MOI READ-OUT OF JEDDAH MEETING OF INTERIOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003992

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2016
TAGS: PREL IZ IR KU KUWAIT IRAQ RELATIONS
SUBJECT: MOI READ-OUT OF JEDDAH MEETING OF INTERIOR
MINISTERS OF IRAQ'S NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES


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


1. (C/NF) During a September 30 meeting, Major General Dr.
Khaled Al-Osaimi, the Assistant Undersecretary for Legal
Affairs at the Ministry of Interior, gave PolChief a brief
read out of the September 18-19 meeting of the Interior
Ministers of Iraq's neighboring countries in Jeddah, Saudi
Arabia. Al-Osaimi, who accompanied Kuwait's Interior
Minister to the Jeddah conference, said Iraq border security
was the top agenda item at the meeting. Commenting on the
recent Iraq-Kuwait border incidents, Al-Osaimi said he did
not think smugglers were responsible, as some have argued.
Rather, he speculated that "maybe the (Iraqi) government or
some Shi'a parties" were behind the incidents. Al-Osaimi
said Kuwait has provided vehicles and portable houses to
Iraqi border guards to help them perform their duties. The
Iraqi Minister of Interior, however, told the Kuwaitis at the
conference that he "cannot control the border incidents,"
Al-Osaimi reported.


2. (C/NF) With regard to Iraqi security, Al-Osaimi said,
"Iran is the problem." Noting that Iraqi Shi'a were "close"
to Iran and that southern Iraq was predominantly Shi'a, he
expressed concern about the possible emergence of a
"Hizballah-like" group in the south that could pose a threat
to Kuwait. He described the Iraq-Iraq border as "open," and
asked whether the U.S. has a plan for addressing the issue.
Al-Osaimi said the Iraqis were entirely unequipped to secure
their borders, and was not hopeful that even with stepped up
cooperation the neighbors group would have much impact. He
commented on the appearance of Iraqi MOI personnel in Jeddah,
noting disapprovingly that they wore Badr Corps insignia on
their uniforms.


3. (C/NF) At the conclusion of the Jeddah conference, the
Ministers signed a protocol in which they promised to
"support and assist the Iraqi government in the field of
training police and security forces in order to boost Iraqi
security and stability and safeguard its unity and
territorial integrity," according to open source reporting.
(Comment: Al-Osaimi promised to send PolChief a copy of the
protocol, but has yet do so despite repeated calls to his
office. End comment.) Al-Osaimi said Kuwait will host the
next meeting of Interior Ministers sometime in 2007.

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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