Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KUWAIT2776
2006-07-10 13:54:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

IRAQI PM MALIKI LEADS MINISTERIAL DELEGATION ON

Tags:  PREL PGOV EAID KU IZ KUWAIT IRAQ RELATIONS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4145
OO RUEHDE
DE RUEHKU #2776/01 1911354
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 101354Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5699
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 1657
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002776 

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/I

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID KU IZ KUWAIT IRAQ RELATIONS
SUBJECT: IRAQI PM MALIKI LEADS MINISTERIAL DELEGATION ON
WHIRLWIND VISIT TO KUWAIT

REF: BAGDHAD 2401

Classified By: CDA Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002776

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/I

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID KU IZ KUWAIT IRAQ RELATIONS
SUBJECT: IRAQI PM MALIKI LEADS MINISTERIAL DELEGATION ON
WHIRLWIND VISIT TO KUWAIT

REF: BAGDHAD 2401

Classified By: CDA Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (S/NF) MFA Under Secretary Khalid Jarallah told CDA on
July 10 that the visit of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki had
been "very very positive" and that Maliki had made a good
impression on GOK officials. His reconciliation initiative
briefing elicited promises of "full support" from the Amir.
The Amir proposed that Kuwait and Iraq establish a joint
committee chaired by Foreign Ministers to meet periodically
and discuss bilateral issues. Reportedly, Maliki agreed and
said he would instruct FM Zebari to follow up with his GOK
counterpart.


2. (S/NF) The Amir raised Kuwaiti concerns over the status of
Sunnis in Basra. Maliki said he was aware of the attacks
against Sunnis and blamed it on "certain parties" who had an
interest in creating a difficult situation for his
government. He stated that steps were being taken to improve
the situation.


3. (S/NF) The Amir and PM Maliki also discussed at some
length the "Iraq neighbors" framework and the meeting that
was to take place shortly in Tehran. (Note: The Kuwaiti
Foreign Minister attended the Tehran meeting after Maliki's
visit and is due to return to Kuwait the afternoon of July

10. End Note.) According to Jarallah, the Amir and Maliki
shared the view that the Iraqi neighbors meetings were
unlikely to produce anything positive or of concrete value.
The Amir suggested that Maliki look at developing a forum in
which "three or four of Iraq's neighbors", those prepared to
be practical and positive, could work closely with Baghdad to
support the GOI in its efforts. Jarallah said Maliki seemed
to welcome the suggestion and promised to study it further.



4. (S/NF) Contrary to report in reftel, Jarallah said that no
timeframe for exchange of Ambassadors had been decided, but
the GOK confirmed to the Iraqi delegation that retired Chief
of Staff General Ali Mu'min would be Kuwait's Ambassador once

conditions permitted the opening of an Embassy in Baghdad.
Maliki informed the Amir that the GOI would be extending an
invitation to the GOK to attend the Iraq Compact meeting in
Baghdad later this month. In response to CDA's query,
Jarallah said he thought it was likely that Kuwait would send
a representative.


5. (U) Iraqi Charge in Kuwait Hamid Al-Sharifi told
PolChief July 9 that Maliki's visit to Kuwait was cut short
because of unspecified urgent business in Iraq, leaving
insufficient time for substantive bilateral talks. Maliki
and delegation (Electricity Minister Karim Wahid al-Hassan,
Defense Minister Qader Jassim al-Mufraji, Environment
Minister Narmine Othman, Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs Rafia al-Issawi, Communications Minister Muhammad
Allawi, and Oil Minister Husayn Shahristani) arrived Tuesday
July 4 and were expected to stay until the 6th before
traveling to Jordan. The delegation instead departed on July
5 after a meeting with the Amir and a group meeting with
Prime Minister Shaykh Nasser Mohammed Al-Sabah, First Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Interior Shaykh
Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Foreign Affairs Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah Al-Salem
Al-Sabah, Energy Minister Shaykh Ahmed Fahd Al-Sabah, and
Communications Minister Shaykh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad
Al-Sabah.


6. (C/NF) Al-Sharifi reported the two sides briefly
addressed debt forgiveness, reconstruction loans which the
Amir purportedly promised at 1.5% interest, and Iraq's gas
shortage which the Kuwaiti Energy Minister blamed on
temporary technical problems. The two sides also agreed to
form a joint committee at the expert level to look into
compensation issues. On diplomatic representation,
Al-Sharifi, like Jarallah, said there was not much progress
on the exchange of ambassadors. Mu'min was Kuwait's
ambassador-designate and Al-Sharifi added that a team had
inspected the Kuwaiti chancery. (MFA advised us that
Bahraini diplomats had made a visit to the Kuwaiti chancery
and filed a report.) Al-Sharifi described the chancery as
dilapidated and located outside of the Green Zone. He
remarked that he offered his personal property inside the
Zone to Kuwait for construction of a new embassy. According
to Al-Sharifi, several Iraqi Islamist groups want their
representatives assigned to Kuwait and Kuwaiti FM Shaykh Dr.
Mohammed previously urged Zebari to send a "secular"
ambassador to Kuwait.

KUWAIT 00002776 002 OF 002




7. (SBU) PM Maliki also met with representatives of the
Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a meeting Al-Sharifi
said the Amir insisted occur. KCCI Chairman Ali Al-Ghanim
urged the GOI to resolve all outstanding economic issues with
Kuwait in order to create the conditions necessary to attract
Kuwaiti investment. He further noted GOK interest in
immediate investment in Kurdistan. There was considerable
press coverage of the Iraqi delegation's visit and Maliki had
a round table discussion with editors of local Arabic- and
English-language papers.


8. (C/NF) Al-Sharifi cut the meeting short, explaining he
was on his way to the airport to meet an unnamed
representative of Muqtada al-Sadr who was arriving from
Syria. He said the envoy was traveling to Kuwait at the
invitation of Al-Shahad newspaper publisher Shaykh Sabah
Mohammed Al-Sabah and expected meetings to focus on
investment and business opportunities.

********************************************* *
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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