Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09MANAMA58
2009-02-03 14:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Manama
Cable title:
BAHRAIN-IRAN GAS DEAL STILL FAR OFF
how-toVZCZCXRO1898 RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK DE RUEHMK #0058 0341410 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 031410Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8409 INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000058
SIPDIS
BAGHDAD FOR AMBASSADOR ERELI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/03/2029
TAGS: EPET PREL IR BA
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN-IRAN GAS DEAL STILL FAR OFF
REF: 08 MANAMA 715
Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000058
SIPDIS
BAGHDAD FOR AMBASSADOR ERELI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/03/2029
TAGS: EPET PREL IR BA
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN-IRAN GAS DEAL STILL FAR OFF
REF: 08 MANAMA 715
Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Minister for Oil and Gas Abdul Hussein Mirza told CDA
during a meeting January 28 that any agreement for Bahrain to
purchase natural gas from Iran was still a long way off.
Reiterating that last September's Bahrain-Iran MOU was merely
an agreement to continue negotiating, he predicted that
before there was any final agreement, Bahrain and Iran would
need to have lengthy discussions over the coming year about
financing the infrastructure to get gas to Bahrain and the
price of the gas. He said buying gas from Iran was the option
least attractive to the GOB, and admitted that the continuing
Bahrain-Iran negotiations were largely aimed at prompting
Qatar or Saudi Arabia to reconsider their current positions
against selling gas to Bahrain.
2. (C) CDA reiterated the USG's view that any deal with Iran
would undermine international efforts to pressure Iran to
alter its behavior.
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
HENZEL
SIPDIS
BAGHDAD FOR AMBASSADOR ERELI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/03/2029
TAGS: EPET PREL IR BA
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN-IRAN GAS DEAL STILL FAR OFF
REF: 08 MANAMA 715
Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Minister for Oil and Gas Abdul Hussein Mirza told CDA
during a meeting January 28 that any agreement for Bahrain to
purchase natural gas from Iran was still a long way off.
Reiterating that last September's Bahrain-Iran MOU was merely
an agreement to continue negotiating, he predicted that
before there was any final agreement, Bahrain and Iran would
need to have lengthy discussions over the coming year about
financing the infrastructure to get gas to Bahrain and the
price of the gas. He said buying gas from Iran was the option
least attractive to the GOB, and admitted that the continuing
Bahrain-Iran negotiations were largely aimed at prompting
Qatar or Saudi Arabia to reconsider their current positions
against selling gas to Bahrain.
2. (C) CDA reiterated the USG's view that any deal with Iran
would undermine international efforts to pressure Iran to
alter its behavior.
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
HENZEL