Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MANAMA560
2007-06-17 14:07:00
SECRET
Embassy Manama
Cable title:  

BAHRAIN: IRAQI WMD SCIENTIST REDIRECTION PROGRAM

Tags:  PTER PINS PARM PREL PREF BA IZ REGION 
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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMK #0560 1681407
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 171407Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6930
INFO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 1752
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 0650
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 1331
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0197
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 0682
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0943
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 1207
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA PRIORITY 0892
RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT PRIORITY 2954
RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT PRIORITY 0424
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 1015
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 2828
RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA PRIORITY 0671
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 0279
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT PRIORITY
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)
.

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.


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