BAHRAIN: ARAB LEAGUE MINISTERIAL DEMARCHE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000375 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2019 TAGS: PREL KPAL BA SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: ARAB LEAGUE MINISTERIAL DEMARCHE REF: STATE 62909 Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Steven R. Butler for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) CDA made reftel points June 20 to Ambassador Saeed Al Faihani, Advisor to the Foreign Minister. Faihani made no substantive comment, and undertook to convey our message to Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, who was traveling. ¶2. (C) In a follow-up conversation on June 23, Faihani told the CDA that Bahrain would be represented at the Arab League ministerial by its ambassador in Cairo and by the MFA's Director of Arab Affairs. The Foreign Minister will be with the Crown Prince in the U.S. and will not be able to attend the ministerial. About Netanyahu's speech, Faihani said that Sheikh Khalid had expressed concern that it not be just the Arabs who make gestures toward Israel, nevertheless Bahrain would take our views into consideration. Faihani added that the FM was of the opinion that the AL ministerial must not adopt a position that would give hardliners and Israel an excuse to do nothing. ********************************************* ******** Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ ********************************************* ******** HENZEL