US embassy cable - 05MANAMA824

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000824 
 
SIPDIS 
 
THE HAGUE FOR CWC DEL 
ALSO FOR EMBASSY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2015 
TAGS: PARM, MARR, MASS, MOPS, KTIA, BA 
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN:  DELIVERY OF USG RESPONSES ON PROPOSED 
CWC HOST COUNTRY AGREEMENT 
 
REF: A. STATE 103859 
     B. MANAMA 720 
     C. STATE 81767 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified by A/DCM Helen H. Hahn for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Pol/Econ chief June 8 delivered reftel demarche on 
negotiating a Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) host country 
agreement (HCA) on challenge inspections to MFA Director for 
International Organization Affairs Ghassan Shaikho.  Shaikho 
said that he was willing to explore the possibility of 
negotiating an HCA with the U.S., and noted that a Bahraini 
delegation would be in The Hague for the November CWC review 
meeting.  In response to P/E chief's question, he said that 
he would welcome a USG team visit to Bahrain either before or 
after Ramadan, if that was desirable. 
 
2.  (C) P/E chief passed Shaikho a sample draft HCA to 
review.  Shaikho said he would consult with the Bahrain 
Defense Force on the proposed text.  He requested information 
on the number of countries with which the U.S. has negotiated 
HCAs, and how many of them are Arab and GCC countries.  He 
commented that Bahrain would not want to set a precedent in 
negotiating an HCA, but would be willing to do it if others 
had already completed agreements with us. 
 
MONROE