KUWAIT FREEDOM AGENDA: AMBASSADOR'S DISCUSSES

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003973

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA, D, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM PINR KU
SUBJECT: KUWAIT FREEDOM AGENDA: AMBASSADOR'S DISCUSSES
REFORM ISSUES WITH ACTING NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER

AL-HAROUN

REF: A. KUWAIT 3961

B. KUWAIT 3873

Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)



1. (C) During a September 6 office call that focused on
thanking the Kuwaitis for their generosity towards victims of
Hurricane Katrina, Ambassador raised key elements of the
democracy agenda for Kuwait with the Acting Speaker,
Abdulwahad Rashid Al-Haroun. Ambassador asked for
Al-Haroun's views on reducing the number of electoral
districts and formation of political parties. The Acting
Speaker, (currently the third-ranking member of the
Assembly),told the Ambassador that the first priority should
be the reduction of the number of electoral districts from
the current twenty-five to five, or at most ten. This would
reduce the parochialism of members who are elected by narrow
but unified constituencies, such as those from areas
dominated by particular tribes. The result, according to
Al-Haroun, would be a more coherent National Assembly that is
able to focus on national interests rather than primarily on
serving particular constituent interests.


2. (C) Ambassador noted that the Prime Minister seems to
believe that the ball is in the Assembly's court for action
on this matter (ref b). Al-Haroun acknowledged this but
noted that the idea will require a push from the government
and suggested that many of the recently-elected members were
beholden to the GOK and therefore the Prime Minister may not
be in a hurry to take actions which could result in loss of
those seats.


3. (C) In response to the Ambassador's question, Al-Haroun
submitted that both reform of districts and legalizing
political parties were important, but that the reduction of
districts should be the first priority.


4. (C) Bio Note: Al-Haroun is in his second term in the
Parliament and is a member of the National Democratic
Movement, one of two liberal political blocs. He is
considered a moderate liberal and is known to oppose the
cradle-to-grave support system for Kuwaitis, especially those
in government jobs, pushing instead for support of the
Kuwaiti private sector. He completed his Master's degree and
his post-graduate study in the U.S. in political geography
and regional and urban planning, respectively.
LEBARON