KUWAIT DEMARCHE DELIVERED: ENCOURAGING SUPPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001791 SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/01/2015 TAGS: PGOV PREL KU IZ SUBJECT: KUWAIT DEMARCHE DELIVERED: ENCOURAGING SUPPORT FOR THE IRAQ TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT REF: A. STATE 79107 ¶B. KUWAIT 1560 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Matthew H. Tueller for reasons 1 .4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) PolChief delivered reftel demarche on 2 May to Ambassador Faisal Al-Mashan, MFA Arab World Department Manager. Al-Mashan agreed the ITG needs the public support of the international community and asserted Kuwait was among the first countries to welcome the formation of an Iraqi Government. He reported that Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jabir Al-Sabah sent a congratulatory telegram to Iraqi PM Ibrahim al-Ja'afari upon the announcement of a new government, and referred to an April 30 statement by the Council of Ministers welcoming the government and encouraging efforts to promote peace and stability, as well as April 30 comments by Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah Al-Salim al-Sabah on progress in Iraq and the need for continued international support. He said the success of the new Iraqi government was important to Kuwait's future, promising the GOK would continue to make supportive remarks. ¶2. (C) Al-Mashan added that Kuwait appreciated recent positive comments from President Talabani and Foreign Minister Zebari on GOK support for Iraq's political transformation. He said such statements paved the way for future bilateral cooperation and the GOK looked forward to a more secure environment so that a MFA delegation could travel to Iraq to inspect what remained of the Kuwaiti Embassy. He noted the GOK had not yet received a formal request for agrement for an Iraqi ambassador, but was prepared to grant immediate agrement, confident the ITG would not propose an individual having an undesirable background. The GOK has not yet identified a candidate to represent Kuwait in Iraq. ¶3. (U) Baghdad: Minimize considered. LEBARON