VZCZCXYZ0004
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMK #1313/01 2001129
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 191129Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5256
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT  PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001313 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER BA REGION CTR OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: TFLE01: FM SHAIKH KHALID ON LEBANON, ROADMAP 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
. 
 
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Summary 
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¶1.  (C) In a meeting with the Ambassador July 18, Foreign 
Minister Shaikh Khalid was clearly anguished about the 
hostilities in Lebanon.  The Lebanese have worked so hard to 
bring their country back from civil war, but now there is 
much destruction and many civilian deaths.  Shaikh Khalid 
voiced the GOB's firm support to the GOL to work for full 
control of all of Lebanon as specified in UNSCR 1559.  Care 
needs to be taken in dealing with Hezbollah, however, as it 
is a proxy for other parties.  He urged the U.S. to take a 
more active role in the Middle East including encouraging 
Israel to work more closely with Palestinian President Abu 
Mazen.  Foreign ministers in Cairo July 15 agreed that the 
"roadmap" is dead, and that there is a need for a "new 
beginning."  Iranian FM Mottaki actively sought an invitation 
to the meeting in Cairo, but was rebuffed.  Shaikh Khalid 
explained that a recent visit by Interior Minister Shaikh 
Rashid to Damascus was to deliver a message of concern about 
Bahraini Shia pilgrims who visit Syria and then go to 
training camps in Lebanon.  End summary. 
 
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FM Noticeably Unsettled 
----------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) During a discussion with the Ambassador July 18 on 
developments between Lebanon and Israel, Foreign Minister 
Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa was visibly anguished 
about the situation.  He said that in all the destruction in 
Lebanon, Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah is not losing, it 
is the Lebanese people who are losing.  There are 
indiscriminate attacks from both sides and innocent civilians 
are dying.  "It is tragic.  I feel sad for the common people 
who were hired to provide temporary help for the summer 
season, who are now out of a job and on the streets.  They 
may now go and fight for a militia."  He said that the 
Lebanese love life and have worked so hard to bring Lebanon 
back to life from the civil war, but now, "not one bridge 
exists." 
 
¶3.  (C) Shaikh Khalid said that the heart of the matter for 
Lebanon is who controls the country.  The GOB's position is 
to give full support to the GOL and to PM Fuad Siniora's 
statement in which he requested help from allies to work for 
full GOL control of all of Lebanon as specified in UNSCR 
¶1559.  The GOB wants to see a halt in hostilities as soon as 
possible and transfer of control of border areas to the 
Lebanese army.  Shaikh Khalid urged the U.S. to use its 
influence to call for an ad hoc force, UN or multi-national 
force, of international peacekeepers that could facilitate 
this handover.  "You can't have two armies in control of the 
country." 
 
¶4.  (C) In outlining the U.S. position on the conflict, the 
Ambassador commented that tragic as the situation is, this 
presents an opportunity to deal forcefully with Hezbollah. 
The FM said that we need to be careful though, because 
Hezbollah is not alone.  "Hezbollah is a proxy.  This is a 
bigger issue than just the Lebanese government." 
 
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"The Roadmap Is Dead" 
--------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) Shaikh Khalid expressed frustration over the July 15 
Arab League meeting of foreign ministers and their inability 
to come to a consensus on a communiqu.  Those presenting a 
separate Lebanese communiqu and a separate Palestinian 
communiqu were inflexible, insisting on the wording they 
presented.  The remaining FMs developed a separate joint 
communiqu.  The FMs did agree that there is currently no 
peace process and that "the roadmap is dead."  "We are sick 
of the roadmap; we need a new beginning."  He said one 
important idea out of the Cairo meeting was to go to the UNSC 
to help resolve the immediate crisis.  He called for the full 
involvement of the world powers to solve a situation that was 
rapidly deteriorating.  More broadly, he lamented that the 
peace process itself had gone from broad engagement in 
Madrid, to Oslo, Wye River, the Roadmap and to where we are 
now stating a need for more extensive engagement.  Shaikh 
Khalid laid out a general framework saying that after helping 
Lebanon control its own borders, an essential step, we need 
to turn our attention to the Palestinians, and solve the 
Syrian issue. 
¶6.  (C) Shaikh Khalid said that Iranian FM Manouchehr Mottaki 
called several foreign ministers in the region (but not him) 
requesting that he be invited to Cairo for the July 15 
meeting.  Shaikh Khalid said he considered inviting Mottaki 
if only for the opportunity to put pressure on Iran to 
control Hezbollah.  But Mottaki's public statements sounded 
as if he were talking on behalf of Hezbollah, and he would 
likely use the meeting in Cairo for Iran's political 
advantage.  In the end, several foreign ministers told 
Mottaki they would not invite him. 
 
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More U.S. Involvement 
--------------------- 
 
¶7.  (C) Shaikh Khalid urged the U.S. administration to be 
more involved in the Middle East.  Ambassador pointed to 
diplomatic efforts including President Bush's G-8 engagement, 
A/S Welch and DNSA Abrams talks in Jerusalem and the 
Secretary's indication she was prepared to visit the region 
 
SIPDIS 
at the right time.  Shaikh Khalid acknowledged U.S. efforts, 
and urged a more active role, including the U.S. encouraging 
Israel to work more closely with Palestinian President Abu 
Mazen. 
 
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Interior Minister's Visit to Damascus 
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¶8.  (C) In response to Ambassador's question about Interior 
Minister Shaikh Rashid Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa's recent 
meeting with President Asad in Damascus, the FM stated that 
the Interior Minister carried a message regarding Hezbollah 
involvement in Bahrain.  "We have Bahraini pilgrims visiting 
Shia shrines in Syria," he explained, "who then slip over to 
Lebanese training camps.  This is a problem." 
 
 
 
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Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ 
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MONROE