US embassy cable - 04MANAMA714

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000714 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP - CLAIRE KANESHIRO, NEA/PI AND 
EUR/ERA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2014 
TAGS: MARR, PARM, PREL, BA, MEPP, NAVO 
SUBJECT: BAHRAINI FOREIGN MINISTER'S PARTICIPATION IN 
COOPERATIVE SECURITY ACTIVITIES MEETINGS WITH NATO DEPUTY 
SECRETARY-GENERAL RIZZO, MAY 17-18, 2004 
 
SIPDIS 
 
REF: STATE 103166 
 
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY CDA ROBERT S. FOR FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) and 
(D) 
 
1. (C) The Government of Bahrain's (GOB) Foreign Minister 
Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa informed us on 
05/15/04 that the ideas in reftel about NATO cooperation with 
Arab countries offer some real opportunities for Bahrain. He 
would welcome the opportunity to discuss security cooperation 
issues with NATO Deputy Secretary-General Alessandro Minuto 
Rizzo when he travels to Brussels May 17-18 on EU-GCC 
business. 
 
2.  (C) Sheikh Mohammed would be accompanied by the Bahrain 
Defense Force Chief of Staff, Major General Sheikh Rashid bin 
Abdullah Al-Khalifa, if there is a meeting with Deputy 
Secretary-General Rizzo.  Embassy Manama requests 
 
SIPDIS 
confirmation that a meeting between the GOB and Deputy 
Secretary-General will occur and any scheduling details as 
 
SIPDIS 
may be available at this juncture. Sheikh Mohammed said the 
meeting needs to be coordinated with the GCC office in 
Brussels. 
 
3.  (C) The GOB Foreign Minister plans to travel to Belgium 
for the EU-GCC conference on May 16. Consequently, Post would 
appreciate confirmation of a GOB-NATO meeting as soon as 
possible. 
FORD