US embassy cable - 05MANAMA1247

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001247 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/ARPI, NEA/PI, E, EB 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2015 
TAGS: PREL, ECON, KMPI, BA 
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER ON G8-BMENA ENTREPRENEURSHIP 
CENTER 
 
REF: MANAMA 1185 
 
Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (SBU) In an August 27 meeting covering several subjects, 
Foreign Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa told 
the Ambassador that Bahrain supports the Bahrain Center for 
Entrepreneurial Excellence (BCEE) and wants to see it up and 
running soon.  In response to the Ambassador's question, 
Shaikh Mohammed said that Beyster Institute expert David 
Mosby is welcome to come to Bahrain to start his work as soon 
as he is able, "even tomorrow." 
 
2.  (SBU) Shaikh Mohammed said that the GOB was seeking 
funding for a facility for the BCEE.  The BCEE would be "an 
unwelcome guest" at the Bahrain Institute for Banking and 
Finance (BIBF), a finance industry, not government, supported 
institution.  The BIBF had agreed to house the BCEE 
temporarily, perhaps two to three years, but Shaikh Mohammed 
said he would prefer not to have to use it at all.  In 
response to the Minister's question, the Ambassador said that 
funding a building, or even a feasibility study for a 
building, was outside MEPI's scope.  Shaikh Mohammed said 
that the BCEE will be a G8-BMENA establishment and, as such, 
the G8 should fund development of an independent Center.  The 
Ambassador noted that Mosby, among his other duties, could 
assist the GOB in identifying longer-term facilities options 
for the BCEE, and in attracting funding. 
 
3.  (C) Shaikh Mohammed said that Bahrain would host a 
meeting of the Forum for the Future (FfF) steering committee 
at its Embassy in London on Friday, September 9.  He asked 
whether NEA PDAS Cheney plans to attend.  He noted that Crown 
Prince Salman will be in London at that time and intends to 
host a lunch in honor of steering committee participants. 
Shaikh Mohammed stated that the November 11-12 FfF conference 
in Manama should highlight for the people of the BMENA region 
progress made on the many initiatives discussed at Sea Island 
and Rabat.  The September 9 meeting is a good opportunity to 
get updates and make decisions about which initiatives to 
focus on. 
 
MONROE