PRESS REACTS TO DENIAL OF VISA TO SUDANESE LEADER

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004467 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, CA/VO/L E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2016 TAGS: PGOV KIRF KISL CVIS SU KU SUBJECT: PRESS REACTS TO DENIAL OF VISA TO SUDANESE LEADER OF KUWAIT'S WORLD MODERATION CENTER REF: KUWAIT 4389 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Matthew Tueller for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C/NF) Several Kuwaiti dailies ran front page stories on November 13 about the denial of a visa to Dr. Issam Al-Basheer. Al-Basheer had planned to attend a conference on Islamic moderation in Washington, DC (reftel). Al-Seyassah wrote that "informed sources" had reported that Dr. Al-Basheer was refused a visa and therefore could not join the Kuwaiti delegation to the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs' (MAIA) second conference on "combating terrorism and spreading moderation." The paper went on to quote MAIA Undersecretary Dr. Adel Al-Falah saying that this was an internal, American issue, but that the GOK would continue to try to get a visa for Al-Basheer. The article says that the reasons for the denial of the visa are unknown but apparently are due to information that came to the knowledge of the State Department. Al-Rai Al-Aam also ran the story on the front page, along with a similar quotation from Al-Falah about this being an internal American matter. The story mentions that Al-Basheer is a University professor from Sudan and was Minister of Awqaf in the former Sudanese government. ¶2. (C/NF) The Al-Seyassah article's sources also alleged that Al-Falah had been refused a visa, but then quoted Al-Falah's rebuttal of this charge, in which he said his trip was delayed due to illness. (Note: This is a story he concocted to hide the fact that his visa was still pending at the time he was supposed to travel. PolOff was in constant contact with the Ministry and it was clear that the lack of a visa was the reason he delayed his trip. End Note.) ¶3. (SBU/NF) Al-Seyassah goes on to cite other sources who report that the MAIA recently received a secret report from the Finance Ministry. The article says the report questions whether the World Moderation Center (which is the branch of the MAIA charged with managing Kuwait's moderation activities) has overstepped the bounds of its government-authorized mandate by organizing international conferences. According to the article's sources, the report says the Center was supposed to treat destructive ideas in local society, not internationally. ¶4. (C/NF) Comment: Thus far the press reaction to the visa problems encountered by the GOK delegation has been relatively mild. Undersecretary Al-Falah has clearly been trying to downplay the issue with his comments that efforts were ongoing to try to procure a visa for Al-Basheer, since Post has informed the GOK in no uncertain terms that Al-Basheer would not be receiving a visa. Post is still waiting for Visas Bear responses for Majed Al-Ali and Dr. Khaled Qahs Al-Enezi. End Comment. ********************************************* * 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/ ********************************************* * Tueller