KUWAITI CHIEF OF STAFF MEETS WITH THE CHIEF OF

S E C R E T KUWAIT 003548

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2014
TAGS: PREL MOPS PTER KU
SUBJECT: KUWAITI CHIEF OF STAFF MEETS WITH THE CHIEF OF
U.S. NAVAL OPERATIONS - A NEW VIEW AT AN OLD RELATIONSHIP


Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for
reasons 1.4 (a),(b),and (d)


1. (S) SUMMARY AND COMMENT. The Chief of Naval operations,
Admiral Vern Clark, met with Kuwait Chief of Staff,
Lieutenant General Fahed, on October 11 and discussed the
state of the bilateral relationship. Fahed asserted that the
bilateral relationship is now based on mutual desires and
interests and is no longer based on the defense of Kuwait.
Fahed added that the GOK shares the USG's interest in seeing
stability and peace spread to the people of the region. The
Chief of Staff's musings are similar to other statements we
hear from Kuwaitis who are struggling to understand Kuwait's
role in a post-Saddam region. We interpret his remarks to
mean that he favors emphasizing strategic interests in order
to build a relationship that will last no matter what happens
to the north. END SUMMARY


2. (S) Kuwaiti Chief of Staff, General Fahed, received the
Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Vern Clark, for forty
minutes on October 11. Fahed opened the conversation with a
discussion on Iraq and then turned to the topic of the
U.S.-Kuwait bilateral relationship. Fahed stated that the
bilateral relationship is no longer based primarily on the
defense of Kuwait. Touching on the same subject that Fahed
addressed with General Abizaid a week prior, Fahed stressed
that pursuit of "mutual interests" of peace and stability in
the region should be the manner in which the relationship is
characterized. Fahed added that "we don't just support you
because you are the United States of America. We support you
because we believe in your mission." Fahed finished by
saying that CENTCOM sponsored military exercises must have
relevance for his military, intimating that some of the
recent exercises involving senior GCC military and civilian
leaders were outside of the purview of his forces' mission.


3. (S) Admiral Clark later met with Major General Al Mullah,
Kuwait Navy Commander, who brought up the topic of how to
handle the Iraqis and the border issue on the water. The
border issue encompasses the Iraqi, Kuwaiti, and, to a lesser
extent, Iranian access to the Khor Abd Allah waterway near
Bubiyan Island. Clark recommended that any discussion occur
in a political arena for resolution as a matter between
governments. The border issue is sure to be revisited as
almost daily reports of Iraqi intrusions into Kuwaiti
waterways are reported and the demarcation line is difficult
to "see" on the seas.
LeBaron