US embassy cable - 04MANAMA430

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000430 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2014 
TAGS: BA, PREL 
SUBJECT: BAHRAINIS ALSO SURPRISED BY ARAB LEAGUE SUMMIT 
DELAY, WONDER ABOUT G-8 INVITE 
 
REF: A. MANAMA 291 
 
     B. AMMAN 2360 
     C. CAIRO 2433 
 
Classified By: DCM Robert Ford, reason 1.5 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (U)  This is an action request, see para 5. 
 
2. (C)  Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin 
Mubarak told the Ambassador on March 29 that the sudden 
postponement of the Arab League summit was a surprise to him 
and the other ministers meeting in Tunisia.  Describing 
details very much along the lines of refs b and c, the 
Bahraini noted that the Tunisian decision was especially 
surprising because the Arab ministers had not reached a quote 
deadlock unquote.  Rather, the Bahraini minister said, the 
assembled Arab ministers thought they were making progress 
which made the Tunisian decision all the harder to understand. 
 
3.  (S) Bahrain's King Hamad expressed puzzlement to the 
Ambassador on March 28 about the Arab League summit 
postponement.  He commented that the Tunisians had made the 
decision without consulting, leaving the Bahrainis and other 
Arabs mystified.  Tunisian President ben Ali's refusal to see 
the Arab foreign ministers who already were in Tunisia was 
impolite, he noted, and not in keeping with the tradition of 
Arab hospitality.  (Comment:  the King, in very good spirits, 
also noted that he personally finds the Tunisian President 
quiet to the point of off-putting.  He remarked that ben Ali 
never greets Hamad when the two sit next to each other at 
summits.  End Comment.) 
 
4.  (C)  The Bahraini Foreign Minister also regretted that 
the manner in which the Tunisians announced the postponement 
had needlessly caused a public image of Arab disarray. 
Earlier in March several Arab government including the 
Egyptians, Saudis and Bahrainis had recommended delaying the 
summit, especially after the Sheikh Yassin assassination. 
The Tunisians held firm to the date only to cancel now at the 
last moment.  Sheikh Mohammed noted that the Tunisian 
decision itself need not be crippling.  The Arab League 
charter states that summits can be held in a host nation or 
at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo.  The Bahraini King 
is going to see Mubarak in Egypt on March 29 and the 
Bahrainis presume the summit will be held relatively soon in 
Cairo. 
 
5.  (C)  Comment and Action Request:  The King remains 
anxious to help the U.S. Middle East reform initiative, per 
ref a. He and the Foreign Minister both asked whether some 
Arab states would be invited to the G-8 summit in June. 
Ambassador said he had heard nothing specific and promised to 
seek guidance from Washington which he could pass to the King. 
 
NEUMANN