CONSEQUENCE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE FOR KUWAIT

S E C R E T KUWAIT 000616 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PASS TO ISN/FCM TLOWE DOD PASS TO OSD/ISA/NESA YABOUL-ENEIN E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/2016 TAGS: PREL MARR ETTC MCAP ENRG SENV KU IR SUBJECT: CONSEQUENCE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE FOR KUWAIT FOLLOW-UP REF: KUWAIT 00363 (NOTAL) Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) Action request at para 4. ¶2. (S) Ambassador convened a meeting on February 21 among OMC-K, ECON, POL and RSO to consider further follow-up on GOK request (reftel) for USG assistance in dealing with nuclear issues posed by Iran. Our understanding is that the GOK request could run the gamut from assistance in detecting nuclear accidents through design of early warning nuclear defense systems to dealing with the consequences of nuclear attack or accident. ¶3. (S) Post proposes a bilateral, interagency meeting with GOK officials here or in Washington to discuss GOK needs for consequence management of nuclear issues. Post puts this forward as a means to establish a base line for the GOK request and to identify specific GOK consequence management needs. The issue of theater missile defense we would treat as another matter. We will provide a separate message describing current GOK capabilities. ¶4. (S) Action request: Approval to propose to the GOK that we conduct bilateral discussions led by State Foreign Consequence Management Program office to identify specific interests and needs. (We will need to know whether a U.S. team is prepared to travel to Kuwait.) Note: These discussions would not cover air defenses, which are being dealt with in mil-to-mil channels. ********************************************* * 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