DEMARCHES DELIVERED: GOK LABELS IRANIAN STATEMENTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004641 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2015 TAGS: PREL PTER IR KU SUBJECT: DEMARCHES DELIVERED: GOK LABELS IRANIAN STATEMENTS AS "VERY STRANGE" REF: A. SECSTATE 199863 ¶B. SECSTATE 199225 Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) During an October 30 meeting with Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Under Secretary Khaled Al-Jarallah characterized Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad's October 25 remarks regarding Israel as "very strong and very strange," reminding the GOK of language from the days of Ayatollah Khomeini. "We read this statement very negatively," he added. "It gives us an indication of the President's approach toward handling this and other regional problems," Al-Jarallah stated. "We hope one day that we'll hear something positive from him," the U/S continued, but "frankly, we're not optimistic." Al-Jarallah welcomed recent EU and UN statements condemning Ahmadi-Nejad's statements. ¶2. (C) Per reftel demarches, Ambassador urged the GOK to make public statements denouncing the remarks. Al-Jarallah, nodding his head, said that the GOK should, in fact, mention something in public. ********************************************* Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website ********************************************* LEBARON