KUWAIT DEMARCHE DELIVERED: FUNDING AFGHANISTAN'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003098 SIPDIS SENSITIVE FOR NEA/ARPI AND SA; LONDON FOR GOLDRICH E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KU SUBJECT: KUWAIT DEMARCHE DELIVERED: FUNDING AFGHANISTAN'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS REF: A. SECSTATE 115312 ¶B. KUWAIT 1677 ¶C. STATE 61560 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Matthew H. Tueller for reasons 1. 4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) PolChief discussed reftel demarche July 10 and 12 with Hamad Al-Ahmad, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Counselor - Chief of Asian Affairs. Al-Ahmad said with elections scheduled for September, it was still "too early for Kuwait" to make a decision on additional funding. PolChief stressed that elections were important to Afghanistan's continuing democratic transition and timely announcements of assistance were key to the planning process. She left will Al-Ahmad a copy of ref a points, which he promised to review and raise with his superiors. ¶2. (C) Charge also raised funding the elections with MFA Undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah on July 12. Al-Jarallah offered no substantive comment. TUELLER