US embassy cable - 05MANAMA136

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000136 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KDEM, BA, IZ 
SUBJECT: MGIZ01:  KING, CABINET PUBLICLY HAIL SUCCESS OF 
IRAQ ELECTIONS 
 
 
Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d) 
 
1.  (SBU) King Hamad and the Bahraini Cabinet January 30 
issued statements celebrating the success of Iraq's 
elections.  The King sent a message, which was released to 
the press, to Iraqi Interim President Ghazi Yawar 
congratulating him on the success of the elections, saying 
that this was "the first step on the path to establishing an 
independent, secure, and stable Iraq." 
 
2.  (SBU) Following its January 30 session chaired by Prime 
Minister Shaikh Khalifa, the Cabinet released a statement 
expressing its hope that a democratic and prosperous Iraq 
would emerge as a result of the elections.  The Cabinet 
pledged its full support for the polls and said it had 
encouraged all ethnic and political groups to take part and 
elect nation-building leaders.  The Ministers said that the 
"monumental" elections would determine the future of Iraq and 
enhance its stability and territorial integrity.  They 
continued that the elections would help Iraq "achieve 
prosperity for its people and reinforce its regional and 
international status." 
 
3.  (SBU) Crown Prince Salman, speaking live to CNN January 
29 from the World Economic Forum in Davos, stated that 
Bahrain was fully behind the elections in Iraq.  He added, 
"This is a first step.  It will be a long and difficult 
process but we must take that first step and capitalize on 
the moment that exists and that moment is now...  There is 
one less dictator in the region...  There is potential for 
more and I hope the people of Iraq do not waste" this 
opportunity.  He said that without participatory government, 
there would be no future for the people of the region. 
 
4.  (SBU) Official Arabic daily Al Ayam, considered to be a 
government mouthpiece, trumpeted the success of the 
elections.  The paper's front-page editorial said that 
"history will write that this day was the day that witnessed 
how Iraqis decided to take confident steps to enter the 
twenty-first century on the solid ground of democracy and 
freedom."  (See septel for more press commentary.) 
 
5.  (C) The Embassy spoke with several parliamentarians and 
civil society contacts to gauge their reactions to the 
elections.  Generally, Sunnis have reservations about the 
elections whereas Shia are celebratory.  Hamad Al Mohannedi, 
a leader within the Salafi Al Asala bloc in the lower Council 
of Representatives (COR), told us that Iraq's Sunni had valid 
reasons for not participating (sic) in the elections.  He 
said that the "occupation" of Iraq did not allow for free and 
fair elections.  President of the opposition National 
Democratic Action Society Abdul Rahman Nuaimi, a Sunni, 
complained that the UN should have monitored the elections so 
the situation would have been more conducive to full 
participation.  He hoped that the new parliament would focus 
on expediting a withdrawal of American forces from Iraq.  The 
parliament should take into account the interests of all of 
Iraq's factions when drafting a constitution, without 
reference to sectarianism.  The fact that the U.S. 
"administered" the elections gives him doubts about the true 
agenda for the elections. 
 
6.  (C) COR member Mohammed Al Abbas, who is part of the Shia 
Al Islamiya bloc, told us that the elections were a "great 
democratic change" that would impact the entire region and 
represented a challenge to all the terrorists and their 
activities.  Referring to Iraq's Sunnis, he said that they 
did not conduct a full blown boycott.  Rather, some small 
groups simply decided to refrain from voting.  Jassim 
Hussein, an academic and member of the main Shia opposition 
group Al Wifaq, said that he was very excited by this 
"historic event," terming it a "job well done."  The high 
level of participation indicated that Iraqis support change, 
and he hoped this would be only the first of more free and 
fair elections in the region.  He was disappointed that some 
of the boycotters chose to use violence; they could have 
expressed their views in a non-violent way.  He voiced his 
belief that Iraq could become a catalyst for true democratic 
change in the region. 
 
7.  (C) Comment:  There is a general sense of happiness and 
surprise at the high participation in the elections, mixed 
with relief that there was not more violence.  At first 
glance, Bahrain's Sunni and Shia are reacting in manners 
consistent with the attitudes of many of their fellow sect 
members in Iraq.  The ruling Al Khalifa family and the 
government have publicly and privately supported the 
elections all along.  They are delighted that the polls 
turned out as well as they did, and should take heart from 
the Iraq experience that Bahrain's own path of political and 
economic reform is the only way forward into the future. 
 
8.  (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
MONROE