BAHRAIN - FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR PA

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000773 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA/IPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2012 TAGS: PREL EAID KPAL BA SUBJECT: BAHRAIN - FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR PA REF: STATE 110697 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Christopher Henzel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) Charge made reftel points to MFA Undersecretary Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa on August 9. ¶2. (C) Al-Khalifa said the GOB recognized the need to keep the PA afloat financially, and would continue to make contributions within its means, but &on nothing like the scale of our GCC neighbors.8 He said MFA staff would examine current commitments in order to determine how much Bahrain might be able to contribute, and brief us on their findings. He noted that even symbolic support is particularly important now so that &the people of Gaza will see the difference8 between life under the PA and Hamas. Al-Khalifa allowed that he is personally more optimistic right now than he has been for a long time about the prospect of a two-state solution. ********************************************* ******** Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ ********************************************* ******** HENZEL