BAHRAIN: IMPLEMENTING UNSCR 1747: A BROAD

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000461 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA, ISN E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2017 TAGS: PREL PARM ETTC BA IR REGION SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: IMPLEMENTING UNSCR 1747: A BROAD DEFINITION OF ARMS AND RELATED MATERIEL REF: STATE 67462 Classified By: DCM Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). (C) Pol/Econ Chief May 22 delivered reftel demarche concerning advocating a broad definition of "arms and related materiel" to MFA Assistant Under Secretary for Coordination and Follow Up Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa. Shaikh Abdul Aziz listened carefully and agreed that a broad definition of arms and related materiel should be used in implementing UNSCR 1747. While noting that Bahrain purchases no weapons from Iran nor hosts any arms-related trade shows, Shaikh Abdul Aziz instructed his assistant to draft an inter-ministerial memo from the MFA to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and other relevant authorities on the expanded definition, presenting the USG language as the MFA's own. Shaikh Abdul Aziz said that the only trade shows in the Gulf region featuring weapons systems were the Dubai Air Show and a security show in Qatar displaying small arms. ********************************************* ******** Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ ********************************************* ******** MONROE