US embassy cable - 04MANAMA1357

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001357 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI 
LONDON FOR ETHAN GOLDRICH 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ASEC, ECON, ETRD, BA 
SUBJECT: MINSTATE ABDUL GHAFFAR DISCUSSES SECURITY, 
GUANTANAMO, ARTICLE 98, FREE TRADE IN AMBASSADOR'S 
INTRODUCTORY CALL 
 
REF: A. MANAMA 1337 
 
     B. MANAMA 1302 
     C. MANAMA 1283 
 
Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (C) The Ambassador paid an introductory call on Minister 
of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Abdul Ghaffar August 30 
to discuss priority issues in the bilateral relationship. 
Regarding the security situation in Bahrain, the Ambassador, 
stating that he had learned that the judge had granted a 
15-day rather than 45-day extension to the detention of the 
six terrorism suspects, stressed the importance of continuing 
to hold them.  Otherwise, there would be a strong impact and 
reaction in Washington.  Abdul Ghaffar said that he was under 
pressure to take action on the Bahraini detainees at 
Guantanamo and indicated that the GOB would soon forward an 
official letter to the USG requesting a visit by the Bahraini 
security team and parents of the detainees to Guantanamo.  On 
Article 98, the GOB was still evaluating its options on 
dealing with parliament, and he asked for information on the 
number of GCC and regional countries that had already 
ratified the agreement.  Finally, Abdul Ghaffar reported that 
the Cabinet had approved the draft text of the U.S. Free 
Trade Agreement, and the GOB was looking for ways to show 
that the close bilateral relationship could lead to an 
improved standard of living for all Bahrainis.  End Summary. 
 
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Stable Security Situation Promotes Business 
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2.  (C) Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Abdul 
Ghaffar August 30 welcomed the Ambassador to Bahrain and 
congratulated him on his assignment.  Abdul Ghaffar expressed 
his appreciation for the USG lifting the travel warning and 
authorized departure for Embassy dependents, and was pleased 
that the DOD Bahrain School would open for the school year 
the next day.  The Ambassador replied that the school was an 
important aspect of the United States presence in Bahrain and 
would play a major role in marketing Bahrain as a destination 
for foreign investment.  The upcoming free trade agreement 
would highlight Bahrain as an open, transparent economy, but 
American citizens would want to know that there was a fully 
accredited school in country for their children. 
 
3.  (C) In that regard, the Ambassador noted that the GOB 
must continue to be vigilant on security and 
counter-terrorism to guarantee that Bahrain was a safe place 
to do business.  The status of the six terrorism suspects is 
a point of great concern.  There was much satisfaction in 
Washington with their re-arrest and the subsequent legal 
procedures.  This led to the lifting of the travel warning 
and the authorized departure and the opening of the school. 
The GOB should interpret these steps as a reflection of our 
appreciation for the measures taken. 
 
4.  (C) In that connection, the Ambassador stated that he had 
learned that the judge had granted a 15-day, not 45-day, 
extension to the detention of the suspects.  He did not know 
the reasoning behind the limitation of the extension to 15 
days.  However, he noted that according to Bahraini laws, the 
GOB can hold suspects while it builds a case against them. 
It should do so.  Otherwise, the impact and reaction in 
Washington would be strong. 
 
5.  (C) Abdul Ghaffar said that he hoped there was sufficient 
evidence to continue to hold the suspects.  He said he had 
spoken with Minister of Interior Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah 
Al Khalifa about the issue following the August 29 Cabinet 
meeting, and he would follow up with the Minister over the 
coming week.  The Ambassador recalled that Crown Prince 
Salman had reassured the Charge and Codel Miller over the 
past two weeks that the detainees would remain in custody 
(Refs A and C), and the Ambassador expected that would be the 
case. 
 
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Request Coming for Fourth Gitmo Visit 
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6.  (C) Abdul Ghaffar noted that he was under pressure from 
the families of Bahraini prisoners in Guantanamo to take 
formal action.  He said that the GOB would soon forward an 
official letter to the USG requesting a fourth visit to Gitmo 
for the Bahraini security team, and this time the GOB would 
ask permission for parents of the detainees to accompany the 
team.  He indicated that parents of Australian detainees at 
Gitmo had previously been allowed to visit, and the Bahraini 
parents were requesting similar access.  Abdul Ghaffar said 
that such a step would ease domestic pressure on the GOB and 
improve the USG's reputation in country. 
 
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Concern About Publicity On Article 98 
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7.  (C) The Ambassador asked about progress in finalizing the 
Article 98 agreement.  Abdul Ghaffar replied that the GOB was 
deeply concerned about moving the agreement to ratification 
through the parliament.  He said that many Islamic deputies 
would vigorously object to the GOB signing the agreement.  He 
noted that the entire GOB, from King Hamad down, firmly 
supported signing the agreement and pledged not to deliver 
any American citizen, civilian or military, to a third 
country for prosecution, regardless of the existence of an 
agreement.  The Ambassador noted that it might be possible to 
conclude the agreement through an exchange of diplomatic 
notes that legally bind the two governments.  Abdul Ghaffar 
did not think such a mechanism would work in Bahrain because 
the government would have to answer questions from the 
parliament if word of the agreement ever leaked.  He asked 
about the number of GCC and other regional countries that had 
ratified the agreement already.  He wondered how they handled 
their parliaments, and if the GOB could learn from their 
experiences.  The government would not be reticent about 
speaking publicly in favor of the agreement if it could point 
to other countries that had already ratified it. 
 
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Demonstrate Benefits of FTA 
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8.  (C) The Minister informed the Ambassador that the Cabinet 
had approved the draft text of the U.S. Free Trade Agreement 
at its August 29 meeting (septel).  He commented that the GOB 
had to demonstrate to Bahrainis that they could benefit 
economically from the bilateral relationship with the United 
States.  Most Bahrainis think of the U.S. only as a military 
superpower and there had not been enough focus on United 
States leadership on economic and social issues.  Many 
American companies have invested or established regional 
offices in Bahrain - Citibank, Merrill Lynch, American 
Express, ALCOA - and the large majority of their employees 
are Bahrainis.  In contrast with the military relationship, 
which has little impact on the average man on the street, 
enhanced trade and investment relations as a result of the 
FTA had the potential to improve the country's overall 
standard of living. 
 
MONROE