DEMARCHE ON ARAB LEAGUE BOYCOTT MEETING

UNCLAS KUWAIT 004400 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA/ARP FOR JACKSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN KBCT KU SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON ARAB LEAGUE BOYCOTT MEETING REF: STATE 180280 ¶1. (SBU) In the absence of MFA Director of Arab Affairs Jaseem Al-Mubaraki, who is on official travel in the Gulf, Econcouns delivered reftel demarche to the head of the Arab League office at the MFA, Ahmed Al-Baqer, on November 7. Al-Baqer said no one from the Ministry would attend the meeting, but as with past practice a representative from the Kuwait boycott office, which falls under the Customs administration, would likely attend. Al-Baqer stressed, however, that Kuwaiti participation in the biannual boycott meetings was strictly as an observer. Econcouns noted that sending anyone implied a level of support for the boycott, which was anachronistic and obstructive of Kuwait's growing commercial interests. Al-Baqer said he would convey the substance of our demarche and USG concerns with the boycott to the MFA leadership. ********************************************* * 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