Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MANAMA560
2007-06-17 14:07:00
SECRET
Embassy Manama
Cable title:
BAHRAIN: IRAQI WMD SCIENTIST REDIRECTION PROGRAM
VZCZCXYZ0001 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.
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
MONROE
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