US embassy cable - 05MANAMA1267

S E C R E T MANAMA 001267 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, IO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, BA, SY 
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN:  ISOLATING SYRIA AT THE UNGA 
 
REF: STATE 159137 
 
Classified by DCM Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (S) Pol/Econ chief August 31 delivered reftel demarche 
concerning isolating Syria at the UNGA to MFA Director for 
Bilateral Relations Dhafer Al Umran and (separately) to MFA 
Director for International Organization Affairs Ghassan 
Shaikho.  Al Umran listened carefully to the points and 
stated that Bahrain could not deny a Syrian request for a 
bilateral meeting at the UNGA.  The prime ministers of the 
two countries chair a joint committee - "not because we love 
each other," but because the two countries have shared trade 
and commercial interests.  Al Umran said that if Bahrain 
meets with Syria at the UNGA, it will bring "these important 
points onto the table" and strongly urge Syria to take 
action.  Bahrain is not seeking a meeting with Syria at the 
UNGA. 
 
2.  (S) Shaikho pledged to pass the information to the 
Foreign Minister.  He was unaware of a Syrian request to meet 
with Bahrain at the UNGA, but there would be nothing to bar 
such a meeting:  both were Arab, Muslim countries with 
dealings on many levels.  Refusing a meeting request could be 
viewed as a "hostile" act.  Shaikho stressed that Bahrain was 
a close friend and ally of the United States, but as a small 
country, there were limits on what actions it could take with 
its neighbors. 
 
3.  (S) If the two sides met, Shaikho said that Bahrain could 
raise the points on Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestinians, with 
some reservations.  On Iraq, Bahrain could focus on the need 
for Syria to control its border and emphasize that a flare-up 
of terror in Iraq could spread to other countries in the 
region, including Bahrain.  On Lebanon, Bahrain has not 
accused Syria of involvement in the Hariri assassination but 
has expressed its great shock and dismay at the unacceptable 
nature of the crime.  Bahrain supports the Mehlis 
investigation and will carefully follow UN Security Council 
reactions.  Expelling the Palestinian rejectionists is a 
"thorny issue" for Bahrain, but perhaps the GOB could deliver 
a message to Syria citing USG concerns. 
 
4.  (S) Shaikho said that Bahrain would have difficulty 
delivering the final point, on Syria's human rights record. 
Bahrain opposed other countries interfering in its domestic 
affairs, and only became involved in particularly flagrant 
cases of human rights violations, like in Burma.  When 
Bahrain was a member of the UN Human Rights Commission, it 
generally avoided singling out countries for investigations, 
preferring to support technical assistance to help 
governments improve conditions. 
 
MONROE