GCC FEARS BEING LABELED PRO-ISRAELI FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000578

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NSC FOR RAMCHAND, LONDON FOR TSOU,
PARIS FOR ZEYA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL IR KU KUWAIT IRAN RELATIONS
SUBJECT: GCC FEARS BEING LABELED PRO-ISRAELI FOR
CONFRONTING IRAN OVER NUCLEAR PROGRAM

REF: KUWAIT 397

Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (d)


1. (C) Dr. Yacoub Al-Hayati, one of Kuwait's five members on
the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) Advisory Committee, told
Poloff in a February 19 meeting the GCC was hesitant to
directly confront Iran over its nuclear program for fear of
being labeled by Iran as pro-Israeli, a view he repeated
throughout the meeting. He also explained that the
association between Israel's nuclear program and Iran's was
"logical" to Arab publics and made it particularly difficult
to publicly criticize Iran's nuclear program without
criticizing Israel's at the same time. According to
Al-Hayati, however, if "directed" by the international
community, the GCC would be more "unveiled" with the Iranian
government (GOI) in its opposition to Iran's nuclear program.
He welcomed Secretary Rice's upcoming trip to Abu Dhabi,
reported February 17 in local press, as a "very good step,"
and predicted it would give the GCC the impetus it needed to
more directly confront Iran. Al-Hayati suggested the
Secretary's visit be followed by a visit from UN Secretary

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General "Kofi Annan or another international leader" to
highlight international, as opposed to uniquely U.S., support
for greater GCC action on Iran.


2. (C) Although dismissing the Qataris as "politically
inexperienced and contradictory," Al-Hayati predicted Qatar
would vote "with the U.S." on any UN Security Council (UNSC)
resolution against Iran, with or without broader GCC support.
Al-Hayati explained that although its voting was not
directly dictated by the GCC, Qatar was expected to represent
GCC views while on the UNSC. Al-Hayati also confirmed
Ambassador Abdullah Bishara's assertion (reftel) that, while
generally concerned, the GCC had not yet considered how to
deal with the consequences of any potential international
military action against Iran, or with a nuclear-armed Iran.


3. (C) Al-Hayati, a former Shi'a MP and a self-described
"moderate," suggested Iran's confrontational policies might
be directed by "a Mossad agent" in the GOI's inner circles of
power. He cited the example of Eli Cohen (an Israeli spy in
Syria) as evidence of Israel's intention and ability to
infiltrate foreign governments.

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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/
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LEBARON