US embassy cable - 05MANAMA720

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000720 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2015 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, KTIA, BA, CWC 
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN:  CWC HOST COUNTRY AGREEMENT NEGOTIATION 
VISIT 
 
REF: STATE 81767 
 
Classified by DCM Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Pol/Econ chief May 18 delivered reftel demarche 
concerning a Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) Host Country 
Agreement (HCA) negotiation visit to Bahrain to MFA Director 
for Multilateral Affairs Ghassan Shaikho.  Shaikho said he 
was open to a visit by an interagency USG team to Bahrain to 
discuss an HCA either before or after Ramadan.  He noted that 
Bahrain would not attend the June 28-July 1 CWC Executive 
Council meeting in the Hague because Bahrain is not a member 
of the council.  It would, however, attend the November 
review meeting. 
 
2.  (C) Shaikho wondered about the reasons for USG interest 
in negotiating an HCA with Bahrain.  He said Bahrain had no 
concerns about USG compliance with the CWC, and stated that 
Bahrain has no chemical weapons or pre-cursors, only some 
industrial-use chemicals listed under Group C in the CWC. 
But in principle, he supported an HCA between the U.S. and 
Bahrain. 
 
MONROE