime Minister
Allawi the previous day, Shaikh Khalid said there should be
support for people who favor a non-sectarian, non-ethnic
approach to Iraqi politics. He said that now is the time for
the Arabs to engage with the Iraqi government so the Iraqis
"feel we're with them." He noted that Saudi Prince Bandar
had delivered a stern message recently to Iran, saying
everyone would lose in a broad Sunni-Shia conflict. Shaikh
Khalid dismissed the likelihood of a "grand rapprochement"
between Saudi Arabia and Iran. End Summary.
--------------
FM Addresses Peace Initiative in Interview
--------------
2. (C) Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa
told the Ambassador April 4 that his comments in support of
the Arab peace initiative published in an interview with
Arabic daily Al Ayam (and in English in the Bahrain Tribune)
needed to be said. The initiative was an attempt to get
outside of "the bubble of historical conflict" over Israel
and for the people of the region to accept each other. Jews
had lived with Arabs and Muslims throughout history. People
should recognize that while they may have differences, they
are not enemies, and that the problems will be solved one
day. Israel has to do its part as well, the ForMin said. He
noted that Israeli envoy in the Gulf Kashdan had called him
to say he liked the interview. Shaikh Khalid had suggested
that an Israeli newspaper should print it.
3. (C) In response to the Ambassador's comment about recent
press coverage critical of a Bahraini official for having met
with representatives of the American Jewish Committee (AJC)
during an early March visit, and Shaikh Khalid's defense of
the meeting in the Al-ayam interview, the Minister said that
he could not accept this sort of criticism. It is important
to talk to the AJC and other American groups that Israel
listens to. They should know the Bahraini government's
views, he asserted. He said he had read and enjoyed the
Washington Post's April 3 article about Bahraini Ambassador
Al Baloushi participating in a Passover Seder dinner
organized by the AJC. "Let parliament react," he said, "I
don't care." Al Baloushi was doing the right thing by
participating in this sort of festival. What's the problem
with that, he asked rhetorically.
--------------
Direct Contact with Israel under Arab Plan
--------------
4. (C) The next step on the peace initiative, the Minister
said, is for the members of the action committee to meet in
mid-April in Cairo to form working groups. (Note: There are
nine other members of the action committee, including Saudi
Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, among others.) Each
working group will be responsible for discussing the
initiative with outside countries and organizations. In
response to the Ambassador's question, Shaikh Khalid said
Bahrain would have "no reservations" about participating in
the working group charged with talking to Israel. "There is
no barrier for us to get together with Israel face-to-face"
in the context of the initiative and the working group. It
should not just be Egypt and Jordan talking to Israel. The
whole of the Arab world supports the initiative, including
talks with Israel, and the working group members are the
representatives. Shaikh Khalid noted that Egyptian Foreign
Minister Abul Gheit will visit Bahrain April 7-8, and they
will discuss the composition of the working groups.
--------------
Allawi's Non-Sectarian Approach
--------------
5. (C) The Ambassador stated that Saudi King Abdullah's
MANAMA 00000319 002 OF 002
comment at the Arab League Summit in Riyadh about the
"illegal occupation" of Iraq had been jarring to Iraq and the
United States. Shaikh Khalid said he did not know why King
Abdullah had said this, and he commented that the White House
statement on the subject had been very responsible. He hoped
there would be no more public discussion about the issue so
it would just go away. Noting that he had met with former
Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi a day earlier, the
ForMin said there should be support for Allawi and those who
think like him, who favor a non-sectarian, non-ethnic
approach to Iraqi politics. People should be considered
Iraqis first, not according to their sect or ethnicity.
Sectarian distribution is not a part of the Iraqi
constitution, but Shaikh Khalid said the political system was
moving that way.
6. (C) Allawi had complained that Najaf and southern Iraq
were now controlled by Iran through SCIRI, Shaikh Khalid
reported. A member of Allawi's delegation, Radwan Kalidar,
had said that his family had been the caretakers of the Najaf
mosque for generations. Now supporters of Iran held the
position. The ForMin said the Arab countries had to help
Iraq now. There were indications, he claimed, that the
United States would pull out of Iraq in a year. "We have to
move before that happens," he stated. The Arab League (AL)
mechanism for reconciliation had been accepted by all Iraqis,
but the AL had not yet held a conference in Baghdad, as it
had said it would. Let's do it now, Shaikh Khalid said, and
let the Iraqis feel we're with them, and are not leaving them
to Iran.
7. (C) The Minister related that Allawi thought that his
Iraq List slate of candidates was under-represented in the
Iraqi parliament. There had been reports of intimidation in
the polling centers, and Iraq List voters had felt exposed
because there were no private booths for voters to use while
casting their ballots.
--------------
Dealing with Iran
--------------
8. (C) Shaikh Khalid said that Saudi Prince Bandar had
recently visited Tehran and delivered a stern message. The
key point was that if there is a broad Sunni-Shia conflict,
"we both lose." The ForMin did not think there would be a
"grand rapprochement" between Saudi Arabia and Iran. They
are trying to understand each other but have many
differences. The Ambassador said that UN Security Council
Resolution 1747 tightens sanctions further on Iran. Shaikh
Khalid affirmed that Bahrain would implement the sanctions in
full and indicated that he had been in touch with the Finance
Minister and Central Bank Governor on this issue. He noted
that the Russians seemed to be growing increasingly skeptical
of Iran. National Security Advisor Ivanov had told him last
November that Russia did not trust Iran and did not know what
Iran was doing in its nuclear program. Shaikh Khalid
reported that the Iranian government was calling for a
meeting of the Bahrain-Iran joint committee in Tehran, but he
was stalling.
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
MONROE