(C) ARTICLE 98 STILL STALLED

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001635 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, L/T, T, D, PM/B: AMB.BODINE AND PATRICK MURRAY TEL AVIV FOR DCM LEBARON TUNIS FOR NATALIE BROWN RIYADH FOR MATT TUELLER E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2014 TAGS: PREL MARR KJUS KU SUBJECT: (C) ARTICLE 98 STILL STALLED REF: A. KUWAIT 1380 (NOTAL) ¶B. KUWAIT 758 (NOTAL) Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, Frank Urbancic, Reasons 1.4 (b,d) 1.(C) Charge met with Acting FM Al-Jarallah May 19 to discuss bringing the Article 98 agreement into force. Al-Jarallah was visibly embarrassed by Kuwait's failure to close the loop. He explained that the Cabinet Legal Committee (Ministers of Justice, Information and Commerce) still want to take the issue to the National Assembly for approval. The FM, however, is opposed and is trying to have the Attorney General rule that the agreement does not need ratification by the National Assembly. Al-Jarallah was optimistic this would happen soon, but asked for more time. Charge strongly reiterated the importance of Article 98, citing earlier assurances to the Deputy Secretary and the Ambassador (refs); he expressed disappointment that the agreement has not yet entered into force. He noted that 84 countries have concluded Article 98 agreements, and 67 of those agreements have already entered into force, including some with other Arab countries. URBANCIC