(S) AIK FUEL: FM TO DISCUSS IN WASHINGTON

S E C R E T KUWAIT 000956 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, PM CPA FOR AMB JONES E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2014 TAGS: PREL MARR EPET EAID MOPS IZ KU SUBJECT: (S) AIK FUEL: FM TO DISCUSS IN WASHINGTON REF: KUWAIT 922 Classified By: CDA FRANK URBANCIC; REASON: 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (S) MFA clarified to us March 24 that the next step in the AIK fuel issue (reftel) will be for Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah to discuss it during his visit to Washington at the end of the month. ¶2. (S) Our assessment is that the GOK would like the USG to indicate what the minimum is that it expects/needs Kuwait to provide to avoid affecting the bilateral relationship or the chances of success in Iraq. We believe this is an excellent opportunity to address resolution of the fuel issue in the context of the larger strategic relationship between the US and Kuwait. ¶3. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. URBANCIC