Diplomat ordered to leave Bahrain said move aimed at undermining reconcilation

MANAMA // A senior US. diplomat ordered to leave Bahrain after meeting with a leading Shiite opposition group says the American ally’s move appears aimed at undermining reconciliation efforts between the government and the opposition.

US assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor Tom Malinowski said on his Twitter feed on Tuesday that Bahrain’s decision is “not about me but about undermining dialogue,” and that “those committed to reconciliation should not be deterred.”

Bahrain’s foreign ministry on Monday said Mr Malinowski is not welcome because he intervened in the country’s domestic affairs by holding meetings with some groups at the expense of others.

“He is on a visit to reaffirm and strengthen our bilateral ties and to support his royal majesty King Hamad’s reform and reconciliation efforts at an important time, particularly given events elsewhere in the region,” said spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

Mr Malinowski’s visit “had been coordinated far in advance and warmly welcomed and encouraged by the government of Bahrain, which is well-aware that US government officials routinely meet all officially-recognised political societies,” said Mr Psaki.

“Contrary to our long-standing bilateral relationship and in violation of international diplomatic protocol, the government insisted — without advance warning and after his visit had already commenced — to have a foreign ministry representative present at all of assistant secretary Malinowski’s private meetings with individuals and groups representing a broad spectrum of Bahraini society, including those held at the US embassy.”

She added: “These actions are not consistent with the strong partnership between the United States and Bahrain.”

Mr Malinowski met leaders of the opposition, including cleric Ali Salman, the head of the main Shiite opposition movement Al Wefaq, which is an authorised political association, according to the group.

Al Wefaq posted a picture of the meeting on its official Twitter account, showing Mr Salman seated next to Mr Malinowski and two other men with a flag of Al Wefaq and a flag of Bahrain in the background.

Mr Malinowski was the Washington director for Human Rights Watch, a vocal critic of Manama’s crackdown on protests, until April when he became assistant secretary of state.

Shiite-led protests erupted in Bahrain in February 2011, taking their cue from uprisings elsewhere in the region and demanding democratic reforms in the absolute monarchy.

* Associated Press and Agence France-Presse