US embassy cable - 04MANAMA1745

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 001745 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, ASEC, PHUM, ECON, ETRD, BA 
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER:  KING HAMAD'S NOVEMBER 29 VISIT TO 
WASHINGTON 
 
Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d) 
 
1.  (S) King Hamad requested to visit Washington to 
congratulate the President on his reelection, reaffirm 
Bahrain's strong support for U.S. Iraq policy and the war on 
terrorism, and consult with the President on Bahrain's 
hosting of the December 20 GCC Summit and outcomes the USG 
would like from the summit on Iraq, Iran, and 
Israel/Palestine.  We should take the opportunity to raise 
our concerns about Bahrain's lack of seriousness in combating 
terrorism from within the Kingdom, and potential steps 
backwards in respecting human rights and freedom of assembly. 
 We should also discuss Bahrain's leadership in the Broader 
Middle East/North Africa reform initiative, the King's offer 
to deploy a special forces company to Afghanistan embedded in 
the Emirati contingent already in theater, and ratification 
of the U.S.-Bahrain free trade agreement (FTA). 
 
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Objectives 
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2.  (S) What we want from the visit: 
 
-- Commitment by the King to deal forcefully and effectively 
with terrorist threats within Bahrain, most notably with the 
four terrorist suspects that were initially detained last 
June. 
 
-- Recognition by the King that, while we are deeply 
appreciative of the positive moves he has taken towards 
democracy, we view with concern possible steps backwards, 
such as the closing down of the Bahrain Human Rights Center 
and possible new restrictions on freedom of assembly.  His 
November 21 pardon of human rights activist Abdul Hadi Al 
Khawaja sends the right message to Bahrain's civil society. 
 
-- Continued Bahraini support, both politically and in 
practical terms, for our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as 
well as OEF maritime operations. 
 
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Issues of Interest to Bahrain 
----------------------------- 
 
3.  (S) What the King wants from the visit: 
 
-- Reaffirmation of what he feels is his strong personal 
relationship with the President, as exemplified by the 
invitation to be the first regional leader to visit the White 
House since the election. 
 
-- Recognition that he is a close friend who remains in 
lock-step with the Bush administration on the key issues of 
Iraq, Iran, and counter-terrorism. 
 
-- Message from the President that he can personally bring to 
the GCC Summit, which he will host in Bahrain on December 20, 
on Iraq, Iran, and Israel/Palestine. 
 
-- Administration commitment to press for expeditious 
congressional ratification of the FTA. 
 
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Key Issues to Raise 
------------------- 
 
4.  (S) We suggest making the following points: 
 
-- We greatly value Bahrain's support on Iraq and 
Afghanistan, including the King's recent offer to provide a 
company of special forces in support of OEF in Afghanistan. 
 
-- Understand that the King will host the GCC Summit December 
20, and appreciate his desire to consult with us in advance 
to help him develop a positive outcome for the meeting.  (Use 
opportunity to make points on Iraq, Iran, and 
Israel/Palestine.) 
 
-- The Global War on Terror remains the administration's 
overriding priority.  We need Bahrain's help.  We remain 
extremely concerned about the four terror suspects, 
especially their recent release pending trial.  It is 
imperative that they be dealt with forcefully.  They need to 
be detained and vigorously prosecuted.  Allowing them to roam 
freely sends the wrong message to terrorists and others in 
the region fighting terrorism. 
 
-- (When the King raises rule of law concerns, and suggests 
that the case is in the hands of the courts): We fully 
understand rule of law concerns.  But within the rule of law, 
they must be prosecuted vigorously.  Failure to do so will 
have consequences for our otherwise very strong relationship. 
 
-- We recognize the noteworthy democratic steps the King has 
taken in recent years and value the King's personal 
participation in the G8 Sea Island summit.  We appreciate the 
positive leadership role being played by Bahrain in the Forum 
for the Future initiative and for the King's November 21 
pardon of activist Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja.  We hope that these 
very positive moves will not be undermined by possible steps 
backwards.  We urge you to revisit the decision to close the 
Bahrain Center for Human Rights and the government's proposed 
law that would apply new restrictions on Bahraini citizens' 
ability to demonstrate. 
 
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Issues Briefs 
------------- 
 
Counter Terrorism and Security 
------------------------------ 
5.  (S) All of Bahrain's leaders are adamantly determined to 
maintain security for Americans in the Kingdom.  Whenever we 
make requests for extra security, the police respond 
immediately and appropriately.  The GOB has not shown the 
same determination, however, in cracking down on terrorism 
threats coming from within.  On November 1, the court 
released four Sunni Bahraini terrorism suspects after holding 
them since mid-July.  (Note:  The police subsequently 
re-detained one of the four, Yasser Kamal, on a separate 
charge of fleeing the court room during a September hearing. 
End Note.)  The GOB is currently keeping them under heavy 
surveillance. 
 
6.  (S) Despite repeated interventions from the Embassy and 
Washington, the GOB's performance in handling this case over 
the last six months continues to raise concerns about its 
commitment to successful prosecution of the suspects.  While 
the Bahrainis continually claim not to have sufficient 
evidence to convict the suspects, releasing them even before 
the trial begins sends the wrong message about Bahraini 
commitment to fighting terrorism.  The four will return to 
court on December 6 for a hearing on a defense motion 
contesting the constitutionality of the charges against them. 
 We should urge the King to take the suspects back into 
custody and prosecute the case aggressively and thoroughly. 
It is imperative that he hears this message from the 
President. 
 
Human Rights and Civil Liberties 
-------------------------------- 
 
7. (C) Bahrain's trend line on commitment to political and 
economic reform is strongly positive, but there inevitably 
are ups and downs.  In late September the government arrested 
human rights activist Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja following his 
comments at a forum on poverty in which he reportedly accused 
the Prime Minister of mismanaging the economy during his 
30-plus years in office.  Days later, the government closed 
the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, which organized the 
forum, accusing it of political activities that contravened 
the Societies Law and the Center's own charter.  After 
several court hearings and demonstrations, the court November 
21 found Al Khawaja guilty of insulting the regime and 
sentenced him to one year in prison.  Later that day, the 
King pardoned him and set him free.  We should recognize the 
King's positive gesture, and ask him to consider finding a 
way to re-open the Bahrain Center for Human Rights. 
 
8.  (C) In response to demonstrations in support of Al 
Khawaja, the GOB presented a draft law to parliament which 
would regulate citizens' right to assemble.  The law would 
apply significant bureaucratic hurdles to obtaining 
permission to demonstrate, allowing the government to assert 
greater control over protests.  (Note:  During a recent 
meeting with the Ambassador, the Shura Council (appointed 
upper house of parliament) leadership requested information 
on U.S. laws related to assembly.  End Note.)  We should 
point out that implementing the law as it is currently 
drafted would be a step back on Bahrain's path toward greater 
freedoms and openness. 
 
FTA 
--- 
 
9.  (SBU) The United States and Bahrain signed a free trade 
agreement on September 14, marking a new level of commitment 
in our bilateral economic relationship.  Bahrain is the first 
country in the Gulf region to have an FTA with us, and joins 
Jordan and Morocco as the only Arab states with FTAs.  We 
hope to use the Bahrain FTA as a springboard to promote 
economic reform, openness, and transparency in the region, 
and as an important step in realizing the President's vision 
of a Middle East Free Trade Area by 2013.  Bahrain will cite 
the FTA as the United States' endorsement of its economy and 
to market Bahrain as a regional center for finance, 
insurance, banking, business services, education, and health 
care.  The King is most interested in expeditious 
congressional ratification of the FTA and will likely request 
the Administration's support. 
 
Iraq/Iran 
--------- 
 
10.  (C) Despite opposition in the parliament and the press, 
the King has been a strong supporter of our policy in Iraq. 
The Foreign Ministry told us that one aim of the King's visit 
is to remind Bahrainis and others in the Gulf that the U.S. 
is a great ally who liberated Kuwait and removed Saddam 
Hussein from power.  Bahrain has historically worried about 
the Iranian threat to Bahrain and the region, and supports a 
strong policy of containing Iran. 
 
MONROE