AFGHAN AMBASSADOR TO KUWAIT ON LONDON CONFERENCE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000185 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SA/A, NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ELAB PGOV PREL PINR AF XD KU SUBJECT: AFGHAN AMBASSADOR TO KUWAIT ON LONDON CONFERENCE AND GOK ASSISTANCE WOES REF: A. 05 KUWAIT 4624 ¶B. SECSTATE 03627 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: During a January 21 meeting with the Ambassador on GOK assistance and labor issues, Afghan Ambassador to Kuwait Yussuf Samad praised the USG for its ongoing support to Afghanistan; pointed to GOK unwillingness to re-start assistance absent a solution to old GOA arrears; acknowledged GOA responsibility to repay its arrears based on an MOU signed with the GOK in 2003; and noted that the estimated 10,000 Afghan laborers in Kuwait were mostly construction workers and traders who work under relatively favorable conditions. Ambassador reaffirmed the USG's commitment to Afghanistan and offered the Embassy's continued support in overcoming the GOK's reluctance to offer new assistance to Afghanistan. End Summary ¶2. (SBU) On January 21, Ambassador met with his Afghan counterpart, Yussuf Samad, to discuss the GOA's efforts to secure renewed assistance from the GOK and to offer continued USG support in this regard. Samad thanked the USG for being "the greatest contributor" in Afghanistan and for the Embassy's continued support. He pointed to an estimated $15M in outstanding arrears with the GOK resulting from a 1977 loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) for a sugar factory in Baghlan, Afghanistan (see ref A). Ambassador noted ongoing efforts to address Russian debt claims with Afghanistan as a precondition to resolving other bilateral GOA debt. Samad explained that the GOK, citing internal KFAED regulations, "told me very clearly no" to writing off the arrears. Samad added that the GOA had signed an MOU with the GOK in 2003 to reschedule the arrears on a very generous long-term basis but had yet to begin repayment. (Note: Post was under the impression that the GOA had not signed the MOU.) Samad accurately noted that the GOK could still provide grant assistance through the KFAED despite the arrears. ¶3. (SBU) According to Samad, the GOK has not provided renewed assistance to Afghanistan since its $30M grant pledge at the 2002 Tokyo donors conference. He added that it remains unclear what amount, if any, the GOK pledged at the 2004 Berlin donors conference. Samad said that he and the British Ambassador to Kuwait personally extended the invitation to Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammad Al-Sabah to attend the upcoming London conference. (Note: The Amir's death on 15 January continues to impact political developments in Kuwait and could result in a cabinet reshuffle.) Samad mentioned an upcoming visit to Kuwait by Afghan President Hamid Karzai before the president's trip to Denmark (audience with the Queen),Switzerland (Davos Forum), and the UK (London Conference). (Note: This may not occur; the GOK has asked as of today that all official visits be postponed until after the 40-day mourning period.) Per ref B, Ambassador shared a copy of the USG points to be raised with the GOK in anticipation of the London conference. Ambassador offered continued USG support to help secure renewed GOK assistance for Afghanistan, voicing skepticism about the possibility of new GOK pledges in London without resolution of the arrears. ¶4. (SBU) On the status of Afghan laborers in Kuwait, Samad proudly noted that Kuwaitis are generally complimentary of Afghan laborers and that a "very small minority" of the estimated 10,000 Afghans residing and working (mostly males) in Kuwait faced problems with employers (e.g., passport confiscation, harassment). He added that most Afghans in Kuwait were ethnic Pashtuns, some well established in business, engineering, and medicine, from the eastern Afghan provinces (Paktia, Paktika, Khowst) bordering Pakistan. Samad explained that Afghans came to Kuwait as refugees and that some continue to arrive illegally through the Iraqi and Saudi borders in search of work in Kuwait. Samad said that he urges Afghan expatriates to eschew criminal activities and "to behave as guests" in Kuwait. Bio Note -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Yussuf Samad has been Afghanistan's Ambassador to Kuwait since 2003. Prior to rejoining the Afghan government, Samad resided in Falls Church, Virginia and worked as an international radio broadcaster for VOA's Dari service. From 1962-1981, he served in various capacities in the Afghan Foreign Ministry and at Afghan Embassies in London and Paris. He has a B.A. from Kabul University's College of Law and KUWAIT 00000185 002 OF 002 Political Sciences and attended the Preparatory French High School at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. He speaks English, Dari-Farsi, Pashto and has oral proficiency in Arabic. Samad's son, Omar Samad, served as the Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman from 2002-2004 and is the current Afghan Ambassador to Canada. ********************************************* 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