VZCZCXRO8079
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHMK #0034/01 0151408
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 151408Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6294
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT  PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 000034 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EMBASSIES KUWAIT/RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO A/S WELCH 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/2017 
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS BA IZ IR REGION OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES GCC PLUS TWO, REGIONAL 
ISSUES WITH AMBASSADOR 
 
REF: STATE 3663 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
. 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (C) During their January 15 meeting, Foreign Minister 
Shaikh Khalid told the Ambassador that Bahrain had no problem 
with a statement being issued at the January 16 GCC Plus Two 
meeting in Kuwait, but he thought the Saudis and Kuwaitis 
were concerned with aspects of the paragraph on Iraq. 
Bahrain supports the President's Iraq strategy and it should 
be given time to succeed.  Shaikh Khalid pledged to say this 
publicly upon his arrival in Kuwait the next day.  Bahrain 
agrees that Iran is the source of danger and trouble in the 
area, and the U.S. and the countries of the region should 
face this threat together.  Referring to press coverage of 
U.S. policy on Iraq, Shaikh Khalid raised the possible 
deployment of Patriot batteries to the region and said he 
wants to make sure Bahrain is covered.  He noted that 
Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora would visit Bahrain later in 
the day to discuss Bahraini participation at the January 25 
conference in Paris with the King.  Bahrain supports the 
Lebanese government "against all intimidations."  They also 
discussed Somalia, Bahraini detainees at Guantanamo, and a 
Kenyan-Bahraini runner who was stripped of his citizenship. 
End Summary. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
No Problem with GCC Plus Two Statement 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) Opening their January 15 meeting, the Ambassador 
asked Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa for 
his views of the draft of a statement to be issued following 
the GCC Plus Two meeting to be held January 16 in Kuwait.  He 
said the Secretary was strongly in favor of a statement.  The 
President had taken a firm stand in the face of domestic 
opposition, and the United States needs public support from 
the region at this time.  Shaikh Khalid said he had no 
problem with a statement being issued, but he thought that 
aspects of the paragraph on Iraq were "premature."  He said 
the Saudis and Kuwaitis were particularly concerned about 
references to GCC-Iraq cooperation and a joint program on 
regional security issues.  The Iraqi government needs to take 
"bold steps" first to deal with the Iranian presence and 
armed militias.  The GCC could help Iraq do this. 
 
¶3.  (C) Shaikh Khalid said Bahrain supports the President's 
Iraq strategy announced last week, and it should be given 
time to succeed.  Asked if he would say this publicly, Shaikh 
Khalid said he would make sure to say this to reporters upon 
his arrival the next day in Kuwait.  He praised relations, 
saying "we agree we should move forward in the historic 
relations between the U.S. and the region, which is a true 
working partnership." 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
U.S., GCC Should Face Iranian Threat Together 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) Turning to Iran, Shaikh Khalid said Bahrain agrees 
with the United States that Iran is the source of danger and 
trouble in the area -- in Iraq, Lebanon, with Hamas, and in 
the Gulf.  The U.S. and the countries of the region should 
face this threat together, and Bahrain does not hesitate to 
pitch in, he said, referring to the three Bahraini Navy ships 
that were active in last year's Proliferation Security 
Initiative exercise and are currently participating in a 
combined naval task force.  The GCC considers security in the 
area to the west of the King Fahd line in the middle of the 
Gulf to be the joint responsibility of the U.S. and the Gulf 
countries, and "we must be involved in defending our 
territory."  Beyond the King Fahd line is the responsibility 
of the international community.  He said Bahrain would not 
spare any effort to defend the Gulf and pressed for a clear 
strategy laying out the responsibilities of each country in 
dealing with the Iranian challenge. 
 
¶5.  (C) Referring to press coverage on aspects of U.S. policy 
on Iraq, Shaikh Khalid said he had heard about the possible 
deployment of Patriot batteries to the region.  He wants to 
make sure that Bahrain is covered.  Shaikh Khalid said he 
 
MANAMA 00000034  002 OF 003 
 
 
would raise this privately with the Secretary in Kuwait and 
that King Hamad would discuss it with Defense Secretary Gates 
during his visit to Bahrain later in the week. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Bahrain to Attend Paris Conference for Lebanon 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶6.  (C) In response to the Ambassador's question, Shaikh 
Khalid said that Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora would come 
to Bahrain later in the day January 15 for a meeting with the 
King.  Siniora wants to discuss Bahraini participation at the 
January 25 conference in support of Lebanon in Paris 
(reftel).  Shaikh Khalid said Bahrain would be represented at 
the ministerial level, but no decision had yet been made on 
who it would be.  He thought it could be either Finance 
Minister Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa or Minister of 
State for Foreign Affairs Nizar Al Baharna, who will both be 
at the Davos conference at that time.  If they cannot make 
it, Shaikh Khalid said he would attend. 
 
¶7.  (C) Shaikh Khalid said Bahrain is very supportive of the 
Lebanese government "against all intimidations."  Siniora 
will find that he has friends and supporters in Bahrain. 
Shaikh Khalid pledged that Bahrain would respond to any 
Lebanese request to help, noting that bilateral relations 
were very good.  He indicated that the Lebanese government 
had never requested Bahraini assistance for the Lebanese 
Armed Forces. 
 
--------------------- 
Warlords in Mogadishu 
--------------------- 
 
¶8.  (C) Changing subjects, Shaikh Khalid said that although 
it is a mess, Somalia is in a "better mess" now that the 
Islamic Courts Union is out.  He warned however, that the 
Somali government should now clear the streets of the 
warlords who are now roaming Mogadishu.  The Somali 
government needs help and African countries should get 
involved by providing money and weapons.  He warned there 
could be spillover from Somalia into Yemen and Oman. 
 
-------------------- 
Guantanamo Detainees 
-------------------- 
 
¶9.  (C) The Foreign Minister asked for an update on the 
status of the two remaining Bahraini detainees at Guantanamo. 
 He said that he expected intensified Parliamentary pressure 
on this issue in the coming months.  (Comment:  One of the 
loudest parliamentarians on this issue, Mohammed Khalid, is 
now a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, which will 
give him an enhanced platform to press the government on the 
detainees.)  He thought this issue would be raised with 
Deputy Secretary of Defense England during his January 22 
visit to Bahrain. 
 
------------------------ 
Runner Loses Citizenship 
------------------------ 
 
¶10.  (C) The Ambassador said that the way the Bahraini 
government stripped a Kenyan-Bahraini runner of his 
citizenship for running in the Tiberias Marathon in Israel 
was disappointing.  At a time when the United States is 
promoting moderation with its Arab partners, this looked like 
a radical act.  Stating that he had been out of the country 
at the time, Shaikh Khalid said the matter had been handled 
badly and it had not been addressed at a political level.  It 
was rushed through without proper reflection.  He thanked the 
Ambassador for raising the issue and said he would discuss it 
further with the Bahraini leadership. 
 
-------------------------- 
ForMin Washington Trip Off 
-------------------------- 
 
¶11.  (C) Shaikh Khalid told the Ambassador that he would 
accompany Crown Prince Shaikh Salman to Washington March 1-2. 
 Unfortunately, Shaikh Khalid's separate visit to Washington 
in mid-February was canceled.  He thought he might be able to 
come to Washington after the opening of the UN General 
Assembly in September 2007.  The Ambassador cautioned that 
this was generally not an optimum time to visit Washington. 
 
 
MANAMA 00000034  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
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MONROE