BAHRAIN: IRAQI WMD SCIENTIST REDIRECTION PROGRAM

S E C R E T MANAMA 000560 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA, ISN/CTR E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2017 TAGS: PTER PINS PARM PREL PREF BA IZ REGION SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: IRAQI WMD SCIENTIST REDIRECTION PROGRAM REF: STATE 80326 Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) . ¶1. (S) Pol/Econ Chief June 17 delivered reftel demarche concerning the Iraqi WMD scientist redirection program to MFA Director for Bilateral Affairs Dhafer Al Umran. Al Umran said that Bahrain would like to help and he pledged to brief more senior levels of the ministry on the program. However, indicating that he was speaking from a personal perspective, he said that Bahrain should act with caution before agreeing to place Iraqi scientists in fellowships at Bahraini institutions because "trouble could follow these people to Bahrain." Whatever groups might want to pressure the scientists in Iraq could likely do the same in Bahrain. Because it is a small country, the scientists could have some public profile. He asked that we reengage on this issue if/when the U.S. was interested in placing an Iraqi in Bahrain. ¶2. (S) On a possible emergency evacuation of scientists from Iraq, Al Umran said that Bahrain could be a temporary transit point. "We would want to help friends in an emergency," he said, noting that in his view, serving as a temporary haven was different from establishing a longer lasting arrangement. ¶3. (S) Comment: With Bahrain's Sunni-Shia sectarian division, immigration or even visits by Iraqis is currently a very sensitive subject in Bahrain. The government has placed a virtual ban on visits by Iraqi passport holders at this time. The Embassy deems it highly unlikely that Bahrain would participate in a scientist relocation program. ********************************************* ******** Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ ********************************************* ******** MONROE