US embassy cable - 05MANAMA341

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000341 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/ELA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, BA, SY, LE 
SUBJECT: MGLE01:  FOREIGN MINISTER ON SYRIAN WITHDRAWAL 
FROM LEBANON 
 
REF: A. MANAMA 319 
 
     B. STATE 39018 
 
Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) The Ambassador, noting that he had spoken with King 
Hamad about the same issue (Ref A), delivered Ref B demarche 
March 7 concerning the need for a Syrian withdrawal from 
Lebanon to Foreign Minister/Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh 
Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa.  Shaikh Mohammed said the 
reason the King called Syrian President Bashar Al Asad March 
5 was to encourage him.  The King told Bashar, "it is our 
understanding that Syria is withdrawing all the way" back to 
Syrian territory. 
 
2.  (C) Shaikh Mohammed said that he is concerned about 
Hizballah's statement about complying with the Taif Accord 
and not UNSCR 1559.  Hizballah is protecting its interests 
(regarding 1559's requirement that Lebanese militias disband 
and disarm), not Syria's, by calling for implementation of 
Taif only.  He said that Bahrain rejects this position and 
supports full implementation of UNSCR 1559 and full 
withdrawal of Syrian forces.  He warned that if Bashar adopts 
Hizballah's stance, he will still be in "a dangerous 
position." 
 
MONROE