VZCZCXRO2037
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHMK #1307/01 1991236
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 181236Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5250
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT  PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 001307 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM BA BILAT REGION REFORM
OFFICIALS, POL 
SUBJECT: GOB WELCOME MAT NOT EXTENDED FOR NDI 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
. 
 
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Summary 
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¶1.  (C) National Democratic Institute (NDI) Regional Director 
Les Campbell and the Ambassador met with key Bahraini 
decision-makers July 11 in an attempt to resolve NDI's status 
in Bahrain to allow NDI programs to proceed.  Bahrain 
Political Development Institute (BPDI) Board President Lulwa 
Al Awadi assumed an even more regressive position than during 
previous MOU negotiations with former NDI country director 
Fawzi Guleid.  Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid urged BPDI/NDI 
cooperation on an initial project to build mutual 
understanding and overcome mistrust in the relationship.  In 
a subsequent meeting with the Foreign Minister July 18, the 
Ambassador relayed Washington's disappointment that NDI's 
status had not been resolved, and Shaikh Khalid reiterated 
his encouragement for cooperation on a project.  End summary. 
 
---------------- 
BPDI's Hard Line 
---------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) NDI Regional Director for Middle East and North 
Africa Programs Les Campbell and the Ambassador met with 
Bahraini officials July 11 to explore options to resolve 
NDI's status in Bahrain.  Meeting with BPDI Board President 
Lulwa Al Awadi and BPDI Executive Director Dr. Abdulla Al 
Asha'al, Campbell expressed his hope for a resolution to the 
MOU discussion, so that NDI could work as a primary program 
partner with BPDI and yet also maintain independence to carry 
out programs that may not be within BPDI's interest or scope 
of work.  Al Awadi explained that BPDI was obliged to work 
within the provisions of two laws, the Civil Societies Law of 
1989 and the Political Societies Law of 2005.  According to 
Al Awadi's interpretation of these laws, there is no 
provision that will allow any international NGO to work 
independently in Bahrain outside the auspices of the BPDI. 
NDI must work "through" the BPDI exclusively to carry out 
projects that are approved by a four-member steering 
committee consisting of Al Awadi, Al Asha'al, a project 
director from NDI, and a political/civil society 
representative chosen to represent all local political and 
civil societies. 
 
¶3.  (C) According to Al Awadi, the laws do not provide the 
freedom for an NDI project director to have direct engagement 
with local political society and civil society 
representatives.  All contact is to be conducted through BPDI 
staff members.  BPDI staff sends out program invitations and 
follows up with invitees.  Each project's steering committee 
discusses and approves project scopes of work and the 
participation of international experts.  Al Awadi stated that 
an NDI program director would not maintain a permanent 
presence in Bahrain but could stay in Bahrain for the 
duration of a particular project.  Al Asha'al stated that 
Bahrain has a different political climate than many other 
countries in the region, and there is a desire for more 
control to prevent problems.  Campbell commented to Al Awadi 
and Al Asha'al that if their legal interpretations were what 
parliament intended when it passed the Political Societies 
Law in July 2005, then Bahrain has the most restrictive 
climate for the work of NGOs of any country in the region. 
 
----------------------------- 
"Misinterpretation," Some Say 
----------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) In a private conversation with the Ambassador, 
Council of Representatives (COR) member, attorney, and BPDI 
Board Vice-President Fareed Ghazi responded to a question 
about the legal interpretation of the Political Societies 
Law's relevant article.  He said that the COR and most 
members of the BPDI board had not interpreted the GOB law to 
mean that all contact between members of a Bahraini political 
society and representatives of a foreign NGO should be 
prohibited.  MPs interpreted the article to mean that direct 
funding and financial benefit to a political society is 
prohibited.  "How can you classify having tea with someone or 
having a phone conversation with a political society member 
as receiving financial benefit?" Ghazi asked rhetorically. 
Campbell later confirmed this sentiment when he asked COR 
First Deputy Abdulhadi Marhoon about the issue.  Marhoon said 
that the COR had not interpreted the law to prohibit direct 
contact between members of political societies and foreign 
organizations. 
 
MANAMA 00001307  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶5.  (C) So what does the law say?  The phrase in question 
hinges largely on the interpretation of two Arabic words. 
Loosely translated, the phrase says, "It is not permitted for 
a political society to receive any contribution or privilege 
or benefit from a foreigner, or from a foreign side (party), 
or from an international organization, or from an unknown 
person."  The interpretation of the above words "privilege" 
(Arabic, meeza) and "benefit" (Arabic, munfa'a) is not 
specific, especially when one tries to nail down exactly what 
they mean in terms of potential NDI programming.  Al Awadi 
and Al Asha'al take the interpretation that direct engagement 
with political society members represents a privilege or 
benefit to them and is therefore unlawful. 
 
------------------------- 
MFA Encourages Engagement 
------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) Immediately following the discussion with BPDI 
officials, Campbell and the Ambassador met with Foreign 
Minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.  Shaikh Khalid 
repeated Bahrain's desire to work with NDI, saying that the 
BPDI had much to learn and could benefit greatly from NDI's 
experience and programs.  Campbell explained that there was 
no additional progress to report from meeting with Al Awadi 
and Al Asha'al, and that the way forward was still not clear. 
 MFA Legal Affairs Director Dr. Yusuf Abdulkarim stated that 
the GOB is aware of the legislative gap to legitimate the 
activities of foreign NGOs in Bahrain.  Shaikh Khalid urged 
Campbell to consider proposing a project on which NDI and 
BPDI could work jointly to begin to overcome the mistrust 
that currently exists and to foster a climate of cooperation. 
 Campbell said that he would consider this option and consult 
with the NDI Board of Directors and MEPI officials on next 
steps.  Shaikh Khalid pledged to do what he can to urge BPDI 
officials to accommodate NDI's needs on a project, including 
not making the signing of an MOU a BPDI prerequisite to 
cooperation. 
 
¶7.  (C) In a subsequent meeting July 18 with the FM, the 
Ambassador relayed Washington's initial disappointment with 
the lack of a tangible outcome of Campbell's visit.  He 
stated that Campbell had traveled to Bahrain hoping that 
after NDI country director Fawzi Guleid's departure, there 
would be a forward-looking position regarding NDI's work.  On 
the contrary, there has been a step backward in light of Al 
Awadi's more regressive legal interpretation.  A bit 
cryptically, Shaikh Khalid said, "we are trying to unravel 
the situation."  He again urged cooperation on a project to 
build understanding and proposed that NDI sponsor a visit for 
Al Awadi and Al Asha'al to see NDI programs in other 
countries in the region.  Reacting to a comment that BPDI is 
state-controlled, Shaikh Khalid said that it is not 
state-controlled but has MPs and other non-government 
officials on its board.  He acknowledged that "our people's 
mindset is not democratic yet" and explained that the GOB was 
moving very carefully to encourage public involvement in 
politics and civil societies.  "However, we need to be 
careful because Iran and groups like Hamas and Hezbollah 
could exploit these openings to our society." 
 
----------------------------------- 
The King's Confidant Shares Insight 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (C) Earlier July 11, Campbell and the Ambassador met with 
Minister of Industry and Commerce Hassan Fakhro, long-time 
confidant of the King.  Fakhro, who speaks favorably of Fawzi 
Guleid and NDI, stated that initially the King personally 
invited NDI to work in Bahrain in an early spirit of 
cooperation, but over the years the combined increases in 
NDI's visibility and anti-U.S. public sentiment due to other 
U.S. activities, such as Iraq and Guantanamo, have resulted 
in the GOB policy to place any NDI programming under the BPDI. 
 
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Comment 
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¶9.  (C) Campbell's meetings were a major disappointment as 
there seems to have been no GOB effort to accommodate NDI 
following the departure of Guleid.  As long as Al Awadi is 
the President of the BPDI board and Al Asha'al walks in 
lock-step with her, the climate is not conducive to agreement 
on an MOU with NDI.  During his visit, Campbell received some 
informal advice from progressives that NDI not accept the 
BPDI position merely to maintain a presence, but that it 
would be better in the long run to walk away so the GOB and 
 
MANAMA 00001307  003 OF 003 
 
 
the BPDI would realize the mistake they are making.  The lack 
of GOB effort to resolve NDI's status issue has made it clear 
that Guleid's departure from Bahrain was not, as was 
initially articulated, the main concern about NDI's operation 
in Bahrain.  There is a more fundamental legal/policy issue 
that must be resolved. 
 
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Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: 
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MONROE