GOK CONGRATULATES IRAQ ON APPOINTMENT OF LEADERS;

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001460 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM IZ KU EAID KUWAIT IRAQ RELATIONS SUBJECT: GOK CONGRATULATES IRAQ ON APPOINTMENT OF LEADERS; IRAQI FM COMMENDS KUWAIT ON ROLE IN LIBERATING IRAQ Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Kuwait's English and Arabic press reported that during its weekly Sunday meeting, the Kuwaiti Council of Ministers extended its congratulations to the Iraqi people on the appointments of Jalal Talabani as President, and Ghazi Al Yawar and Adel Abdel Mehdi as his deputies. The April 10 statement noted that its release coincided with the second anniversary of the liberation of Iraq and expressed hope for "further success, prosperity, and stability" for Iraq. The statement is a positive indicator of continuing diplomatic communications with the ITG, which may culminate with the restoration of diplomatic ties and an Iraqi mission in Kuwait in the near term. Local press also reported Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari's statement of the same day, commending Kuwait for its role in "liberating Iraq from the former regime" and asserting "Iraq will never forget what Kuwait's government and people have done to liberate and relieve Iraq's people of Saddam's tyranny and the former dictator's regime." ¶2. (C) As relations between Kuwait and Iraq rebuild, the former Iraqi Embassy, located downtown and used as the seat of the "19th Province" during the First Gulf War, is undergoing extensive repairs at Kuwaiti expense. A member of the Foreign Minister's cabinet told the Ambassador that the GOK was getting the old Iraqi embassy ready for occupancy and would provide support for its operation. A March 31 front page news article identified Faeq Al Shaykh Ali, a Shi'ite lawyer working in the Iraqi MFA, as the next Iraqi Ambassador to Kuwait. This report appears to have been the result of a premature leak from the Iraqi MFA as both governments subsequently clarified that agreement on a candidate had not been reached. Kuwaiti MFA contacts have consistently told us a Kuwaiti Ambassador will not take up residence in Baghdad until the security situation stabilizes. ¶3. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. ********************************************* 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