DFI UPDATE FROM MFA LEGAL DEPARTMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001860

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2015
TAGS: ECON EFIN PTER KU IQ
SUBJECT: DFI UPDATE FROM MFA LEGAL DEPARTMENT

REF: SECSTATE 59301

Classified By: DCM Matthew H Tueller, reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (C) On May 4, 2005, Econ/C met with Mr. Ghanim Al-Ghanim,
Director of the MFA Legal Department, to discuss the status
of the $78 million in frozen Iraqi assets (Reftel) that
remain at Kuwait's mission to the U.N. Al-Ghanim confirmed
that this money has not been transferred to the UNSCR 1483
Development Fund for Iraq account at the New York Federal
Reserve Bank. He said at least one Kuwaiti company had a
claim against the 1483 funds; he did not know the name of the
claimant, the size of the claim nor the date it was
presented. The MFA will complete its review of the claim in
the new few weeks, he added. Al-Ghanim also said it was his
understanding that Kuwait was prepared to withhold the amount
of the claim and transfer the balance of the UNSCR 1483 money
if the GOK found the claim to have enough merit for formal
adjudication.


2. (U) Baghdad minimized considered.

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Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
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LEBARON