VZCZCXRO9825
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK
DE RUEHMK #2060/01 3541112
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 201112Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6209
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT  PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 002060 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2016 
TAGS: PREL BA REGION BILAT OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER COVERS REGIONAL ISSUES WITH 
AMBASSADOR 
 
Classified By: CDA Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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¶1.  (C) Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid told the Ambassador 
December 14 that Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki had used 
"typically harsh" language in his speech at the December 8-10 
IISS conference in Bahrain.  When asked why the King had met 
with Mottaki, Shaikh Khalid said that the GOB had not 
responded to Mottaki's request to visit at the end of 
October, at the time of the Leading Edge exercise, and so it 
had agreed to see him during the conference.  Shaikh Khalid 
complained that the GCC had been unable to develop a common 
position on Iran during the recent summit meeting, with Oman 
and Qatar refusing to go along with the other four members. 
In his speech at the IISS conference, Iraqi Foreign Minister 
Zebari had touched on the issue of sectarianism, and Shaikh 
Khalid said Bahrain agrees with Zebari that this is a serious 
matter.  The GCC had decided that members should reach out to 
all Iraqis, not just the Sunnis.  Shaikh Khalid suggested 
that to strengthen the Iraqi government, "the old 
bureaucrats" with no connection to Saddam be brought back in. 
 During his recent visit to Manama, Palestinian PM Haniyah 
had requested Bahraini financial assistance for social 
services.  Shaikh Khalid said Bahrain might consider 
providing assistance, but only through the World Food 
Program.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
Iran's "Typically Harsh" Language At Conference 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶2.  (C) Opening their December 14 meeting, Foreign Minister 
Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa told the Ambassador that 
the December 8-10 IISS Manama Dialogue had been a great 
success, but people had been asking why no Cabinet or 
sub-Cabinet-level American official attended.  There was talk 
that the U.S. was not ready to be asked about the Iraq Study 
Group recommendation about meeting with Iran.  The Ambassador 
responded that there had been many developments in the days 
leading up to the conference that had precluded any senior 
official from coming. 
 
¶3.  (C) Shaikh Khalid said Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki 
had spoken in "typically harsh" language during the 
conference.  The Ambassador noted that King Hamad had met 
with only two officials during the conference - Mottaki and 
Saudi intelligence chief Prince Muqrin.  He asked why the 
King had seen Mottaki, pointing out that it did not send the 
right signal.  Shaikh Khalid said Mottaki had requested to 
visit in late October, at the same time as the Proliferation 
Security Initiative Leading Edge exercise.  Bahrain had not 
responded to that request and so had agreed to see him during 
the IISS conference.  The meeting was "nothing too 
important," with the King and Mottaki discussing bilateral 
relations, particularly economic relations.  The King had 
told Mottaki that Iran should play a constructive role in 
Iraq, and Mottaki said Iran was already doing so.  The King 
emphasized that Iran's nuclear program must be peaceful. 
Mottaki replied, "Why would we want a nuclear bomb?  We don't 
need it."  Shaikh Khalid told the Ambassador that Iranian 
officials' language about the nuclear program keeps changing. 
 
---------------------------------- 
GCC Splits on Iran, Currency Union 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) Shaikh Khalid said that Iran had been on the GCC 
Summit agenda.  Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE 
had agreed on a common position on Iran, but Oman and Qatar 
"had not been helpful."  Oman even objected to a statement on 
the GCC's environmental concerns about the Bushehr reactor. 
"We cannot afford to be divided at this time," Shaikh Khalid 
said.  He returned to an issue he had raised several times 
before, the dispute between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.  Their 
differences represent "a major impediment" to the GCC acting 
in a unified way, and "it is taking us nowhere."  He urged 
the U.S. to help the two countries resolve their problems, 
telling them not to be so hard-headed.  Bahrain wants to 
maintain good relations with both sides.  He noted that Qatar 
had asked Bahrain to meet with representatives of the Islamic 
Courts from Somalia, but Bahrain had refused.  Shaikh Khalid 
reported that Oman had decided not to join the GCC currency 
union at this time.  Bahrain and other GCC partners were 
proceeding without Oman. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
GCC Support for All Iraq, Not Just Sunnis 
 
MANAMA 00002060  002 OF 002 
 
 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) Shaikh Khalid recalled that in his speech to the IISS 
conference, Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari had touched on the 
important point of sectarianism.  "We agree with each other 
that this is a serious matter," Shaikh Khalid said. 
Sectarianism could result in Iraqi society being cut up into 
pieces, between and within sects, pointing to the rift 
between SCIRI and the Sadrists.  The Minister asked the 
Ambassador about the outcome of Abdul Aziz Al Hakim's visit 
to Washington.  The Ambassador said the visit had been 
positive; Al Hakim wants to work with PM Al Maliki for 
moderation and to decrease the PM's dependence on Al Sadr. 
Shaikh Khalid commented that the Sunnis should also be 
involved.  He noted that during the GCC Summit in Riyadh, the 
leaders had met in a closed session to discuss Iraq.  They 
concluded that the GCC should do something for all Iraqis, 
not just Sunnis.  King Abdullah recommended that the GCC 
reach out collectively to Iraq.  There is skepticism that PM 
Al Maliki is up to the job - although he is trying to be in 
the middle, the GCC fears he tilts toward Iran. 
 
¶6.  (C) Shaikh Khalid reported that Arab League (AL) foreign 
ministers, at a recent meeting in Cairo, had pressured Zebari 
to establish a timeframe for launching a reconciliation 
program, preferably within a few months, that the AL would 
support.  Zebari had said that an AL meeting to promote 
reconciliation must take place inside Iraq, in Baghdad or 
someplace else selected by the Iraqi government.  Shaikh 
Khalid told the Ambassador that the initiative should not be 
delayed because of the security situation in Baghdad.  The 
meeting could take place outside of Baghdad; it is enough 
that it happens on Iraqi territory.  Shaikh Khalid 
recommended that to strengthen the Iraqi government, "the old 
bureaucrats" with no connection to Saddam should be brought 
back in - judges, technocrats, and subject-matter experts. 
He noted that GCC foreign ministers would meet in Bahrain 
December 27-28 to discuss what to do in Iraq "in a retreat 
setting."  Iran will also be on the agenda. 
 
------------------------------ 
Haniyah Request for Assistance 
------------------------------ 
 
¶7.  (C) Shaikh Khalid noted that Palestinian Prime Minister 
Haniyah had been in Doha for the opening of the Asian Games, 
and the GOB had approved a Qatari request that Haniyah visit 
Bahrain.  Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak 
Al Khalifa had been his official host.  During their meeting, 
King Hamad told Haniyah that he should do everything possible 
to safeguard all progress earlier Palestinian governments had 
achieved.  During a requested one-on-one pull-aside meeting, 
Haniyah asked the King for Bahraini financial assistance to 
improve Palestinian social services.  The King said Bahrain 
might consider providing assistance, but only through the 
World Food Program, not directly to the Palestinian Authority. 
 
¶8.  (C) Shaikh Khalid recalled that during the IISS 
conference, he had urged Indian National Security Advisor 
Narayanan to play a role in dealing with Iran's nuclear 
program.  Narayanan had responded that Iran was not being 
open about its program.  Shaikh Khalid informed the 
Ambassador that he would accompany Crown Prince Salman on his 
first official visit to Pakistan December 20-22.  They will 
meet with the President, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the 
Joint Chiefs.  The CP was also supposed to visit India on the 
same trip but they were unable to work out the logistics.  He 
plans to go to India sometime in early 2007. 
 
------------------------- 
Proposed Washington Visit 
------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (C) The Foreign Minister said that he would like to visit 
Washington sometime in February, with the week of February 12 
looking like the best time.  He requested to meet with the 
Secretary and said he would also pursue meetings with 
 
SIPDIS 
National Security Advisor Hadley and members of Congress.  As 
he does during every meeting, Shaikh Khalid asked about the 
status of the two remaining Bahrain detainees at Guantanamo 
and requested they be returned to Bahrain. 
 
 
********************************************* ******** 
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ 
********************************************* ******** 
ZIADEH