US embassy cable - 05MANAMA1454

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Identifier:	05MANAMA1454
Wikileaks:	View 05MANAMA1454 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Manama
Created:	2005-10-09 13:41:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	ETRD OPDC PREL SCUL PHUM BA UNESCO
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS MANAMA 001454 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS PLEASE PASS US/UNESCO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, OPDC, PREL, SCUL, PHUM, BA, UNESCO 
SUBJECT: URGENT DEMARCHE ON UNESCO CULTURAL DIVERSITY 
 
REF: A. STATE 184292 B. MANAMA 1370 
 
1. (U) In the absence of Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Al 
Khalifa, who was out of the country, Ambassador on October 8 
passed ref a letter from Secretary Rice to MFA Assistant 
Undersecetary Shaikh Abdul Aziz Al Khalifa, who promised to 
pass the letter to the Minister upon his return.  Shaikh 
Abdul Aziz expressed his personal view that, given the 
difference of opinions on the issue, it made sense to defer 
any decision. 
 
2. (U) The Ambassador took advantage of a Ramadan call on the 
evening of October 8 on Minister of Education Majid Al 
Noaimi, who has prime responsibility for UNESCO matters, to 
press the issue further.  Al Noaimi asked for a copy of the 
letter from Secretary Rice, and said he would discuss the 
issue with the Foreign Minister.  He expressed sympathy with 
the USG position, urging that we lobby harder with other 
countries (the Ambassador stated that we were doing just 
that). 
 
3. The Ambassador also passed on October 5 a letter from USTR 
Portman to Minister of Industry and Commerce Hassan Fakhro on 
the UNESCO issue. 
MONROE