AMBASSADOR MAKES THE PITCH FOR AFGHANISTAN AID

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000265 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2016 TAGS: EAID PREL KUNC KU TC SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MAKES THE PITCH FOR AFGHANISTAN AID PLEDGE IN LONDON REF: A. SECSTATE 12256 ¶B. KUWAIT 185 ¶C. KUWAIT 87 ¶D. 05 KUWAIT 5063 ¶E. 05 KUWAIT 4624 Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron,for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Per reftel A instructions, Ambassador spoke to Ministry of Foreign Affairs Under Secretary Khalid Jarallah about the London Conference in support of Afghanistan. Ambassador urged the GOK to provide a significant new funding pledge at the conference and advised Jarallah of participation by the Secretary and U.S. intentions to request increased resources. Jarallah agreed on the importance of taking steps to consoldiate Afghanistan's progress, but did not indicate any specific new commitment by the GOK. He advised the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister will not now be attending the conference due to the continuing transition period in Kuwait. (Note: a new cabinet is likely to emerge here about the time of the London meeting.) Jarallah advised the Kuwait Fund Director-General Abdulwahab al-Bader would likely be asked to represent the GOK at the meeting. ¶2. (C) Per retels, C-E, Post has been engaging actively with the Kuwait Fund on aid for Afghanistan, in an attempt to expedite re-negotiation of an old loan that has prevented the Kuwait Fund from renewing bilateral loans to the GOA. Ambassador recently met with the Afghan Ambassador (ref B) to review this issue and to indicate that we would support requests by his government. Unfortunately a planned visit by the GOA Finance Minister has been put on hold because of the 40-day mourning period for the late Kuwaiti Amir. ********************************************* 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