BAHRAINI PROPOSAL FOR A REGIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000677 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2023 TAGS: PREL TU IS IR BA SUBJECT: BAHRAINI PROPOSAL FOR A REGIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT INCLUDES ISRAEL AND IRAN REF: A. USUN 887 ¶B. MANAMA 652 (NOTAL) ¶C. 07 MANAMA 1067 Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Bahrain's Foreign Minister has called for a new regional organization that would include Israel, Iran, Turkey and the Arab states, and asked for public USG support. End summary. ¶2. (U) Bahraini Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmad Al Khalifa delivered a speech at the UN General Assembly September 27 that included a call for a new regional organization "that would include all states in the Middle East, without exception, to discuss long-standing issues openly and frankly, in the hope of reaching a stable and durable understanding between all parties." (The Bahraini statement is posted on the UN web site at www.un.org/ga/63/generaldebate/bahrain.shtml. ) ¶3. (U) There was no media focus on Shaikh Khalid's proposal until international Arabic daily Al-Hayat ran a front page interview October 1 in which the Foreign Minister confirmed that he was proposing an organization that would include the Arab states, Israel, Iran and Turkey. These governments are "all members of an organization called the United Nations on an international basis...why not on a regional basis? This is the only way to solve our problems..." ¶4. (U) Reacting to the Al-Hayat interview, many in local and regional media have condemned Shaikh Khalid for including Israel in his proposal. Members of Bahrain's elected lower house of parliament -- both Sunni supporters of the government and Shi'a oppositionists -- are piling on and vowing to summon him before parliament to explain himself. (Note: The local critics of Shaikh Khalid's proposal are the same who blasted him for shaking hands with Israeli FM Tzipi Livni at last year's UNGA (ref C ).) A Bahraini-Turkish Discussion -------------- ¶5. (C) In conversations October 2 and 3, Shaikh Khalid told CDA that King Hamad and Turkish President Abdullah Gul had discussed the possibility of a new regional organization this summer in Ankara. After that meeting the King had asked the FM to develop the proposal. King Hamad and President Gul had not discussed Iran during their meeting, the FM said, and Bahrain had not consulted again with the Turks (or any other government). Request for a USG Statement -------------- ¶6. (C) The Foreign Minister asked that the USG issue a positive statement on his proposal. He was also seeking public support from the UK. "Just because we don't recognize each other doesn't mean we Arabs can't talk to Israel, as we do in the UN...we need an initiative to break the deadlock." He added "if the Iranians don't like this then let them be the ones to reject it." The FM said Bahrain's cabinet had approved his UN speech in advance. (Bahraini Minister of Labor Alawi confirmed to us October 2 that the cabinet had discussed and approved the proposal.) Israel and Iran -------------- ¶7. (C) CDA asked Shaikh Khalid whether he envisioned any preconditions for Israel's participation. The FM replied that Bahrain envisioned none, though he could not predict how the initiative would evolve once others engaged. In fact one of the chief purposes of the proposal was to provide a "first step" toward contact with Israel for governments that had no political ties with Tel Aviv. When asked how Iran's proposed participation would mesh with our shared concerns about the potential threats from Tehran, the FM replied that there might be no practical way to include "today's Iran," but a place might be kept open in principle for "the historical Iran" when it is ready to "resume its proper, responsible" role in the region. ¶8. (C) Shaikh Khalid reiterated to CDA his request for a positive statement - "or even slightly positive" - from the USG, arguing that even if the proposal did not move forward, renewed discussion of Israel's integration into the region was worthwhile. ********************************************* ******** MANAMA 00000677 002 OF 002 Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ ********************************************* ******** HENZEL