Wikileaks: Bahrain Minister of Interior: "The Saudis took several steps that impact negatively on Bahrain!"

S E C R E T - MANAMA 000071

SUBJECT: MINISTER OF INTERIOR DISCUSSES CT, SAUDI ARABIA,

IRAN WITH AMBASSADOR

1. (S) Minister of Interior Shaikh Rashid, in a January 16 meeting with the Ambassador, said that both Saudi Arabia and Iran are wary of Bahrain's reform process, Saudi Arabia because it does not like falling behind its smaller neighbor and Iran because the reforms bring Bahrain closer to the U.S. He said it will be important to encourage Shia participation in the 2006 elections, but that a meeting by State Department officials with a Shia rejectionist risked sending the wrong message...

7. (C) Noting that Al Faqih's call for anti-Saudi demonstrations in Manama came at a sensitive time in Bahraini-Saudi relations, Shaikh Rashid suggested that the root of the current difficulty was SAG apprehension about the pace of the economic and political reform process in Bahrain. The Saudis don't want to feel that they are falling behind. This explains, he said, why the Saudi government has taken 

several steps that impact negatively on Bahrain -- 

criticizing the FTA, reversing its position on the 50,000 b/d oil gift, blocking exports of sand. This is all a sort of pressure to keep the Bahrainis from getting too far out in front. Unfortunately, if the Saudi people realize that their 

government is not happy with Bahrain, this will affect 

popular attitudes toward Bahrain, and that could have longer 

term consequences. Saudi Arabia should in fact benefit from 

Bahrain's reforms, including the FTA. The Bahrain reforms could serve as a good example for Saudi Arabia, but instead it is reacting negatively and defensively to them.

8. (C) Similarly, he continued, Iran is wary of Bahrain's 

reform process, which it feels brings Bahrain closer to the 

United States.

9. (C) Continuing on the upcoming elections, Shaikh Rashid said that it will be important in the coming period to encourage full Shia participation. The Ambassador asked how we might do this, noting that U.K. Ambassador Robin Lamb had been publicly criticized when he met with Shia opposition leaders. Shaikh Rashid suggested that it might have been less troublesome if Ambassador Lamb had used the opportunity to say publicly that he met with the Shia opposition leaders to urge that they participate in the next elections.

10. (C) Shaikh Rashid noted that Hassan Mushaima, Vice President of the Shia opposition group Al Wifaq, had recently visited the United States and met with officials from the State Department. The Ambassador said that Mushaima was not invited to the U.S. by the USG, but that we routinely meet people of various political stripes....By meeting with Mushaima, Shaikh Rashid said, the State Department might send the wrong message. We should not encourage those opposed to participating in the election..."