Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10MANAMA57
2010-02-01 13:58:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Manama
Cable title:
BAHRAIN'S KING HAMAD APPROVES USG REQUESTS FOR USE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHMK #0057 0321358 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 011358Z FEB 10 FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA TO RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9184 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0067 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0129 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000057
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, EUR/RPM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2020
TAGS: PREL ENRG MARR NATO BA
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN'S KING HAMAD APPROVES USG REQUESTS FOR USE
OF ISA AIR BASE
REF: A. MANAMA 025
B. MANAMA 026 C. 1/27/10 DAALDER-ERELI EMAIL D. 1/31/10 GORTNEY-PETRAEUS EMAIL Classified By: Ambassador Adam Ereli for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000057
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, EUR/RPM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2020
TAGS: PREL ENRG MARR NATO BA
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN'S KING HAMAD APPROVES USG REQUESTS FOR USE
OF ISA AIR BASE
REF: A. MANAMA 025
B. MANAMA 026 C. 1/27/10 DAALDER-ERELI EMAIL D. 1/31/10 GORTNEY-PETRAEUS EMAIL Classified By: Ambassador Adam Ereli for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1.(C) Bahrain's head of state, King Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa, received the Ambassador and NAVCENT/Fifth Fleet Commander Vice Admiral William Gortney on January 31 to review USG requests for the use of Isa AIR Base. Based on reftels, Ambassador informed the King that our priorities were trans-shipment of mine-resistant all-terrain vehicles (M-ATV's) and stationing of U.S. Navy P-3 and NATO AWACS aircraft. VADM Gortney outlined a notional timeline that could accommodate these deployments.
2.(C) King Hamad reiterated Bahrain's commitment to its partnership with the United States and to supporting the coalition in Afghanistan. He said that he would speak the same evening with the Commander of the Bahrain Defense Forces, General Khalifa bin Ahmed al Khalifa, and instruct him to work out logistical details with the Embassy and NAVCENT.
3.(C) The King also said that he had instructed Bahrain's Minister of Oil and Gas to study the economic and technical feasibility of offering long-term contracts for fuel at fixed prices to the U.S. Navy. The idea offered strategic and economic advantages, the King said. It would provide a guaranteed and reliable fuel supply to those defending the security of the Gulf, and it would offer a steady revenue stream for the Kingdom. Ambassador replied that he would review the idea with the Minister of Oil and VADM Gortney undertook to bring it to the attention of the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC).
4.(C) Comment: Once again, King Hamad has come through for us with his customary good will and graciousness. This generosity should not be taken for granted, however. While it's hard to imagine Bahrain saying no to a vital request from the U.S., we need to be careful, deliberate and inclusive of them in planning our future deployments. And, as indicated in Ref B, Bahrain needs USG senior-level political engagement to complement the high-level military attention it gets from us. End comment. ERELI
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, EUR/RPM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2020
TAGS: PREL ENRG MARR NATO BA
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN'S KING HAMAD APPROVES USG REQUESTS FOR USE
OF ISA AIR BASE
REF: A. MANAMA 025
B. MANAMA 026 C. 1/27/10 DAALDER-ERELI EMAIL D. 1/31/10 GORTNEY-PETRAEUS EMAIL Classified By: Ambassador Adam Ereli for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1.(C) Bahrain's head of state, King Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa, received the Ambassador and NAVCENT/Fifth Fleet Commander Vice Admiral William Gortney on January 31 to review USG requests for the use of Isa AIR Base. Based on reftels, Ambassador informed the King that our priorities were trans-shipment of mine-resistant all-terrain vehicles (M-ATV's) and stationing of U.S. Navy P-3 and NATO AWACS aircraft. VADM Gortney outlined a notional timeline that could accommodate these deployments.
2.(C) King Hamad reiterated Bahrain's commitment to its partnership with the United States and to supporting the coalition in Afghanistan. He said that he would speak the same evening with the Commander of the Bahrain Defense Forces, General Khalifa bin Ahmed al Khalifa, and instruct him to work out logistical details with the Embassy and NAVCENT.
3.(C) The King also said that he had instructed Bahrain's Minister of Oil and Gas to study the economic and technical feasibility of offering long-term contracts for fuel at fixed prices to the U.S. Navy. The idea offered strategic and economic advantages, the King said. It would provide a guaranteed and reliable fuel supply to those defending the security of the Gulf, and it would offer a steady revenue stream for the Kingdom. Ambassador replied that he would review the idea with the Minister of Oil and VADM Gortney undertook to bring it to the attention of the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC).
4.(C) Comment: Once again, King Hamad has come through for us with his customary good will and graciousness. This generosity should not be taken for granted, however. While it's hard to imagine Bahrain saying no to a vital request from the U.S., we need to be careful, deliberate and inclusive of them in planning our future deployments. And, as indicated in Ref B, Bahrain needs USG senior-level political engagement to complement the high-level military attention it gets from us. End comment. ERELI