KUWAIT MFA OFFICIAL ON SYRIA ENGAGEMENT, HANIYEH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 004680 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2016 TAGS: PREL EAID KPAL KU SY SUBJECT: KUWAIT MFA OFFICIAL ON SYRIA ENGAGEMENT, HANIYEH VISIT REF: A) STATE 197800 B) KUWAIT 4584 C) KUWAIT 4650 Classified By: CDA Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: According to MFA Arab Affairs Director Al-Mubaraki, Bashar al-Asad has signaled to Kuwait and others his readiness for a deal with the U.S. Kuwait has no plans to meet with the Syrians at a senior level. Palestinian PM Haniyeh could visit Kuwait in the near future, though details have not been arranged. Should such a visit occur, Haniyeh will not be permitted to fundraise. The Kuwaiti FM plans to visit Cairo next week to address concerns that Arab League member funds do not end up under Hamas control. Iranian regional ambitions dominated discussions at the recent GCC Summit. According to one line of thinking, a deal with the Syrians combined with a revived Israeli-Palestinian peace process will most effectively curb growing Iranian influence. End Summary. Engaging Syria: Bashar "Ready for a Deal" -------------- ¶2. (C) In a 12/19 meeting with PolCouns, MFA Director for Arab Affairs Jassim Al-Mubaraki said Kuwait understands that Syrian President Bashar al-Asad recently told visiting Arab League envoy Mustafa Othman Ismail that he is ready to break with hard-liners in his own government and end his showdown with Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora's government. Al-Mubaraki said Asad is privately blaming Farouk al-Shara'a and his "hard-line faction" for steering him onto a path of alienating the Saudis and Egyptians. Al-Mubaraki said Kuwait believes that Asad is "desperate, isolated, and ready to make a deal." ¶3. (C) PolCouns noted USG concern that Asad continue to be isolated in the region (ref A). Al-Mubaraki said Kuwait has no plans to meet with Asad or other Syrian officials at a senior level, but noted that former Syrian Culture Minister Najar Attar, described as an advisor to Asad, is currently here in Kuwait for the Qurain cultural festival, and has had "several government meetings" during her "unofficial" visit. Haniyeh Visit Not Off the Table? -------------- ¶4. (C) PolCouns raised a recent local media report that Palestinian PM Ismail Haniyeh plans to visit Kuwait in January, making clear that the U.S. would strongly oppose such a visit. MFA U/S Jarallah earlier this month told Ambassador that Haniyeh's visit had been postponed indefinitely (ref B). Al-Mubaraki said he could not rule out such a visit happening, though no date is set. He said the U.S. should not be concerned about a Haniyeh visit. "Haniyeh is nothing - a puppet of (Khalid) Mesha'al, the Syrians, and the Iranians," he said. But, he added, "Haniyeh came to his position democratically - how can we ignore that?" Al-Mubaraki said neighboring countries must "do everything we can to avoid a civil war among the Palestinians - no one will benefit, including the U.S." Al-Mubaraki offered that if Haniyeh visits the GOK will ensure no fundraising activity takes place. ¶5. (C) Al-Mubaraki said Kuwait has taken extra pains to ensure its recent aid pledges do not fall into Hamas control. Kuwait over the past several months made pledges of direct assistance to the Palestinian Authority in tranches of USD 50M and 30M (ref C). Al-Mubaraki said the 30M had been transferred into an account directly under Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' control. According to Al-Mubaraki, the larger USD 50M grant has been put on hold pending a visit to Cairo next week by the FM where he will seek assurances from Arab League officials that member funds donated through the AL's Palestine Fund are controlled by Abbas directly. Iran Tops List of Concerns -------------- ¶6. (C) Al-Mubaraki said the GCC Summit statement was intended to send a clear message to Iran that its meddling in Iraq and Lebanon is not acceptable. He said Iran's ambitions dominated the discussion at the Summit, and continue to dominate the concerns of moderate governments across the region. Iran, he claimed, "is pouring money into Gaza and Lebanon to convert Sunnis to Shi'ism." (Note: this is a common presumption among many Kuwaiti Sunnis) But, he said, curbing Iranian influence will be impossible without a revived Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and a deal with the Syrians. "I despise Hezbollah," he explained, "but they play the Israeli card very well, and it is hard to counter... Bashar will make a deal in return for the survival of his regime, and with a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iran will be forced out of the picture." KUWAIT 00004680 002 OF 002 TUELLER