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.

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LEBARON