KUWAIT DEMARCHE DELIVERED: SUPPORT FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003720 SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARPI AND PRM/MCE; GENEVA FOR CAMPBELL AND CASSIDY E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2015 TAGS: PREL PHUM PREF KU ICRC SUBJECT: KUWAIT DEMARCHE DELIVERED: SUPPORT FOR CONSULTATIONS IN GENEVA ON MAGEN DAVID ADOM (MDA) REF: A. STATE 149915 ¶B. KUWAIT 3023 (NOTAL) ¶C. KUWAIT 2728 ¶D. KUWAIT 942 Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) Ambassador delivered August 20 ref A demarche to Ministry of Foreign Affairs Acting Under Secretary and International Organizations Department Director Ambassador Abdullah Al-Murad. Al-Murad expressed surprise that Magen David Adom (MDA),the Israeli national society was not a part of the Red Cross/Crescent Movement. He offered no comment on Kuwait's position regarding the September 12-13 consultations in Geneva on adoption the Third Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions. The Ambassador left ref A points as a non-paper for Al-Murad's review. ¶2. (C) Comment: Although PolChief has previously raised MDA membership with Al-Murad (refs B - D),his surprise that its status was unresolved seemed genuine. The issue is not a high priority for the GOK and neither the Swiss Government nor the International Committee of the Red Cross have seriously raised the matter with Kuwaiti officials (ref C). End Comment. LEBARON