KUWAITI AMIR REPORTEDLY ACCEPTS INVITATION TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004537 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS FOR NEA/IR AND NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2016 TAGS: PREL IR KU KUWAIT IRAN RELATIONS SUBJECT: KUWAITI AMIR REPORTEDLY ACCEPTS INVITATION TO VISIT IRAN Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) (U) The Kuwait daily Al-Qabas reported that Amir Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah met with Ghulam Hussein Ilham, the Director of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's office, on November 28. Ilham presented a letter inviting Shaykh Sabah to visit Iran and emphasized the "strong relations between the two friendly countries and peoples." According to the press report, the Amir accepted the invitation. No date was indicated. ¶2. (C/NF) During last month's visit of General Colin Powell to Kuwait, the Amir told Powell that he had a standing invitation to visit Iran and that he would likely accept. The Amir also indicated to Powell that very little progress had been made on Kuwait/Iran bilateral issues. A visit to Tehran would be Shaykh Sabah's first visit to Iran as Amir. ¶3. (C/NF) The Amir is currently in France on a state visit. Upon his return, we will check further on plans for an Iran visit. ********************************************* * 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