Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05KUWAIT3974
2005-09-07 12:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

SWISS AMBASSADOR MAKING ROUNDS ON MAGEN DAVID ADOM

Tags:  PREL PHUM PREF KU ICRC 
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071219Z Sep 05
C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003974 

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARPI AND PRM/MCE; GENEVA FOR CAMPBELL AND CASSIDY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM PREF KU ICRC
SUBJECT: SWISS AMBASSADOR MAKING ROUNDS ON MAGEN DAVID ADOM
MEMBERSHIP; SEEKS U.S. ASSISTANCE IN KUWAIT AND QATAR

REF: A. KUWAIT 3720 (NOTAL)


B. STATE 149915

C. KUWAIT 3023 (NOTAL)

D. KUWAIT 2728 (NOTAL)

E. KUWAIT 942 (NOTAL)

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003974

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARPI AND PRM/MCE; GENEVA FOR CAMPBELL AND CASSIDY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM PREF KU ICRC
SUBJECT: SWISS AMBASSADOR MAKING ROUNDS ON MAGEN DAVID ADOM
MEMBERSHIP; SEEKS U.S. ASSISTANCE IN KUWAIT AND QATAR

REF: A. KUWAIT 3720 (NOTAL)


B. STATE 149915

C. KUWAIT 3023 (NOTAL)

D. KUWAIT 2728 (NOTAL)

E. KUWAIT 942 (NOTAL)

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


1. (C) Swiss Ambassador to Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain,
Jean-Phillipe Tissieres, called on the Ambassador on
September 7 to brief him on Swiss plans to secure support
from Arab and Muslim states for the September 11
consultations in Geneva, and the subsequent October
conference, on adopting the Third Additional Protocol to the
Geneva Conventions to facilitate entry of the Magen David
Adom (MDA) society into the Red Cross/Crescent Movement. In
the absence of the Foreign Minister and Under Secretary, he
said he would meet later in the day with International
Organizations Department Director Abdullah Al-Murad to press
for GOK approval of a new emblem. (Comment: In separate
meetings with the Ambassador and PolChief, Al-Murad feigned
ignorance about the status of MDA with regard to Red
Cross/Crescent membership. End Comment.) Tissieres said the
GOS was convinced that a majority of countries favored
adopting a new emblem, but they hid behind the Arab League,
the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and the Gulf
Cooperation Council so that they would not have to stake out
an independent position. He told the Ambassador that most
Arab and Muslim states have not/not directly opposed the
initiative and the GOS hoped the consultative conference
would force them to clarify their positions, commenting, "We
want to trap them." He further explained he was calling on
MFA officials in Kuwait and Qatar as capitals that had been
more supportive of the conferences and emblem change than
have their missions in Geneva and New York. He would also
encourage the ministries to issue appropriate instructions to
their delegations. He said that inconsistencies between
capitals and missions on the issue compelled him to "get out
of the wood" and actively engage the Kuwaitis and Qataris.


2. (C) Tissieres added that the Arab-Muslim argument that
it was not a good time to discuss emblem changes was weak.
He said there was never a good time and opined that had the
contracting parties waited for the right time, the Red
Cross/Crescent would not now exist. He said he would argue
the merits of the emblem change, focus on the goals of the
Red Cross/Crescent Movement, and try to avoid Arab-Israeli
political issues. (Note: Tissieres offered his personal
criticism of the emblem stalemate saying the real problem
stemmed from the Ottoman Empire decision to permit use of the
crescent, which politicized and added religious overtones to
what was intended to be a neutral, secular body. Had the red
cross, the reverse of the Swiss flag, remained the sole
symbol of the humanitarian movement, countries would not seek
to add national or religious insignia. End Note.) He told
the Ambassador he would remind the Gulf states that the Red
Cross/Crescent Movement was not an organization of countries,
but rather of contracting parties, and lack of participation
in the September and October meetings would not halt progress
if the majority of attendees supported adopting the protocol.


3. (C) In response to Tissieres' request that the U.S.
approach the GOK on the September and October conferences,
but without giving the appearance of U.S.-Swiss
collaboration, the Ambassador advised him of the demarches
delivered (reftels) and the active role the U.S. has played.


4. (C) Comment: Tissieres is off to a late start and his
efforts are unlikely to prompt the GOK to take a visible,
independent position on the Third Additional Protocol. End
Comment.

*********************************************
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LEBARON

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