US embassy cable - 05MANAMA1237

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001237 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/27/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, BA, IZ 
SUBJECT: BAHRAINI FOREIGN MINISTER EXPRESSES CONCERNS ABOUT 
IRAQ 
 
REF: MANAMA 940 
 
Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) In an August 27 meeting covering several subjects, 
Foreign Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa told 
the Ambassador that he was concerned about the direction of 
the draft Iraqi constitution.  Referring to the August 22 
version of the document that was presented to the Iraqi 
parliament, Shaikh Mohammed said there was "too much 
religion" in the text of the preamble and Article 1.  This 
type of thinking could take Iraq back to a time when women 
had to cover and there was no liquor in the country, he 
complained. 
 
2.  (C) Shaikh Mohammed commented that "the Kurds are asking 
for too much" -- they already have their own parliament and 
70,000 peshmerga fighters.  Demanding the division of the 
country's oil wealth "would be the end of Iraq."  He was 
particularly upset about language characterizing Iraq as part 
of the Islamic world and Iraq's Arabs being part of the Arab 
world.  He argued that Iraq was a founding member of the Arab 
League and was an Arab country even if there were non-Arab 
citizens.  Morocco has Berber citizens but the country is 
still considered to be Arab.  He said Bahrain was less 
concerned about the article on de-Baathification. 
 
3.  (C) Shaikh Mohammed worried about Iranian influence in 
southern Iraq.  He asked, "Is this what the United States 
fought for?"  He said Iran no doubt was pleased with Shia 
influence within the Iraqi government but does not want that 
government to succeed, possibly because Iran's clerical 
leaders fear their citizens could view the Iraqi government 
as a model for their own. 
 
4.  (C) The Ambassador asked that Bahrain not pre-judge the 
constitution before seeing the final text.  International 
reactions will have an impact in Iraq.  Bahrain should urge 
Iraqis to move forward towards the referendum and the next 
elections.  He suggested that Bahrain issue a positive public 
statement about the constitution when it is settled so Iraqis 
know their neighbors support them.  Shaikh Mohammed said that 
he will leave Manama September 4 for a GCC foreign ministers 
meeting in Jeddah.  He requested that the Ambassador provide 
him with an update on the state-of-play and the USG position 
on the constitution before that meeting. 
 
5.  (C) Shaikh Mohammed said that Bahraini charge in Baghdad 
Hassan Al Ansari, who was wounded in an assassination attempt 
July 5 (reftel), will return to Bahrain from Germany this 
week, where he underwent treatment for his wounds.  The 
ForMin said that an Iraqi guard posted outside the Bahraini 
Embassy in Baghdad was kidnapped August 24 and his captors 
demanded a $250,000 ransom.  The GOB refused to pay and the 
guard was released soon afterwards.  An Iraqi-Bahraini dual 
national employee of the Embassy fled in fear to Amman. 
 
MONROE