ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004844 SIPDIS STATE FOR T, PM/B, NEA/FO, NEA/ARP DOD FOR OSD/ISA/NESA NSC FOR THEROUX E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2013 TAGS: PREL PGOV PARM KU SUBJECT: ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT UPDATE REF: A. KUWAIT 02538 ¶B. STATE 146573 Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.5(b) and (d). (C) In a meeting October 22 with MFA Undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah, Ambassador reiterated the USG desire to see rapid progress on the Article 98 agreement with Kuwait. Ambassador asked Al-Jarallah when the GOK intends to present the agreement to the National Assembly for ratification (as the GOK deems necessary) and how long the process is likely to take. Al-Jarallah informed that the GOK plans to present the Article 98 agreement along with several other international agreements to the National Assembly within the next two months for ratification (i.e., post-Ramadan). Ambassador stressed that final USG approval of Major Non-Nato Ally status for Kuwait could be influenced by GOK movement on this issue. JONES