US embassy cable - 04MANAMA1409

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001409 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARPI, IO/UN/P 
USUN FOR ECOSOC AMB. SIV AND AMB. KENNEDY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/13/2014 
TAGS: KCRM, PREL, PGOV, BA, ECOSOC, UNGA 
SUBJECT: USUN AMBASSADOR SIV VISIT - 59TH UNGA 
PRECONSULTATIONS 
 
REF: USUN 1955 
 
Classified By: DCM Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C)  On September 7, US Ambassador to the United Nations 
Economic and Social Council and Coordinator of the US 
delegation to the UN General Assembly Sichan Siv met with GOB 
officials and parliamentarians to discuss the United States' 
five UN General Assembly priorities (Reftel). 
 
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Reducing Middle East Resolutions 
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2.  (C) Ambassador Siv stated that there is a need to reduce 
the number of one-sided Middle East resolutions, and cited 
four resolutions that deal with Israel.  Minister of State 
for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Abdul Ghaffar responded that 
Bahrain will not support this initiative. The Minister views 
the Palestinian issue as a core problem for the region and 
believes that the focus of the UNGA on Palestinian issues is 
appropriate.  He objected to getting rid of resolutions just 
because they are considered one-sided and in favor of 
Palestine.  Several Shura Council members echoed Abdul 
Ghaffar's point of view.  But in a separate meeting, MFA A/US 
for Political Affairs and International Cooperation Ahmed Al 
Haddad offered to discuss this initiative further when 
Bahrain's delegation arrives in New York later this month for 
UNGA.  Ambassador Siv offered to put Al Haddad in contact 
with Ambassador Kennedy at USUN. 
 
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Advancing Economic Freedom - Beyond the Monterrey Consensus 
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3.  (C)  Ambassador Siv praised Bahrain for its economic 
performance and explained that the focus of the US initiative 
is advancing economic freedom by increased mobilization of 
domestic resources in the private sector.  MFA Director of 
the International Directorate Ghassan Shaiko said that the 
GOB was in support of discussing the US initiative but 
expressed concern that it did not address the role of donor 
countries.  Al Haddad said that the economic growth of 
developing countries should be viewed as a partnership 
between nations.  Ambassador Siv offered to arrange for more 
discussions for Al Haddad in New York. 
 
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Combating Trafficking-in-Persons 
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4.  (C)  Both Abdul Ghaffar and MFA A/US for Coordination and 
Follow-up Shaikh Abdul Aziz stated that the GOB supports any 
initiative that helps combat trafficking-in-persons, 
especially child sex tourism.  Shaikh Abdul Aziz informed Siv 
that Bahrain does not have a teenage sex tourism problem, but 
does encounter foreign worker abuse.  He stated that the GOB 
has undertaken several measures to combat 
trafficking-in-persons but admits that there are areas that 
still need improvement.  As chairman of the GOB's 
inter-ministerial committee, he plans to establish a victim 
assistance shelter and suggest ways to speed up the judicial 
process.  He added that Bahrain has a MEPI-funded American 
Bar Association judicial reform project that is tackling case 
management and alternative dispute resolution to speed up 
court decisions.  Shaikh Abdul Aziz also mentioned that the 
GOB is drafting a new labor law and he is pursuing 
legislation that specifically criminalizes trafficking. 
 
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Promoting Democracy - The Democracy Caucus 
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5.  (C)  Abdul Ghaffar said that the GOB supports measures 
that increase cooperation among democratic countries.  In 
2002, he attended the second ministerial conference of the 
Community of Democracies in Seoul, which produced the 
Democracy Caucus.  The Minister expressed interest in 
attending the 2005 ministerial conference in Santiago. 
 
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Ban on Human Cloning - The Costa Rica Resolution 
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6.  (C)  Abdul Ghaffar said that the GOB has not made a final 
decision with regard to the Costa Rica resolution. In a 
subsequent meeting, former UN ECOSOC Vice President and MFA 
official Jassim Mohammed Buallay explained that the GOB will 
conduct internal discussions on this issue, focusing on the 
ministries of Islamic Affairs and Health.  He added that 
cloning is an especially sensitive issue because of the 
religious and medical dimensions. 
MONROE