KUWAIT MINISTER OF STATE PLANS P-5 TOUR, REQUESTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001168

SIPDIS

PARIS FOR O'FRIEL
LONDON FOR ETHAN GOLDRICH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2013
TAGS: OVIP US IZ KU UNSC
SUBJECT: KUWAIT MINISTER OF STATE PLANS P-5 TOUR, REQUESTS
WHITE HOUSE CALL

Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones, reasons 1.5 b and d.


1. (C) Kuwait's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shaykh
Dr. Mohammed al-Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah contacted the
Ambassador on March 30 to inform him that he is planning a
whirlwind tour of P-5 capitals, most likely beginning with
meetings on April 7 in Beijing and proceeding westward to
Moscow, Paris, London and Washington, where he hoped to hold
meetings the week of April 14. According to Dr. Mohammed,
his primary purpose in the first three stops would be to
complain about Iraqi missile attacks on Kuwait (using
equipment and technology largely provided by his hosts in
those capitals). In London and Washington, he would seek to
convey a public message that Kuwait stands by its allies as
they prosecute "a legitimate war for a just cause, the
liberation of the Iraqi people."


2. (C) Dr. Mohammed added that he thought his trip would send
different messages to different audiences. He hoped that it
would reassure Kuwaitis that their government is actively
working to protect them by confidently standing up for its
rights and renewing its alliances. He thought that the trip
would demonstrate to the Arab world that Kuwait has powerful
friends; it is not alone or isolated. Finally, he wanted the
tour to show the citizens of the UK and the US that their
countries are in turn not isolated from the Arab world; Arabs
who know Saddam's barbarity first-hand are with them in their
efforts to liberate the long-suffering Iraqi people.


3. (C) Responding to the Ambassador's questions, Dr. Mohammed
said that he had not yet discussed the trip with other P-5
ambassadors but would do so immediately. He added that he
hoped for a full program of meetings in Washington, including
at State, DOD and most importantly, the White House. He
argued that a meeting with the President personally would
send an important symbolic message to the people of the
United States, Kuwait and the world that Kuwait was a full
and willing partner in the coalition to free the Iraqi people
from Saddam's "occupation". The Ambassador agreed to relay
this request to Washington.


4. (C) COMMENT/RECOMMENDATION: A former Ambassador to the
U.S., Dr. Mohammed is Kuwait's de facto Foreign Minister.
The scion of a long line of Kuwaiti Amirs and with a Harvard
PhD, he is also a serious contender to become ruler himself
one day. He was a consistent ally in our early efforts to
win active Kuwaiti support for disarming Iraq and helped
steer Kuwait toward a more assertive public posture against
Saddam. At the recent OIC summit in Doha he personally stood
up to Iraqi name-calling. He also helped Kuwait to overcome
its traditional reticence and agree to be declared a member
of the coalition. Kuwait is the only Arab state to take this
step so far. We therefore strongly recommend that Washington
arrange a full program of top-level meetings for Dr.
Mohammed, including with President Bush. A call on the
President, no matter how brief, would send a clear message
that America understands and appreciates Kuwait's unique
contribution to the coalition. It would also help to cement
further our relationship with this dynamic member of the
rising generation of the al-Sabah.
JONES