BAHRAIN'S KING PRAISES U.S. NAVY'S ROLE IN REGION

Reference ID 08MANAMA458
Created 2008-07-10 13:01
Released 2011-02-18
Classification CONFIDENTIAL
Origin Embassy Manama

VZCZCXRO3801
PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHMK #0458 1921321
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 101321Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7984
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0239
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000458

SIPDIS

BAGHDAD FOR AMBASSADOR ERELI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR IR BA
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN'S KING PRAISES U.S. NAVY'S ROLE IN REGION

Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).

1.(U) NAVCENT/U.S. Fifth Fleet/Combined Maritime Forces Commander Vice Admiral Kevin Cosgriff paid a farewell call on Bahrain's King Hamad July 3, accompanied by his successor, Vice Admiral William Gortney, and by Ambassador.

¶2. (C) During the half hour audience, the King praised the U.S. Navy for its decades of support not only for Bahrain's security, but for the whole region's. The King said he always stressed to fellow GCC leaders the "geo-strategic" benefit of the U.S. naval presence.

¶3. (C) The King noted with satisfaction that while Bahrain was at one time the only regional state with a significant U.S. military presence, several GCC neighbors now also hosted large U.S. military facilities.

¶4. (C) Admiral Cosgriff thanked the King for Bahrain's support for the Navy, and commended the service of Bahraini Brigadier Abdullah Mansoori as Commander of Coalition Task Force 152 from March through June of this year. (CTF 152 patrols the central Gulf.) Mansoori was the first GCC officer to command a Coalition naval task force, and Cosgriff noted that his appointment had had a positive effect on the other GCC navies; several were now expressing interest in greater cooperation/participation with the Coalition.

¶5. (SBU) The King also welcomed Ambassador's return from Iraq to Bahrain for Embassy's Independence Day reception July 3 and the NAVCENT change of command ceremony July 5. The King urged the Ambassador to make regular visits to Bahrain as frequently as possible.

HENZEL


Source: Wikileaks