O 200059Z MAR 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY MANAMA IMMEDIATE

S E C R E T STATE 026756 
 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2019 
TAGS: OVIP CLINTON HILLARY IR BA PREL PTER PGOV
SUBJECT: (U) Secretary Clinton's March 18, 2008 
Meeting with Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh 
Khalid Al-Khalifa 
 
¶1. (U) Classified by NEA Acting Assistant Secretary 
Jeffrey Feltman.  Reason: 1.4 (b)and(d) 
 
¶2.  (U) March 18, 2008; 15:30; Washington, DC. 
 
¶3. (U) Participants: 
 
U.S. 
---- 
The Secretary 
Jeffrey Feltman, Acting Assistant Secretary for Near 
Eastern Affairs 
Maria Sisk, NEA Desk Officer (notetaker) 
 
Bahrain 
------- 
Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid Al-Khalifa 
Ambassador Houda Nonoo 
Ambassador Saeed Al-Faihani 
Hassan Al-Zayani 
Hayfa Ali Matar 
 
¶4.  (S/NF) SUMMARY.  Secretary Clinton met with Bahraini 
Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid Al-Khalifa on March 18, 
¶2008.  Both the Foreign Minister and the Secretary 
praised the strong relationship between Bahrain and the 
United States.  The Secretary and Foreign Minister 
discussed providing aid to Gaza in a manner that would 
strengthen the PA and shared thoughts on the way ahead in 
the Middle East Peace Process.  The meeting also included 
a discussion of Iran, military cooperation, and regional 
politics, including Qatar and the GCC plus 3 plus P5 plus 
1 mechanism. Additionally, the Foreign Minister raised 
the Qatar-Iran-Turkey oil pipeline and the Crown Prince's 
proposed visit.  END SUMMARY. 
 
---------------- 
Israel/Palestine 
---------------- 
 
¶5.  (S/NF) The Secretary asked for Bahrain's views on 
providing aid to Gaza, stressing that assistance be 
provided in a manner that strengthens the PA.  The FM 
replied that Bahrain did not support projects that were 
not supported by the PA.  He emphasized that "not a 
penny" of assistance should go to Hamas.  Bahrain 
supported the idea of aiding Gaza through international 
programs, such as the World Food Program.  Before 
Palestinian reconciliation could move forward, Sheikh 
Khalid said that it would be necessary to assess the 
impact of the Israeli elections and the expected new 
Israeli government. 
 
¶6.  (S/NF) Secretary Clinton and Sheikh Khalid shared 
mutual concerns about forces (such as Iran) that tried to 
actively undermine the peace process.  The Secretary 
stressed the importance of the Arab Peace Initiative 
(API) and conveyed U.S. interest in incorporating the 
principles of the Peace Initiative into the peace 
process. 
 
¶7.  (S/NF) Sheikh Khalid underlined the importance of 
Arabs supporting the API.  One way they could do this 
would be to engage the Israeli media.  That would provide 
the opportunity for Arabs to sell the API to Israeli 
public.  He also stated that the Arab-Israeli conflict 
was an Arab conflict that had to be solved by Arabs, and 
third parties like Iran, who wish to undermine the 
process, must be kept out. 
 
----------------- 
Regional Politics 
----------------- 
 
¶8.  (S/NF) Sheikh Khalid stated that the GCC plus 3 plus 
P5 plus 1 was a good mechanism of engagement because it 
demonstrated that Iran did not have the ability to 
determine what happened in the region.  The Secretary 
concurred with the FM's endorsement of the GCC plus 3 
plus P5 plus 1 mechanism and expressed interest in having 
a meeting in the near future. 
 
¶9.  (S/NF) Secretary Clinton asked for Bahrain's thoughts 
on Qatar's foreign policy decisions.  The Foreign 
Minister explained that he was not sure why Qatar was 
making the decisions that it was, but that he thought it 
was important to tell the Qataris that what they are 
doing is wrong.  One way to convey this message, the FM 
suggested, would be to scale back Al-Udeid without 
abandoning it completely. 
 
---- 
Iran 
---- 
 
¶10.  (S/NF) Turning to Iran, the Secretary stated that 
the U.S. wanted to stay engaged with the region.  She 
explained that the U.S. wanted to change Iran's behavior, 
but also wanted to offer Iran opportunities to engage 
with the international community in a positive way.  The 
Secretary said that it was important that the region 
start to act as a network of friends and allies.  She 
pointed out that the international uproar over Iranian 
claims that Bahrain was the fourteenth province of Iran 
demonstrated that this was already starting to happen. 
 
¶11.  (S/NF) The FM was concerned that Iran would be more 
interested in doing something bilaterally with the U.S. 
and expressed relief at hearing that the U.S. wanted to 
engage Iran in the international realm.  He mentioned 
that he intended to attend the upcoming Afghanistan 
conference in The Hague. 
 
----- 
Other 
----- 
 
¶12.  (S/NF) The Secretary thanked Bahrain for its 
continued military and security cooperation.  She stated 
that the U.S. would be looking to expand this cooperation 
and military facilities in Bahrain.  The FM responded 
that Bahrain hoped that its cooperation on security 
matters encouraged Bahrain's friends in the region to do 
the same. 
 
¶13.  (S/NF) Sheikh Khalid voiced concern about the 
proposed Qatar-Iran-Turkey oil pipeline.  This pipeline 
would only strengthen Iran.  The FM thought it would be 
wiser if the pipeline were redirected to run through GCC 
countries instead of Iran.  He stated that Qatar should 
be convinced of this as well. 
 
 
CLINTON