NATO, ICI, AND KUWAIT - A WAY FORWARD

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001450 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA AND EUR/PM OSD FOR SCOTT SCHLESS NSC FOR KURT VOLKER E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2015 TAGS: MARR PREL KU XF NATO SUBJECT: NATO, ICI, AND KUWAIT - A WAY FORWARD REF: A. USNATO 211 ¶B. KUWAIT 1175 Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Post read with interest NATO's cable on the March 18 Rome ICI meeting. We agree with SYG de Hoop Scheffer's recommendation that the relationship be developed at a practical measured pace. NATO offerings that are likely to be most attractive and most useful to Kuwait would be training courses focusing on counterterrorism, border security, consequence management, and WMD counter-proliferation. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Kuwait's underdeveloped civil defense posture can help determine NATO's training syllabus. The GOK is aware of its limitations but has a hard time addressing its shortcomings. NATO should offer its training via the MFA to the Ministries of Defense, Interior, Public Works, Justice, and Energy in order to enhance inter-agency cooperation and maximize the positive impact of NATO engagement. ¶3. (SBU) Post believes that pushing for an agreement on NATO's cooperation during the GCC Defense Ministers' meeting is unlikely to go far since the GCC as a body has not signed onto the ICI. For now, the most productive approach is likely to be working directly with individual countries, through Foreign Ministries to present the ICI syllabus as an indicator of NATO's continuing interest in building practical cooperation, and to highlight NATO successes and expertise. ¶4. (C) Border security, WMD proliferation, consequence management, and counterterrorism should be the first training fields offered, or at the top of the training list. ********************************************* Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website ********************************************* LEBARON