(C) ARTICLE 98: GOK TO NOTIFY US AGREEMENT IS IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000758

SIPDIS

STATE FOR T, PM, L/T, NEA/ARP, NEA/FO
TUNIS FOR NATALIE BROWN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2014
TAGS: PREL MARR PGOV KJUS KU
SUBJECT: (C) ARTICLE 98: GOK TO NOTIFY US AGREEMENT IS IN
FORCE

REF: KUWAIT 473 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: AMB. RICHARD H. JONES; REASON 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) Ambassador emphasized to Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr.
Mohammed al-Sabah March 6 that it is important to the USG to
have an Article 98 agreement in force even if Kuwait decides
not to ratify the Rome Statute, and that we believe it is in
Kuwait's interest also. The Minister confirmed that the GOK
has decided not be a party to the Statute; he added that
according to the MFA Legal Department, there is thus no need
for parliamentary ratification of the Article 98 agreement
signed with U/S Bolton last June 18. Dr. Mohammed stressed
that the GOK does "not want to go to parliament."


2. (C) Ambassador reminded him that all we need in order for
the Article 98 agreement to enter into force is the GOK's
dipnote confirming that all domestic legal requirements have
been met, similar to the note we have already submitted.
Undersecretary Khaled al-Jarallah, sitting beside the
Minister, remarked that this is "easy."


3. (C) COMMENT: This was the clearest indication yet of GOK
willingness to bring the Article 98 agreement into force. We
will follow up to maintain this momentum and achieve closure.

JONES