US embassy cable - 04MANAMA1738

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001738 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR T, PM, NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2014 
TAGS: KJUS, MARR, PREL, BA, KICC 
SUBJECT: ARTICLE 98:  BAHRAIN CONCERNED ABOUT PRESENTING 
AGREEMENT TO PARLIAMENT FOR RATIFICATION 
 
REF: STATE 237141 
 
Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (U) This is an action message; please see para 6. 
 
2.  (C) Ambassador, noting that he had been called personally 
by Under Secretary Bolton on the subject, delivered reftel 
points on completing Article 98 agreements November 20 to 
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Abdul Ghaffar. 
 Abdul Ghaffar responded that, agreement or not, Bahrain 
would never deliver an American citizen, whether civilian or 
military, to a third country.  He said that ratification of 
the agreement signed by the U.S. and Bahrain in February 2003 
would have to go through the Council of Representatives 
(COR), which is controlled by Islamists.  Abdul Ghaffar 
stated that he could not guarantee the COR would pass the 
agreement, and even presenting it to parliament could "open a 
Pandora's Box."  He thought that if the regional scene was 
calmer, and there was progress on the Roadmap and in Iraq, 
there would be a better chance of the COR approving the 
agreement. 
 
3.  (C) The Ambassador expressed his disappointment with 
Abdul Ghaffar's response and urged him to reconsider.  The 
Ambassador noted that the Kuwaiti government intended to 
present the Article 98 agreement to its parliament for 
ratification, and perhaps Bahrain could learn from this 
experience.  Abdul Ghaffar agreed, but said that the 
situation in Kuwait was different from that in Bahrain. 
 
4.  (C) The Ambassador suggested that the GOB consider 
ratifying the agreement through an exchange of diplomatic 
notes with the USG rather than through parliament.  Abdul 
Ghaffar said he would task the legal office to research 
whether this option is consistent with Bahrain's 
constitution.  He asked if we could pass him sample text for 
an exchange of diplomatic notes on Article 98. 
 
5.  (C) Abdul Ghaffar stated he would arrive in Washington on 
Tuesday, November 23 in advance of King Hamad's November 29 
visit.  He offered to meet with Under Secretary Bolton to 
discuss this issue, if so desired. 
 
6.  (C) Action Request:  Please forward a draft diplomatic 
note that would be passed to Abdul Ghaffar for possible 
Article 98 ratification.  E-mail to Pol/Econ chief Steve 
Bondy at bondysc@state.gov. 
 
MONROE