Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KUWAIT1832
2006-05-21 18:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:
COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER EXPELLED FROM ISLAMIST
how-toVZCZCXRO2015 PP RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHMOS RUEHPW DE RUEHKU #1832 1411800 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 211800Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4589 INFO RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001832
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/20/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KU FREEDOM AGENDA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SUBJECT: COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER EXPELLED FROM ISLAMIST
POLITICAL ASSOCIATION IN ROW OVER ELECTORAL REFORM
REF: A. KUWAIT 1773
¶B. KUWAIT 1638
¶C. KUWAIT 1637
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reason 1.4 (d)
(C) Dr. Ismail Al-Shatti, the Minister of Communications and
a senior member of the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM),
the political arm of the Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood, was
expelled from the ICM after refusing to resign in protest of
the Government's position in the debate over electoral reform
(ref A),the English daily Arab Times reported May 21.
Al-Shatti served as the head of the ICM's Ideological and
Civilizational Dialogue (i.e. Foreign Relations) Office until
his appointment as Minister of Communications in February.
At that time, the organization was elated to have a member be
included in the new Cabinet. This latest development may
indicate that the ICM's internal cohesion and degree of
control over its members is not as strong as some suggest.
It is known that Al-Shatti only took the job because of his
close ties to the Prime Minister, thus his decision to stay
may reflect this primary loyalty.
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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/
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LEBARON