US embassy cable - 05MANAMA1619

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001619 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2015 
TAGS: PREL, ECON, EAID, EFIN, KMPI, BA, IZ 
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN:  ARRANGING A GCC/IRAQ MEETING ON IRAQ 
ASSISTANCE DURING THE FORUM FOR THE FUTURE 
 
REF: STATE 201574 
 
Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) The Ambassador November 2 delivered reftel demarche 
concerning the GOB arranging a GCC-Iraq meeting during the 
November 11-12 Forum for the Future conference to Foreign 
Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.  Shaikh Khalid 
replied that he would be very pleased to try to arrange the 
meeting.  He noted, however, that some of the GCC FMs might 
want to depart Bahrain immediately following the closing 
session of the Forum, at 1:45 PM on November 12, and may not 
want to wait around for a 2:45 PM meeting.  He suggested that 
to avoid this development, the meeting be held the evening of 
November 11, just after the 8:30 PM dinner in honor of the 
Forum heads of delegation. 
 
2.  (C) Following the meeting with Shaikh Khalid, Pol/Econ 
chief delivered the demarche to MFA Assistant Under Secretary 
for Coordination and Follow-Up, and lead Forum organizer, 
Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa.  Shaikh Abdul Aziz 
responded that the EU had already requested that Bahrain 
arrange a meeting with GCC foreign ministers for the same 
time slot on November 12, following the closing press 
conference.  He doubted the timing would work for the EU 
meeting and agreed with Shaikh Khalid that the November 11 
evening timing would work better for the Iraq meeting. 
 
MONROE