KUWAITIS VERY DISAPPOINTED AT POTUS CANCELLATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 002456

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2013
TAGS: PREL KU OVIP
SUBJECT: KUWAITIS VERY DISAPPOINTED AT POTUS CANCELLATION


Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d)


1. (C) During their June 4 meeting, MinState for Foreign
Affairs Shaykh Dr. Mohammed al-Sabah shared with the
Ambassador Kuwait's extreme disappointment at the
cancellation of POTUS' visit to Kuwait. Dr. Mohammed led off
the meeting by noting that the Kuwaiti people had looked
forward to the visit as an opportunity to show their
gratitude and sincere appreciation to President Bush, for
whom he said all Kuwaitis have "enormous respect."
Unfortunately, the height of their original expectations was
now matched by the depth of their disappointment.


2. (C) The Ambassador agreed that the opportunity for the
Kuwaiti people to personally show their support for the
President would have been a welcome one, but noted that the
President would be telephoning the Amir and Shaykh Sabah and
he understood they planned to discuss the possibility of a
future visit.


3. (C) Comment: The local popular impact of the cancellation
and importance of trying to reschedule such a visit should
not be underestimated. Kuwaitis are genuinely and deeply
appreciative of all that the US has done for Kuwait under the
leadership of both POTUS and his father. The special
relationship between our two countries is one that Kuwaitis
feel very personally, and they remain eager to show their
support for President Bush. A POTUS visit to Kuwait at an
appropriate early date would be an enormous gesture of
goodwill, especially when one considers Kuwait's very
significant and very public support of the U.S. and coalition
efforts in Iraq.
JONES