Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05KUWAIT4186
2005-09-26 10:38:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

FREEDOM AGENDA: COMMERCE MINISTER IDENTIFIES

Tags:  PGOV KDEM KMPI PREL SOCI KU 
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261038Z Sep 05
C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004186 

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR TSOU
STATE FOR NEA/FO AND NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2015
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KMPI PREL SOCI KU
SUBJECT: FREEDOM AGENDA: COMMERCE MINISTER IDENTIFIES
ELECTORAL DISTRICTS, THE PRESS, AND POLITICAL PARTIES AS
PRIORITIES FOR REFORM

REF: STATE 152818

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004186

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR TSOU
STATE FOR NEA/FO AND NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2015
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KMPI PREL SOCI KU
SUBJECT: FREEDOM AGENDA: COMMERCE MINISTER IDENTIFIES
ELECTORAL DISTRICTS, THE PRESS, AND POLITICAL PARTIES AS
PRIORITIES FOR REFORM

REF: STATE 152818

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


1. (C) During a September 24 meeting with Minister of
Commerce Abdullah Al-Taweel, the Ambassador asked Al-Taweel
for his views on next steps in political reform. Al-Taweel
said that, in his opinion, the top priority should be changes
to the electoral constituencies in order to increase district
sizes. "The lower (the) number of districts the better," he
said, adding that the current parliament had become "all
about personal conflict now." Al-Taweel said that ten
districts was the current number being considered. (Note:
For parliamentary elections, there are currently 25 districts
with some members elected by as few as 1,000 voters. End
Note.)


2. (C) Al-Taweel identified the new press and publications
law as the second most important reform priority, saying
that, while people are allowed to express their opinions in
the current Kuwait media climate, there should not be any
government controls over the media at all. A free and
unfettered press is "important for democratizing Kuwait," he
added.


3. (C) The third top priority for the GOK's reform agenda
should be the introduction of political parties, according to
Al-Taweel. Without political parties, he said, the National
Assembly will remain a hotbed of personal conflicts.
Describing the need to further the political discussion and
the public discourse, Al-Taweel stated that "We need to elect
agendas, not individuals."


4. (C) Comment: Al-Taweel is considered one of the more
progressive ministers, and he has come under attack at times
by Islamist legislators, most recently being the target of
criticism for price inflation in Kuwait. Without prodding,
Al-Taweel focused on the same democratization and reform
priorities identified by Post and included in the Freedom
Agenda (reftel.) End Comment.

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Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
********************************************
LEBARON