CODEL MCCAIN THANKS GOK FOR IRAQ SUPPORT; PM TELLS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 001055 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP - BERNS, H, AND NEA/IR, LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ IR KU KUWAIT IRAQ RELATIONS KUWAIT-IRAN RELATIONS SUBJECT: CODEL MCCAIN THANKS GOK FOR IRAQ SUPPORT; PM TELLS DELEGATION IRAQ A U.S. "BURDEN" REF: A. KUWAIT 807 ¶B. KUWAIT 677 Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Senator McCain and a delegation of Senators, Congressmen, and Governors met March 24 with Prime Minister Shaykh Nasser Mohammed, Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed, and other senior Kuwaiti officials to express U.S. gratitude for Kuwait's generous assistance to Operation Iraqi Freedom and "phenomenal" hospitality to U.S. forces stationed in Kuwait. On regional security issues, specifically Iraq and Iran, the Prime Minister told the delegation the "burden" of building a coalition government in Iraq lay on the U.S., and reported he had similarly emphasized the need for a coalition government to separate Iraqi Shi'a and Sunni delegations who recently visited Kuwait. While hoping for the best, the PM said Kuwait was preparing for a possible civil war in Iraq and reported that the Kuwait Red Crescent Society had already purchased 100,000 tents and other supplies to shelter potential Iraqi refugees. PM Shaykh Nasser Mohammed said the Amir had been "very frank" with Iranian President Ahmadinejad during the latter's recent visit (refs A and B),particularly regarding Kuwaiti concerns about a Three-Mile Island or Chernobyl-style accident at one of Iran's nuclear facilities. According to the PM, Ahmadinejad assured the Amir that Iran's nuclear program was for peaceful purposes only. The delegation also visited the National Committee for Missing and POW Affairs, an event that received considerable local media coverage. In comments to the press, Senator McCain praised the committee's efforts to locate missing Kuwaiti POWs. He also argued that the Lebanese people "deserve to live independent from Syrian occupation." End summary. Composition of Codel McCain -------------- ¶2. (U) Accompanying Senator John McCain (R-AZ) were Senator Russell Feingold (D-WI),Senator John Thune (R-SD),Governor Tim Pawlenty (MN),Governor Bob Riley (AL),Governor Jon Huntsman (UT),Representative Mark Kirk (R-IL), Representative Joe Schwarz (R-MI),and Representative Tom Udall (D-NM). Clear Message of U.S. Gratitude -------------- ¶3. (C) In a March 24 meeting with Prime Minister Shaykh Nasser Mohammed Al-Sabah, Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al-Salem Al-Sabah, and other senior GOK officials, Senator McCain strongly expressed U.S. gratitude for Kuwait's support for coalition efforts in Iraq. "We could not be doing what we do without you," he said. Characterizing Kuwaiti hospitality to U.S. troops as "phenomenal," McCain said, "We will always be very, very grateful." Senator Feingold also thanked the Kuwaitis for their "tremendous" counter-terrorism cooperation, assistance to victims of hurricane Katrina, and "enormous help" in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Governor Pawlenty agreed, saying, "You have demonstrated your friendship with words and deeds." Their thanks were echoed by the other members of the delegation. The PM expressed appreciation for the delegation's gratitude, but said Kuwaiti support for its "ally" was a "duty." He also highlighted the "excellent historical relations between the U.S. and Kuwait" and concluded, "A friend in need is a friend indeed, and the U.S. is a friend indeed." Iraq a U.S. "Burden" -------------- ¶4. (C) The PM stressed the need to build a coalition government in Iraq, which he said was a U.S. responsibility and "burden." PM Shaykh Nasser Mohammed said he had similarly emphasized the need to form a broad, representative government in meetings with separate Shi'a and Sunni delegations that recently visited Kuwait (ref A). He claimed the Sunnis acknowledged their "mistake" in boycotting the January 2005 elections, but were worried that the new Iraqi Constitution codified their exclusion from power. He lauded Iraq's 1924 Constitution as "the best in Iraq's history" and said provisions giving proportional representation to Iraq's various ethnic and religious groups worked as "a tent over all factions." ¶5. (C) Another problem complicating Iraqi government formation was that Iraqi Sunnis "cannot accept (Ibrahim) Jaafari as Prime Minister," PM Shaykh Nasser Mohammed said, adding that the "burden" was on the U.S. to convince Shi'a KUWAIT 00001055 002 OF 003 groups to replace him. At one point, he even suggested gathering Iraq's political groups in one room, locking the door, and forcing them to reach an agreement. "Once a stable, strong Iraqi government is established, terrorism will diminish," the PM argued. Governor Riley queried the GOK leaders about what to do should current efforts to form a government in Iraq fail. The Kuwaiti PM returned to his response that securing a workable government in Iraq is a burden that only the U.S. can bear. Hoping for the Best, But Preparing for the Worst -------------- --- ¶6. (C) Although hoping for the best, the PM said Kuwait had contingency plans in the event of a civil war in Iraq. Specifically, he said the GOK was prepared to shelter refugees crossing Kuwait's border with Iraq and reported that the Kuwait Red Crescent Society had already bought approximately 100,000 tents and other supplies. He emphasized, however, that the Kuwait-Iraq border was "very secure." "We hope nothing will happen, but we are prepared if it does," he concluded. 120 KM from Potential Three-Mile Island -------------- ¶7. (C) Reporting on the recent visit of Iranian President Ahmadinejad to Kuwait (refs A and B),PM Shaykh Nasser Mohammed said the Amir was "very frank" with Ahmadinejad, particularly regarding Kuwait's concerns about the potential for a Three-Mile Island or Chernobyl-style accident at one of Iran's nuclear facilities; the closest, Bushehr, was only 120 kilometers from Kuwait, he noted. The Amir also advised Ahmadinejad to "cooperate in Vienna." According to the PM, Ahmadinejad assured the Amir that Iran's nuclear program was solely for peaceful purposes, but did not respond to his suggestion that Iran cooperate in Vienna to address international concerns. FM Shaykh Dr. Mohammed said Ahmadinejad's rhetoric on Israel, UAE islands claimed by Iran (which he said were "non-negotiable"),and the nuclear issue was "equally alarming to us." He emphasized that Iran "does not represent a model for the GCC or the Arab world" and agreed that the Amir was "very frank" in his "direct discussion" with Ahmadinejad. ¶8. (C) Minister for Amiri Diwan Affairs Shaykh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah said Ahmadinejad suggested Gulf countries "invest" in Iran's nuclear program, a proposition the Minister noted would only be possible if Iran fully complied with the IAEA. (Note: In a March 8 meeting with Ambassador, FM Shaykh Dr. Mohammed said the GOK did not respond to this "preposterous" proposition (ref B). End note.) Shaykh Nasser Sabah believed Ahmadinejad's visit to Kuwait was an attempt to "cross the siege," apparently a reference to Iran's desire to allay Gulf countries' opposition to and fear of Iran's nuclear program and reduce Iraq's isolation from its Gulf neighbors. People-to-People Exchanges Key to Long-Term Alliance -------------- -------------- ¶9. (C) Governor Huntsman asked what the U.S. could do to deepen ties with Kuwait. PM Shaykh Nasser Mohammed said that, in addition to political and military cooperation, the U.S. and Kuwait should cooperate in other fields, particularly trade and technology. "We need assistance in all fields," he emphasized. McCain noted the declining number of Kuwaiti students studying in the U.S. and asked how this issue could be addressed. The FM said the visa issue was still the "number one" cause for the decline, but praised the Ambassador's effort to resolve the problem. "Political alliances are important, but people-to-people alliances are even more significant" in strengthening long-term relations, he concluded. GOK Addressing Gulf Pollution -------------- ¶10. (C) Responding to Representative Udall's question about the odor the Congressman noted along the coast near his hotel, President of the Government Assessment Agency Shaykh Mohammed Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah explained that "contractual differences" had prevented new Kuwaiti water treatment plants from coming on-line after several older plants were shut down. The new plants would be on-line in June and September 2006, he promised. Shaykh Nasser Sabah emphasized that a solution to the "huge problem" of pollution in the Gulf would require joint action by all Gulf countries, including Iran KUWAIT 00001055 003 OF 003 and Iraq. He specifically blamed large oil tankers for the problem and argued that Gulf countries needed a "collective pipeline," but noted that Saudi Arabia opposed this proposal. High Profile Visit to POW Center -------------- ¶11. (U) The delegation also visited the National Committee for Missing and POW Affairs, an event that received considerable media coverage in both Arabic and English dailies on March 25 and about two minutes of air time on the independent Kuwait satellite television network Al-Rai TV's evening newscast. In comments to the press, McCain praised the committee's continuing efforts to locate Kuwaitis taken prisoner during the first Gulf War. He also argued that "the people of Lebanon deserve to live independent from Syrian occupation" and "have the right to elect their government without any outside interference." ¶12. (U) Codel McCain departed post before this message was prepared. ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * LEBARON