(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