(U) KUDOS AND FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FOR REPORTING

S E C R E T STATE 127233 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2034 TAGS: PINR BA SUBJECT: (U) KUDOS AND FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FOR REPORTING ON BAHRAIN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS (C-ME9-02398) REF: MANAMA 000600 Classified By: ELISSA G. PITTERLE, DIRECTOR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (S/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS APPRECIATE PAST REPORTING ON LEADERS IN BAHRAIN, PARTICULARLY MANAMA 000600, WHICH PROVIDED USEFUL INSIGHT INTO THE PROBABLE NEXT GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) SECRETARY. WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADDITIONAL EMBASSY MANAMA OR EMBASSY RIYADH REPORTING ON THE FOLLOWING TOPICS AND QUESTIONS, AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT: ¶A. (S/NF) DID PRIME MINISTER KHALIFA BIN SALMAN AL KHALIFA ARRANGE ANY PART OF THE APPOINTMENT OF THE NEXT GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) SECRETARY, AND WAS THERE ANY POLITICAL BARGAINING OVER THE APPOINTMENT? PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE POSITION OF GCC SECRETARY. ¶B. (S/NF) HOW IS PRIME MINISTER KHALIFA REGARDED BY KING HAMAD BIN ISA AL KHALIFA AND CROWN PRINCE SALMAN BIN HAMAD AL KHALIFA? OVER WHICH ISSUES DO THESE OFFICIALS MOST FREQUENTLY CLASH, AND ON WHICH ISSUES DO THEY SHARE COMMON VIEWS? ¶C. (S/NF) WHO AMONG THE BAHRAINI LEADERSHIP ARE CONSIDERED LOYALISTS OF KING HAMAD, CROWN PRINCE SALMAN, OR PRIME MINISTER KHALIFA? WHICH OFFICIALS ARE LOYAL TO THESE LEADERS? HAVE THE LOYALTIES CHANGED OVER TIME? ¶D. (S/NF) WHAT IS PRIME MINISTER KHALIFA'S EXTENT OF INFLUENCE IN BAHRAIN'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN LIGHT OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD, AND WHAT IS HIS LEVEL OF INFLUENCE WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE? HOW MUCH INFLUENCE DOES HE EXERT THROUGH HIS SONS? ARE HIS SONS SEEN AS CREDIBLE, OR INEFFECTUAL? HOW MUCH INFLUENCE DO THEY HAVE IN THE ROYAL FAMILY? WHAT ARE HIS SON, ALI'S -- THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION -- PROSPECTS OF BECOMING PRIME MINISTER? ¶E. (S/NF) WHAT EFFECT HAVE CROWN PRINCE SALMAN'S PROGRAMS ADVOCATING GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY HAD ON CORRUPTION IN BAHRAIN'S GOVERNMENT? HOW HAS HIS NEW TITLE OF "HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS" AFFECTED HIS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES? WHAT ARE CROWN PRINCE SALMAN'S NEAR TERM AND LONG TERM PLANS? WHAT IS HIS LEVEL OF CONTROL OVER ECONOMIC POLICYMAKING? ¶F. (S/NF) HOW DID THE REVELATION OF THE QOM NUCLEAR SITE IN IRAN AFFECT THE STRATEGIC REGIONAL CALCULUS INSIDE THE BAHRAINI GOVERNMENT? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-ME9-02398 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON