(U) CODEL ISSA MEETS KUWAITI NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 005241

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/NGA, NEA/FO, H

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2012
TAGS: IZ KU OREP PGOV PREL US
SUBJECT: (U) CODEL ISSA MEETS KUWAITI NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SPEAKER AND MEMBERS

Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reason 1.5
(d)


1. (C) Summary: Codel Issa met with the Speaker of Kuwait's
National Assembly, Mr. Jassem Al-Khorafi, and other MP's on
November 25, 2002. Among the topics discussed were Kuwait's
concerns over the U.S.-Saudi relationship, a post-Saddam Iraq
and the impact of U.S. policies in Israel and the territories
on Arab support for U.S. policy initiatives in the region.
End Summary.

Khorafi to Codel: You need the Saudis


2. (C) Speaker Khorafi advised Codel Issa that the Congress
should play a larger and more proactive role in "cementing"
the relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. "The
U.S. has become famous for losing friends and gaining
enemies," he said, as he urged the members of the delegation
to "please keep them as allies." He said that Kuwait is very
concerned about the "irritants" to which Saudi Arabia had
been exposed over the past few months, and asked the Codel to
work to ensure there was no further deterioration of the
relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. In
particular, Khorafi noted what he felt was unfair U.S. media
coverage of Saudi Arabia. While he thanked the USG for
making a clear and public distinction between Islam and
terrorist activities, he expressed his belief that negative
media reports emanating from the U.S. were confusing Arab
perceptions and damaging the relationship between the two
countries.


3. (C) Responding to Speaker Khorafi's concerns, Rep. Darrell
Issa (R-CA) replied that the U.S. relationship with Saudi
Arabia was still very strong, despite media reports, and
noted that unflattering coverage was a burden societies that
enjoy a free press sometimes have to bear. He added that he
believed the U.S. public capable of distinguishing between
fact and press speculation. Rep. William Delahunt (D-MA)
added that the benefits of a free press outweigh the trouble
that comes along with it. He noted that Al-Jazeera is "a
test for Arab states," which have limited experience with a
truly free press.

Israel and Palestine


4. (C) Khorafi also used the opportunity to address Kuwaiti
concerns over U.S. policy on Israel/Palestine. He said that
while Kuwait was eager to see peace finalized, Israel was not
committed to finding a peaceful solution. Sharon's actions,
he said "will only create more extremists" and produce an
environment where the two parties "cannot sit at the table to
find a solution." At the same time, he said, "dictators" in
the Arab world were keen on having Israel serve as a
scapegoat to ensure their continued existence. He called
upon the U.S. to confound dictators by solving the
Israeli/Palestinian conflict.


5. (C) While thanking the U.S. for its commitment to a
two-state solution to the conflict, Khorafi was also critical
of U.S. demands that the Palestinians elect new leadership.
He observed that Kuwait had suffered as a result of
Palestinian policies, but nonetheless the U.S. should "leave
it to them to decide" their own leadership, or face the
prospect of "embarrassing" those who support the U.S. push
for change, but do not want to be seen as "puppets of the
U.S."


6. (C) Rep. Issa responded by remarking that Congress is
committed to pushing both parties towards a solution and
reminded the Speaker that President Bush explicitly supported
a Palestinian state. Rep. Delahunt added his belief that the
solution to the Palestinian problem lay not in U.S. action,
but in increased action on the part of Arab states including
Kuwait. He called on Kuwait to play a more active role.

Guantanamo detainees


7. (C) Turning to the well-publicized issue of Kuwaiti
detainees at Guantanamo, Khorafi said the U.S. should give
them "every opportunity provided under international law,"
decide if they are guilty or not, and then take the
appropriate action. He added that Kuwait would stand by any
decision the USG made.


8. (C) Rep. Issa explained that while the U.S. was in
uncharted waters, and taking new actions in response to new
threats, he would work with Congress in an effort to find a
sound solution as quickly as possible.

Concern over Oil Prices


9. (C) Islamist MP Nasser al-Sane voiced his concern that
regime change in Iraq could lead to oil prices as low as five
USD per barrel. He told Codel Issa that a British Petroleum
analyst had quoted this price in a discussion over possible
supply growth spurred by the development of Iraqi oil
resources.


10. (C) Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) responded by assuring al-Sane
that stable oil prices are in the economic interest of the
entire world, including the United States, whose high-cost
producers would be driven out of business by a precipitous
drop in prices. Rep. Issa agreed, but told al-Sane that
Kuwait would have to invest in the modernization of its oil
sector if it wished to remain competitive. The Ambassador
used this as an opportunity to stress the importance of early
passage of legislation authorizing a foreign role in the
development of Kuwait's Northern oil fields.


11. (C) Comment: That Speaker Khorafi chose to lead off his
comments by focusing on Saudi Arabia reflects the extreme
importance Kuwait attaches to its relations with both the US
and Saudi Arabia, as the twin guarantors of its security.
End Comment.


12. (U) This cable was not cleared by Codel Issa.

JONES

RJONES