GOK APPROVES NATO REQUEST FOR TANK SHIPMENTS,

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004424

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR MOPS IZ KU NATO
SUBJECT: GOK APPROVES NATO REQUEST FOR TANK SHIPMENTS,
REGISTERS CONCERN


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


1. (C) During a meeting with the Ambassador on October
15,Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al-Salem Al-Sabah
agreed to a NATO request to accept Iraq-bound T-72 tanks at a
Kuwait port but registered strong GOK concern about the
substance and optics of the shipment. "We will give approval,
but we are concerned," the FM stated. "The nature of these
weapons is offensive, designed to conduct brisk operations
across borders," he added. "They formed the backbone of the
Iraqi Republican Guard." He added that the GOK defense
establishment is also "extremely" concerned about the "state
of flux" within the Iraqi armed forces and the structure of
Iraqi soldiers' loyalties.


2. (C) The Ambassador reminded the FM that the shipment would
also include Greek surplus armored personnel carriers.
Shaykh Mohammed said that procuring the APCs "made sense" in
terms of internal security but that the tanks "were designed
to beat armies, not rebels." Shaykh Dr. Mohammed repeated his
request for Ambassador to share the GOK message. "We want to
be helpful," he concluded, "but want to register the concern."


3. (C) Comment: Unloading of surplus T-72s (the same models
Saddam used to invade) at a Kuwaiti port should not be viewed
by NATO as a public affairs opportunity.

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