Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MANAMA657
2007-07-16 09:02:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Manama
Cable title:
IRANIAN FM ASSURES BAHRAIN OF FULL RESPECT FOR
how-toVZCZCXRO4324 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK DE RUEHMK #0657/01 1970902 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 160902Z JUL 07 ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR - RESENT AS MANAMA 0662 FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7018 INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000657
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL BA IR REGION
SUBJECT: IRANIAN FM ASSURES BAHRAIN OF FULL RESPECT FOR
SOVEREIGNTY
MANAMA 00000657 001.2 OF 002
/// CANCEL - RESENT AS
MANAMA 00000657 002 OF 002
country and no other country has sovereignty over it.
7. (U) In his July 15 editorial, editor of the Shia-oriented
daily Al-Wasat, Mansour Al-Jamri, praised Muttaqi's statement
to the press in Bahrain and urged Bahrainis to forget the
past and encourage future development between the two
countries. He welcomed the formation of a joint committee to
develop areas of future cooperation.
8. (U) Bu June 16, the tempest created by the Shariatmadari
seemed to have subsided. The story was off the front pages,
except for one small article reporting that the Iranian MFA
spokesman had reiterated in his weekly news conference that
Shariatmadari's statement represented his personal view only
and not that of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, and that Iran
respects Bahraini sovereignty and will continue to have good
relations with Bahrain. Also reported was a day trip Shaikh
Khalid took to Saudi Arabia to brief King Abdullah on the
affair.
8. (C) Comment: Muttaqi's visit has predictably quieted the
local storm that developed over Shariatmadari's ill-timed
statement. Nonetheless, the statement, in hitting a raw
nerve, aroused the worst fears in Bahrain's Sunni community,
especially among those inclined to distrust Iran in
particular and Shia in general. The statements of the
leading Shia cleric and Shia journalist are telling. Shaikh
Isa Qassim wanted to make clear Shia loyalty to Bahrain, and
Mansour Al-Jamry wanted to get the whole thing over with as
quickly as possible. They saw no benefit in this for the
Bahraini Shia. As for Bahrain's relations with Iran, the
government predictably felt that, once it had made its point,
it had no choice but to seek accommodation with its large and
potentially threatening neighbor to the north.
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
MONROE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL BA IR REGION
SUBJECT: IRANIAN FM ASSURES BAHRAIN OF FULL RESPECT FOR
SOVEREIGNTY
MANAMA 00000657 001.2 OF 002
/// CANCEL - RESENT AS
MANAMA 00000657 002 OF 002
country and no other country has sovereignty over it.
7. (U) In his July 15 editorial, editor of the Shia-oriented
daily Al-Wasat, Mansour Al-Jamri, praised Muttaqi's statement
to the press in Bahrain and urged Bahrainis to forget the
past and encourage future development between the two
countries. He welcomed the formation of a joint committee to
develop areas of future cooperation.
8. (U) Bu June 16, the tempest created by the Shariatmadari
seemed to have subsided. The story was off the front pages,
except for one small article reporting that the Iranian MFA
spokesman had reiterated in his weekly news conference that
Shariatmadari's statement represented his personal view only
and not that of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, and that Iran
respects Bahraini sovereignty and will continue to have good
relations with Bahrain. Also reported was a day trip Shaikh
Khalid took to Saudi Arabia to brief King Abdullah on the
affair.
8. (C) Comment: Muttaqi's visit has predictably quieted the
local storm that developed over Shariatmadari's ill-timed
statement. Nonetheless, the statement, in hitting a raw
nerve, aroused the worst fears in Bahrain's Sunni community,
especially among those inclined to distrust Iran in
particular and Shia in general. The statements of the
leading Shia cleric and Shia journalist are telling. Shaikh
Isa Qassim wanted to make clear Shia loyalty to Bahrain, and
Mansour Al-Jamry wanted to get the whole thing over with as
quickly as possible. They saw no benefit in this for the
Bahraini Shia. As for Bahrain's relations with Iran, the
government predictably felt that, once it had made its point,
it had no choice but to seek accommodation with its large and
potentially threatening neighbor to the north.
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
MONROE