KUWAIT HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS CENTER STAVES OFF

UNCLAS KUWAIT 001120 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KU IZ EAID MOPS PREL SUBJECT: KUWAIT HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS CENTER STAVES OFF CLOSURE REF: KUWAIT 1061 (U) Humanitarian Operations Center (HOC) contacts informed Emboffs on March 16 that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) had granted the HOC a last minute reprieve and extended its mandate until June 30th, delaying its closure for at least three months. Emboffs contacts could not confirm the length of the extension, but reported that the head of the HOC, Lieutenant General Ali Al-Mumin, asked the MFA for an indefinite extension with quarterly reviews. Reportedly, Ali's request is under consideration by the MFA and they will revisit the situation in June 2005. LEBARON