FREEDOM AGENDA: MINISTER ANTICIPATES CONTENTIOUS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 003878 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KU FREEDOM AGENDA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SUBJECT: FREEDOM AGENDA: MINISTER ANTICIPATES CONTENTIOUS PARLIAMENT SESSION; DOWNPLAYS SECTARIANISM IN KUWAIT REF: A. KUWAIT 3856 ¶B. KUWAIT 3826 Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C/NF) Summary: During a September 27 meeting with the Ambassador, Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs Abdul Hadi Al-Saleh said the Government is expending "maximum efforts" to repair its "tense" relations with Parliament. Despite these efforts, the Minister predicted Parliament would still be "provocative" in the next legislative session, which starts October 30. He believed some MPs preferred to see Parliament dissolved early so new elections could be held under the recently-adopted five constituency electoral system. Al-Saleh claimed Islamists were trying to "pressure decision-making" both inside and outside Parliament and predicted Islamist MPs would push conservative legislation in the upcoming session. The Minister did not think sectarian violence in Iraq and Hizballah ascendancy in Lebanon would have a significant impact on Shi'a-Sunni relations in Kuwait, which despite some minor Shi'a grievances and verbal denigration on both sides, are generally good. End summary. ¶2. (C/NF) The Ambassador met September 27 with Abdul Hadi Al-Saleh, the Minister of State for National Assembly (Parliament) Affairs and one of two Shi'a in the 16-member Cabinet. Al-Saleh described his Ministry's function as "managing the legal and political aspects of the Government's relations with Parliament." Recently, these relations have been "tense" despite the Government's "maximum efforts" to accommodate parliamentarians' (MPs) demands, Al-Saleh said. As examples, he cited the Cabinet's formation of an inter-ministerial committee to review all 150 outstanding questions posed by MPs to various ministries; the planned appointment of a point-person to follow up on MPs' requests and review the priorities of the various parliamentary blocs (ref B); and the Cabinet's decision based on Al-Saleh's suggestion to include local NGO representatives in a committee formed September 26 to review Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) projects in Kuwait. Al-Saleh hoped this last step, which he described as a "watershed" decision," would get local NGOs more involved in "the decision-making process." 
Parliament Looking for a Clash? -------------- ¶3. (C/NF) Despite these efforts to "bridge the gap" with the Parliament, the Minister predicted the Parliament would still be "provocative" in the next legislative session, something he attributed to some MPs' desire to see the current Parliament dissolved so new elections could be held under the new five constituency electoral system. (Note: In July, Parliament approved legislation reducing the number of electoral constituencies from 25 to 5, a reform expected to reduce electoral corruption and open the door to political parties. The Speaker recently told the Ambassador the reduction would change the nature of parliamentary politics in Kuwait (ref A). End note. It is not clear to us, however, that newly-elected members would want to go to the polls again soon, an expensive and risky process. End Note) Al-Saleh said that some legislative issues were further complicated by some MPs' impression that the U.S. was trying to manipulate the outcome. He believed this was the reason for some MPs' opposition to the controversial project to develop Kuwait's northern oil fields in partnership with international oil companies. Islamists Trying to "Pressure Decision-Making" -------------- - ¶4. (C/NF) Asked about increased Islamist representation and influence in Parliament, the Minister said Islamists were trying to "pressure decision-making" both inside and outside Parliament. He cited as examples Islamists' successful obstruction of the temporary establishment of a church in Kheitan and the airing of certain television programs during Ramadan, which Al-Saleh said indicated their "influence and effectiveness." Al-Saleh believed Islamist MPs would push conservative legislation, like a law on zakat (religious tax),in the upcoming parliamentary session. Despite Some Grievances, Kuwaiti Sectarian Relations Good -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C/NF) Al-Saleh said he did not anticipate that sectarian violence in Iraq and Hizballah ascendancy in Lebanon would have a significant impact on Shi'a-Sunni relations in Kuwait. KUWAIT 00003878 002 OF 002 He noted that Kuwaiti pan-Arabists were "happy with Hizballah's victory in Lebanon, because they think Israel was created to undermine Arab unity," and that "many Arabs were happy that an Arab group stood up to the Israelis for so long." Al-Saleh continued: "We cannot deny, however, that there is a type of verbal clash" (between Shi'a and Sunnis in Kuwait) and Shi'a still have some "grievances" about discrimination. In particular, he argued that Kuwaiti Shi'a should be allowed to air their own programs on public satellite stations. "These programs send a political message and Shi'a should be given equal media opportunities," otherwise they will turn to other satellite stations in the region, Al-Saleh argued. "The time for Government monopoly of these sensitive media is gone." On the whole, though, he said Shi'a-Sunni relations in Kuwait were good and Kuwait was not susceptible to the type of sectarian violence found elsewhere in the region. Bio Note -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Al-Saleh was appointed State Minister for National Assembly Affairs, his first ministerial post, in July 2006. He is one of two Shi'a ministers in the Cabinet--the other is Dr. Ma'souma Al-Mubarak, the Minister of Communications. Al-Saleh also serves on the Ja'fari Waqf's (Shi'a religious endowment) Consultative Committee and the Ministry of Awqaf's General Secretariat. In addition, he is the Secretary General of the National Charter Grouping, a moderate, pro-reform Shi'a political association. Prior to his appointment, Al-Saleh was a columnist for Al-Anba and Al-Rai Al-Aam (local Arabic dailies) and used to meet regularly with Embassy officials. He has also written several books on Kuwaiti politics and society. ¶7. (SBU) Al-Saleh was taken captive by Iraqi forces during the invasion and held until after the liberation of Kuwait in ¶1991. He was born in 1951 and has a degree in Law and Islamic Shari'a. Al-Saleh told the Ambassador he works "around the clock," but enjoys jogging and meditating in his limited free time. He also runs a husseiniya (religiously-oriented Shi'a diwaniya). A full bio is available on our classified website. ********************************************* * 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