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FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5874
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT  PRIORITY
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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 001851 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2016 
TAGS: PREL MARR PARM BA IR REGION BILAT OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: MFA PLEASED WITH SUBSTANCE OF GSD INITIATIVE 
 
REF: STATE 171822 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
. 
 
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Summary 
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¶1.  (S) MFA Assistant Under Secretary Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin 
Mubarak told the interagency Gulf Security Dialogue (GSD) 
delegation October 18 that the Dialogue is a serious effort 
with "substance, not just ideas" to deal with regional 
security.  He sees U.S. proposals to improve bilateral 
military interoperability as a political breakthrough 
demonstrating U.S. confidence in Bahrain.  Bahrain will 
participate in the upcoming Proliferation Security Initiative 
and seeks additional joint military exercises.  Iran 
represents a great challenge for the region - directly, with 
its nuclear program - and indirectly, by feeding extremism. 
The U.S. and Gulf countries should have a strategy to win 
over the majority of Iranian people by showing them the 
better standard of living on the Arab side of the Gulf and 
the benefits of strong relations with the U.S. and the West. 
A nuclear Iran would try to use its military might to support 
political ambitions.  On Lebanon, the U.S. and international 
community missed an opportunity to use Egyptian and Saudi 
criticism of the kidnapping operation to generate momentum 
against Hizballah.  The Bahraini Foreign Minister visited 
Damascus recently to deliver a strong message to President 
Asad, telling him that Syria must decide which camp it is 
with.  On Iraq, Shaikh Abdul Aziz complimented U.S. 
commitment, patience, and determination.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (S) The interagency Gulf Security Dialogue delegation led 
by Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military 
Affairs John Hillen and Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
International Security Affairs Peter Rodman met with Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs Assistant Under Secretary for Coordination 
and Follow Up Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa 
October 18 to discuss achieving progress on the six pillars 
of the Dialogue (reftel).  The delegation also met with King 
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince Shaikh Salman bin 
Hamad Al Khalifa, and Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Mohammed 
bin Mubarak Al Khalifa (septels). 
 
---------------------------------- 
Serious Effort to Advance Dialogue 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (S) Shaikh Abdul Aziz welcomed the GSD delegation to 
Bahrain, noting that the MFA had coordinated internal 
interministerial meetings to prepare for the visit.  He 
pledged that the delegation would find that Bahrain was 
making a serious effort to move the Dialogue forward in a 
positive way.  He noted that some European countries had 
recently sent delegations representing their foreign affairs 
and defense ministries to the GCC countries to talk about 
regional security.  But the U.S. GSD read-ahead paper was the 
first one to contain substance rather than just general 
ideas.  A/S Hillen said the U.S. side wanted to move ahead 
quickly on concrete steps.  Doing so would send the right 
signals.  The U.S. was engaging with the GCC countries 
bilaterally, and each country moves at its own pace.  In 
Bahrain, there is a history of real on-the-ground 
cooperation, enabling us to move quickly.  He proposed that 
to implement the Dialogue, there be two meetings each year to 
discuss the full range of issues while working groups 
focusing on individual agenda items meet as necessary. 
 
¶4.  (S) On the first point in the paper, Enhanced Defensive 
Capabilities and Cooperation, Shaikh Abdul Aziz said that the 
GOB sees improving bilateral interoperability as a great 
breakthrough politically demonstrating U.S. confidence in 
Bahrain, and the GOB wants to move ahead.  Bahrain will 
participate in the upcoming Proliferation Security Initiative 
(PSI) exercise and the Bahrain Defense Force is interested in 
doing more exercises.  Bahrain needs better air defenses, and 
maritime security should always be a priority.  A/S Hillen 
stated that the U.S. wants to look at security assistance 
creatively with Bahrain.  The USG reformed its assistance 
process this year and there are some new possibilities, but 
the GSD team wants to learn how the region views things.  To 
make quick advances on air defense, there will need to be a 
more significant front-end investment by the host countries. 
 
---------------------- 
 
MANAMA 00001851  002 OF 003 
 
 
Iran Feeding Extremism 
---------------------- 
 
¶5.  (S) Regarding Iran, Shaikh Abdul Aziz said that Bahrain's 
challenge is to live next door to a country that causes so 
many problems - directly, with its nuclear program - and 
indirectly, by feeding extremism.  With its population of 
70-80 million, Iran can serve as a breeding ground for 
extremists who operate in Iraq and other areas.  Bahrain has 
said that it does not want Iran to turn into a "nuclear 
weapons factory," but the GOB must be cautious before making 
political decisions on Iran.  Bahrain fears Iranian moderates 
can be radicalized as a result of the international community 
making wrong decisions. 
 
¶6.  (S) A/S Hillen said the U.S. does not see the GSD process 
as an attempt to provoke Iran.  Rather, the goal is to harden 
our joint defensive capabilities, and therefore exert 
indirect pressure on Iran to behave responsibly on its 
nuclear program, terrorism, and proliferation.  The U.S. 
wants to solve the confrontation peacefully, through the UN 
and IAEA, in addition to steps the U.S. and its allies can 
take to tie our defense interests together.  Doing so would 
send a signal that Iran's actions and rhetoric are making 
them less, not more, secure.  Shaikh Abdul Aziz said he was 
pleased Bahrain's input was considered seriously.  Bahrain is 
always on "red alert" with Iran.  Ideally, the U.S. and Gulf 
countries would have a strategy to win over the majority of 
the people in Iran by showing them the better standard of 
living on the Arab side of the Gulf and the benefits of 
strong relations with the U.S. and the West.  Once Iranian 
leaders see a loss of domestic support because of not 
providing for their people, things can change inside the 
country.  It would be better if the GCC were united in this 
effort, but Bahrain does not want to wait. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Iranian Meddling in Bahraini Affairs 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶7.  (S) Iran, Shaikh Abdul Aziz continued, has a tendency to 
get involved in Bahrain's internal affairs.  It is acceptable 
for there to be demonstrations in Bahrain on unemployment, 
but Iran should not have a hand in politicizing the 
demonstrations.  Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al 
Khalifa visited Iran and said publicly that Iranian religious 
groups influence Bahraini groups, which they should not be 
doing.  The Iranians did not like Shaikh Khalid saying this, 
but it is true.  Bahrain likes its citizens to have opinions 
but "we won't stand for them (Iran) changing our open 
system."  It would be useful, Shaikh Abdul Aziz said, for the 
GCC to meet to discuss how to deal with Iran. 
 
¶8.  (S) A/S Rodman pointed out that there are contradictions 
inside Iran.  We believe that a majority of Iranians do not 
like the regime and are not hearing the truth about the 
nuclear program.  They do not know that it is a weapons 
program that comes with a cost of political and economic 
isolation.  Shaikh Abdul Aziz said that even if people knew 
it was a weapons program, they would dismiss sanctions, 
claiming it is Iran's sovereign right to have the program. 
They may ask, why do some countries have nuclear weapons and 
others do not?  A/S Rodman replied that just having nuclear 
weapons, even without using them, would change the regional 
political climate.  Shaikh Abdul Aziz agreed that Iranians 
believe that military might supports their political 
ambitions. He suggested that perhaps the GSD working group on 
Iran should invite some Iranian think-tank analysts to 
participate in a discussion. 
 
--------------------------- 
Arab Criticism of Hizballah 
--------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (S) On Lebanon, Shaikh Abdul Aziz said that for the first 
time ever, Egypt and Saudi Arabia had criticized Hizballah 
for kidnapping Israeli soldiers.  It was a "huge coup" for 
Arab governments to criticize any group attacking Israelis. 
The U.S. and international community should have taken 
advantage of the Egyptian and Saudi positions by using them 
as a way to generate momentum against Hizballah.  Instead, 
the opposite happened - Israel invaded, and now there is 
tremendous support for Hizballah. 
 
¶10.  (S) A/S Hillen replied that the U.S. recognized the 
importance of taking advantage of the Egyptian and Saudi 
positions, but things had changed very quickly during the 
 
MANAMA 00001851  003 OF 003 
 
 
conflict.  Now our focus is on building up the authority of 
the Lebanese government and the Arab countries can assist in 
this process.  Hizballah should not be allowed to operate as 
a state within a state.  A/S Rodman said the Arab world 
should take note of Syria's role in the crisis.  The Syrian 
government is trying to exert influence over the Siniora 
government with renewed pressure.  Shaikh Abdul Aziz said the 
Bahraini government is against the Syrian position and is one 
of the few countries that is doing something about it. 
Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid visited Damascus recently at 
King Hamad's instruction to pass President Asad Bahrain's 
views.  The message was, "Whose side is Syria on?"  Syria has 
to make a choice about which camp it is with.  Unfortunately, 
Shaikh Abdul Aziz said, Bashar does not have the character to 
make bold decisions.  "We need to cut loose from countries 
who don't think like us, and move forward." 
 
---------------------------------------- 
Infrastructure, Terrorism, Proliferation 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶11.  (S) Turning to the next agenda item, Shaikh Abdul Aziz 
asked for the USG's views on protecting critical 
infrastructure.  A/S Hillen said the attack on the Abqaiq 
refinery highlighted the vulnerabilities of infrastructure 
upon which the world economy depends.  The focus is to harden 
defenses of these types of facilities in addition to 
conducting a broader risk management analysis looking at 
other means to deliver oil and developing alternative energy 
sources.  Shaikh Abdul Aziz agreed this is a very important 
subject and wondered why so much of the region's oil passes 
through the Strait of Hormuz while some could be transported 
by pipeline to the Red Sea. 
 
¶12.  (S) A/S Hillen asked about the status of the planned GCC 
regional counter-terrorism center to be located in Bahrain. 
Shaikh Abdul Aziz said the effort was initiated by Saudi 
Arabia, which at the last minute asked Bahrain to host it. 
Officially, the status of the center is pending. 
Off-the-record, it is not likely that the center will be 
located in Bahrain.  Shaikh Abdul Aziz said that Bahrain is 
doing its part internationally to combat terrorism.  It 
recently passed a new counter-terrorism law and anti-money 
laundering/combating the financing of terror law, and has 
adopted 11 of the 12 UN counter-terrorism conventions.  A/S 
Hillen stated that it is important that Bahrain and the other 
GCC countries continue to make practical progress on 
intelligence-sharing, laws, and monitoring the financial 
sector and charities. 
 
¶13.  (S) On counter-proliferation, Shaikh Abdul Aziz said 
that Bahrain had joined PSI and would participate in the 
upcoming exercise.  A/S Hillen asked that Bahrain encourage 
others, including southeast Asian nations, to join PSI. 
Shaikh Abdul Aziz suggested that the U.S. could propose that 
those countries follow up with Bahrain on the exercise in the 
Gulf. 
 
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Commitment to Iraq 
------------------ 
 
¶14.  (S) Shaikh Abdul Aziz said that regarding Iraq, people 
admire the commitment, patience, and determination of the 
United States.  Bahrain has a particular interest in Iraq 
because of its Shia population.  He asked for the views of 
the GSD delegates.  A/S Rodman said the President is sticking 
to his Iraq policy.  There will be no U.S. withdrawal until 
conditions warrant.  RADM Moeller said Iraqi security forces 
and army are becoming more effective and are gaining the 
respect of fellow citizens.  Although Baghdad is violent, 
other parts of the country are better.  Improving police 
performance is a problem and represents a long term challenge. 
 
¶15.  (U) A/S Hillen and A/S Rodman cleared this cable. 
 
 
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