APPROVAL OF PROVISIONAL ENTRY OF FORCES INTO

S E C R E T KUWAIT 001004 SIPDIS EUR/PRA FOR CAGAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2013 TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL KU SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF PROVISIONAL ENTRY OF FORCES INTO KUWAIT, PROVIDED THEY ARE UNDER THE COMMAND OF THE UNITED STATES Classified By: DCM Frank C. Urbancic, reason: 1.5 (A) and (B) ¶1. (S) THE GOK HAS AUTHORIZED NEW COALITION FORCES TO ENTER INTO KUWAIT WITHOUT A SIGNED STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT, PROVIDED (A) THEY ARE UNDER THE COMMAND OF THE UNITED STATES AND (B) SOFA NEGOTIATIONS ARE ONGOING. THE AUTHORIZATION, IN A FORM SIMILAR TO THAT GRANTED TO THE CZECHS IN JANUARY, HAS NOW BEEN EXTENDED TO ALL NATIONS OF THE COALITION CURRENTLY WITHOUT STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENTS WITH THE STATE OF KUWAIT. CENTCOM PLANNERS MAY NOW PROCEED WITH DEPLOYMENTS OF TROOPS FROM NEW MEMBERS OF THE COALITION WITH/WITH THE FOLLOWING STIPULATIONS: A) FOR THE U.S. MILITARY: ALL DEPLOYMENTS MUST/MUST STILL BE UNDER THE COMMAND OF THE UNITED STATES AND APPROVED BY THE GOK IN ADVANCE. THIS IS A SIMPLE TASK, BUT IT MUST BE DONE IN COORDINATION WITH THE OFFICE OF MILITARY COOPERATION-KUWAIT. OMC-K VICE COLONEL CHRISTOPHER CAMPBELL CAN PROVIDE GUIDANCE. DO NOT/NOT ATTEMPT TO LAND TROOPS OF COUNTRIES WHICH DO NOT HAVE SOFAS WITH THE GOK WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL. THEY WILL NOT BE GIVEN CLEARANCE AND MAY BE RETURNED HOME. B) FOR EMBASSIES: THIS IS NOT/NOT AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REQUIREMENT TO CONCLUDE BILATERAL SOFAS BETWEEN THE HOST AND SENDING COUNTRIES. EMBASSIES SHOULD STILL PROVIDE THE STANDARD KUWAITI SOFA LANGUAGE TO PROSPECTIVE SENDING GOVERNMENTS FOR NEGOTIATION AND CONCLUSION WITH THE GOK. THIS IS ONLY A GOK CONCESSION TO ALLOW MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION OF NEW COALITION MEMBERS IN THE COALITION WITH A MINIMUM OF PAPERWORK. THE SOFA REMAINS A FORMAL REQUIREMENT. ¶2. (U) FOR FURTHER QUESTIONS ON SOFA ISSUES IN KUWAIT, CONTACT DCM FRANK URBANCIC, (965) 539-4723 OR ON SIPRNET. JONES