Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KUWAIT4686
2006-12-20 13:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

KATRINA ASSISTANCE: NO IMMINENT HELP FROM KUWAIT

Tags:  EAID ECON EFIN KU PREL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0012
PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHKU #4686 3541305
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 201305Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7936
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004686 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE PASS TO USAID, NEA/ARP FOR JACKSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2011
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN KU PREL
SUBJECT: KATRINA ASSISTANCE: NO IMMINENT HELP FROM KUWAIT

REF: A. STATE 198690

B. KUWAIT 4109

C. KUWAIT 4682

D. 05 KUWAIT 4846

Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Matt Tueller for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004686

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE PASS TO USAID, NEA/ARP FOR JACKSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2011
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN KU PREL
SUBJECT: KATRINA ASSISTANCE: NO IMMINENT HELP FROM KUWAIT

REF: A. STATE 198690

B. KUWAIT 4109

C. KUWAIT 4682

D. 05 KUWAIT 4846

Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Matt Tueller for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d)


1. (SBU) As instructed Ref A, Econcouns raised the status of
Kuwait's USD 500 million pledge for Hurricane Katrina relief
with Hamad Al Mashan at the MFA America's Department on
December 20. Econcouns thanked the GOK for the USD 50
million disbursed thus far and noted our understanding that
USD 400 million of the remaining balance of the aid package
had been approved by parliament's Budget and Closing Accounts
Committee in 2005, and it was up to the GOK to request the
Speaker of Parliament to have the issue moved up on
parliament's agenda. Al Mashan was unaware of the status of
the additional USD 50 million the USG understood to be
available for projects, but he promised to look into it and
get back to us. As noted Ref B, Polcouns raised the subject
of Katrina assistance on October 15 with Chairman of the
Foreign Affairs Committee, who promised to take up the issue
with the Foreign Minister.


2. (SBU) Al Mashan responded that he believed the GOK would
eventually make good on its pledge for the full amount, but
he cautioned that this was not a propitious time for
parliament to take up foreign aid causes. Al Mashan
highlighted parliament's vote the previous day (Ref C)
rejecting a bill that would have forgiven consumer loans of
Kuwaiti citizens. (Note: During the debate supporters of
the bill castigated opponents for demonstrating greater
concern for Lebanon and Iraq than "for your own people." End
Note). Moreover, Al Mashan noted there continued to be
discussion and rumor about a possible cabinet re-shuffle
following the upcoming Eid holiday (early January). Thus,
even though parliament rejected the consumer loan bill, the
time was not right for the GOK to make a push for Katrina
assistance, Al Mashan advised, as parliament would almost
certainly vote it down. Better to wait until the dust
settles, Al Mashan said.


3. (C) Comment: We concur with the Department's presumption
in Ref A that funds pledged by the GOK over a year ago and
not disbursed are unlikely to be released at this point.
There has been little movement on the USD 450 million balance
for a year. It is also unlikely that any Kuwaiti official
will tell us directly that no more money is forthcoming, and
the prospect of the GOK expending political capital in
parliament to lobby for aid to the U.S. is, in our view, not
in the cards in the foreseeable future.
********************************************* *
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