U.S.-EU INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON IRAQ: KUWAIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 002547 SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARPI; LONDON FOR GOLDRICH E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID KDEM KU IZ KUWAIT IRAQ RELATIONS SUBJECT: U.S.-EU INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON IRAQ: KUWAIT AGREES ON NEED FOR DELIVERABLES AND PROMISES ACTION ON DFI REF: A. STATE 103222 ¶B. KUWAIT 2380 (NOTAL) ¶C. STATE 93742 ¶D. STATE 78774 Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) During a June 8 meeting with Kuwait Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah, the Ambassador again raised the June 22 U.S.-EU International Conference on Iraq, stressing the need for the conference to result in tangible support for the Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG). Shaykh Dr. Mohammed, who had just concluded a meeting on the Brussels conference with an Iraqi delegation lead by MFA Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs Ambassador Hamid Al-Bayati, agreed that a strong political message should come out of the gathering. Briefing the Ambassador on the meeting, Shaykh Dr. Mohammed said Bayati talked about his trip to the United Nations and the ITG request for extension of the MNF mandate, the desire to immediately launch the constitutional committee so that the August deadline for a draft could be met, and security. On the latter, Bayati commented that the increasing attacks on civilian targets were a reflection of the shrinking support base for insurgents. ¶2. (C) Shaykh Dr. Mohammed reconfirmed to Bayati GOK support for the ITG and informed him of Kuwait's $60 million grant for hospitals and schools in southern Iraq. The Foreign Minister said Kuwait had a special interest in the Basrah Hospital and had invited the Governor of Basrah to Kuwait for discussions on refurbishing the facility. According to Shaykh Dr. Mohammed, the ITG had committed $8 million for the hospital and the GOK was waiting for the Governor's agreement to form a joint committee to advance the renovation proposal through the two bureaucracies. The Foreign Minister also reiterated Kuwait's desire for formal diplomatic relations; the GOK has identified an unnamed Ambassador to Iraq and was waiting for the ITG to nominate a candidate having no ties to the Ba'ath party. ¶3. (C) The Ambassador welcomed the exchanges between the ITG and GOK, but said more could be done and encouraged the immediate transfer of Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) assets. Shaykh Dr. Mohammed replied he had met that morning with his staff on the status of a reported $20 - 30 million in pending claims against the $78 million held by the GOK. The MFA legal department concluded that the amount, pending final resolution, could be deducted and the balance transferred to the ITG. The Ambassador pressed for a release of funds before the Brussels meeting, and the FM, after consulting with his staff in Arabic on getting accurate figures from the Central Bank, gave a lukewarm "okay." ¶4. (C) Turning to border issues, Shaykh Dr. Mohammed said that Turkey, at the April neighbors' meeting, offered to host a regional meeting for Interior Ministers on border security. The GOK was prepared to participate and was waiting for more information from the Turks. The Foreign Minister also welcomed the opportunity to discuss border issues with the U.S., UK, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, but raised no specific concerns. ¶5. (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