KUWAIT DEMARCHE DELIVERED: NO DECISION ON KUWAITI

UNCLAS KUWAIT 003976

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI AND IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAGR EAID TBIO KU UNGA
SUBJECT: KUWAIT DEMARCHE DELIVERED: NO DECISION ON KUWAITI
PARTICIPATION IN AVIAN FLU PARTNERSHIP

REF: SECSTATE 164134


1. (SBU) The Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Acting Undersecretary Ambassador
Khaled Abdul Mohsen Al-Babtain in a September 7 meeting.
Noting that Kuwait was both a destination and a transit point
for many people coming from south-east Asia, the area most
affected by the recent outbreak of avian influenza, the
Ambassador encouraged Kuwait to partner with the U.S. and
other countries to address the re-emerging threat of avian
and pandemic influenza. Al-Babtain promised to provide the
statement of core principles to the Kuwaiti delegation to the
UN General Assembly (UNGA) and to the Kuwaiti Ministry of
Health. He did not indicate whether Kuwait would participate
in the international partnership on avian and pandemic
influenza.


2. (U) USUN may wish to approach the Kuwaiti Mission on this
issue since it is unlikely to receive much attention in
Kuwait while the Foreign Minister is abroad for GCC, Arab
League, and UNGA meetings.
LEBARON